At “Hairballs,” a Houston Press blog, Richard Connelly tells us that in the “Texas Science Textbook Wars: Ed Board Slashes Time for Public Comment” (Jul. 19 2011). Apparently, the new chair can only stand to hear from the Darwin lobby for about four hours.
“Unfortunately, hopes that the new chair might focus the board on ensuring that Texas kids get a sound education have almost evaporated just two weeks after her appointment by Governor Perry,” TFN’s [Darwin lobby’s] Kathy Miller says. “Ms. Cargill appears to be just as determined as her two predecessors to promote divisive ‘culture war’ battles on the state board and in our children’s classrooms. And her decision to dramatically limit public testimony this week demonstrates a stunning disregard for the concerns of parents and other citizens who want students to get a science education that truly prepares them to succeed in college and a 21st-century economy.”
Actual effect? Sources say it should mean that one major lobby is chosen to represent each key view, conserving everyone’s time.
One problem with providing unlimited time is that every pressure group head must hit the state house to prove he deserves his salary when, in fact, his position is identical to the sixteen pressure groups before and the eighteen after his. Perhaps Texans just don’t want to pay for that stuff any more.
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