My fiance brought an article to my attention that is about the head of the Texas State Board of Education, Don McLeroy, and how he is trying increase higher educational standards for English in the state of Texas. The article by Phil Plait got to me in more than just one way, which made me sit down and write this article immediately.

It seems as though Mr. Don McLeroy, who was appointed head of the Texas State Board of Education by Governor Rick Perry, has gotten under the skin of many concerned board members and raising issues. He neglected an actual three-year study performed by a group of teachers and experts, and tossed the qualified study over to present a proposal that was hastily created by friendly conservative board members without any educational credentials. Voters who obviously would have some influence on his re-election in 2010.

The remaining board members of the Texas Department of Education were given the new criteria an hour before having to vote on it. Of course, they were not impressed by the travesty - but sadly, the new structure for teaching English was still passed. They voted 9-6.

Since this bill has been passed, it will gravely have a negative effect on the students until the policy has changed, using the the qualified resources of the experts and teachers. Education must be taken seriously, especially by the Head of Education. It seems that this one is working on his political career instead of the matter at hand. He has practiced unethical methods at the welfare of our youth for self gain.

With English being the topic exploited here, you have to remember that 47% of school age children are Mexican. This a very good reason to restructure the the criteria, but no one with educational training on Hispanic children was even included on the panel.

I have a serious concern as to how Don McLeroy qualifies to be the Head of the Board of Education in Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a doctor of dental science. He has had his state appointed position since 1998. The only teaching experience he has is teaching Sunday school at his church. He was recently appointed in 2007 to head the Board for the Texas Public School System.

In 2001, Don McLeroy discouraged the only advanced placement of environmental science proposed for high schools in Texas, even though a panel of experts approved it. He also vetoed a reputable biology textbook that had a full account of evolution.

Yes, Mr. Don McLeroy is a Creationist at heart, and he is (ab)using his political influence to push this belief into the public schools. The full extent of his hipocrisy though outcropped as soon as he started taking steps to eliminate the evolution theory from the school’s chalkboards. Peaceful coexistence doesn’t seem to have a place in Creationism.

What he did approve were new health books supporting abstinence from sex to prevent unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. I would like to see a study on how that helped prevent teenage pregnancy and the spread of STD’s in Texas.

I have to wonder how the political/religious mind works since, as everyone knows, there are still Mexicans crossing the border and living here illegally. The Head of Education for the State of Texas isn’t worried about the Mexican vote much, is he? After all, that kind of vote doesn’t exist. What does exist is an alarming cluster of Creationist Americans who have a vote that counts.