I sent an email out to NCSE’s members in Texas about next Tuesday's hearing about textbooks before the Texas state board of education, but it occurs to me that some of you who read the blog and live in Texas may, inexplicably, not be members yet.
So if you didn’t get the email (or got it and haven't had a chance to read it yet), here’s what we told folks about the state board of education hearing coming up on Tuesday. If you want to be sure to get alerts like this in the future, join NCSE! Or at least sign up for alerts on the action page.
PTA heads, teachers, and school board members who will help decide what textbooks to buy: it would be especially good for the board to hear from you on Tuesday. Scientists and educators who know the science and want to see it taught well: that goes for you, too. Students, parents, and others who will have to live with the board’s decision should also speak up. I’m guessing that covers all of you, so I hope to see a good crowd on Tuesday. Just to be sure, please share this post with your friends, colleagues, and the person behind you at the grocery checkout.
Dear Texas friend of NCSE,
Earlier this week I told you how creationists and climate change deniers tried to take over the Texas textbook review process. They wanted to force publishers to insert “biblical creationism,” the usual litany of long-discredited attacks on evolution, and denial that humans have even changed the carbon cycle (let alone the climate) into textbooks. We’ve posted more detail at NCSE’s blog.
Next Tuesday is your first chance to tell the board to reject these absurd editing requests. Will you join me at the state board of education hearing, Tuesday, September 17th?
To register to attend, you need to fill out and send a form (PDF link) to the Texas Education Agency immediately. The form has a button that will e-mail itself directly to TEA, or you can fax it to 512-936-4319, deliver it to the TEA offices in Austin, or call TEA at 512-463-9007 and they’ll take down your information.
I embedded a sample image at the right showing how to fill out the form; zoom in or download it to see the details. Texas Freedom Network has detailed instructions on how to fill the form out, and what to bring with you that day. I hope you can join us and your fellow Texan science supporters at noon on Tuesday, before the hearing, for a rally in support of honest science textbooks.
You can be sure that creationists and other science deniers will turn out in force on Tuesday, and I’m counting on you to help protect textbooks.
- Who: You, me, and the board of education
- When: Tuesday, September 17. Rally at noon, hearing begins at 1.
- Where: The William B. Travis Building, 1701 N. Congress Ave., Austin, TX
- What: Hearing on the K-12 Science textbooks to be used in schools for the next decade
- Why: Show support for good science education, and make sure the board and publishers see that Texans want straight-shooting, honest textbooks, and to leave creationism and other ideological agendas aside.
- Wear: Green! So the board can see we all stand together.
See you soon!
