White: Texas education board should delay vote
04/22/2010
Bill White, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, said Thursday that the State Board of Education shouldn't vote on new social studies curriculum standards until newly elected members are in place.
White said Republican Gov. Rick Perry should ask board chairman Gail Lowe to delay next month's vote until 2011. Perry appointed Lowe.
A Christian conservative bloc of the board has drawn much attention to the panel's debates about social studies and which historical figures to include in Texas' curriculum. One board member and another right-wing candidate for the board were defeated by more moderate Republicans in the primary.
Those changes show Texas voters don't want the current board deciding curriculum standards, White spokeswoman Katy Bacon said.
"Texas voters have voted against those who are extreme and hyper-political," Bacon said. "If Rick Perry won't show some leadership about the process, he should at least respect Texans who've said they don't want the current, controversial SBOE making decisions about their children's future."
Don McLeroy, a former board chairman who lost in the primary, will