The Texas GOP has issued an apology for advocating the prohibition of the teaching of critical thinking skills in public schools.
From TPM:
The plank in question, on “Knowledge-Based Education,” reads as follows:
We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.
Elsewhere in the document, the platform stipulates that “[e]very Republican is responsible for implementing this platform.”
Apparently they’re stuck with it until 2014.
….
The platform actually makes a fascinating read. The Republicans there do unequivocally oppose human trafficking, which is cool I guess. No doubt they are incurring the wrath of the formidable pro-trafficking lobby.
The support home schooling (and corporate punishment) in Foster Homes.
But here’s a twist, or is it? They support mandatory labelling for GMO products. And they oppose smart meters! They oppose mandatory vaccinations. I didn’t see anything about water fluoridation.
They oppose bureacrats (“Czars”).
They oppose D.C. statehood.
They oppose slavery reparations.
They want the EPA abolished.
They want Confererate widows honored with plaques.
They support motherhood.
They want to inform us that homosexuality tears at the fabric of society.
They oppose rights for children (unless they’re unborn).
Read the whole platform. It’s fascinating!
15 comments
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June 29, 2012 at 10:09 pm
ED Denson
Well, I suppose I’m with them on the Confederate widows, but really, who is against Confederate widows in Texas? I’m unaware of the plaque issue, but I’m sure I have some Confederate widows in the family tree. I don’t think I’m descended from one, however. My great great (or whatever) grandfather on my mother’s side was a doctor in the Confederate army and when he died his obit said “there are many one-legged men walking around today who are a tribute to his skill.” How many doctors could have that said of them today? None of mine, fortunately.
June 30, 2012 at 8:35 am
Anonymous
But here’s a twist, or is it?
They support mandatory labeling for GMO products.
They oppose smart meters.
June 30, 2012 at 8:42 am
Eric Kirk
Yes, that is what I said.
??
June 30, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Bolithio
Wow Ed, that is a great antidote. Has to be one of the best obit’s Ive ever heard. Thanks.
June 30, 2012 at 7:17 pm
ghost of John Wayne playing Davy Crockett
They oppose anything ‘smart’, just happens to be smart meters, whatever that is.
June 30, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Bruce Ross
The Texas GOP platform also supports the “traditional filibuster” in the U.S. Senate — which is to say the requirement that senators get up and talk and talk and talk if they want to filibuster, as opposed to the amorphous requirement that it takes 60 votes to pass anything in the Senate just because. Minds change on this issue depending on who’s in the majority, but the effective supermajority requirement to pass legislation — totally unconstitutional, right?
Also, the Texas GOP opposes initiative and referendum, which California’s GOP very much supports. Maybe that’s just practical politics. (Initiatives offer, on the whole, better odds for conservatives than the Legislature does.) Funny, though.
July 1, 2012 at 3:09 am
j67k
@ED “None of mine, fortunately.” ???? Fortunately?
You do realize that the alternative to “one-legged men walking around” is “dead men”? If your ancestors post amputation mortality rate was low, you should be proud of him.
July 1, 2012 at 3:36 am
j67k
“Don’t mess with Texas…” Why bother? They seem perfectly capable of impaling themselves on their own stupidity.
I just hate it when they try to force textbook publishers to alter the lessons to match their deranged hallucinations, probably brought on by bovine spongiform encephalopathy…
July 1, 2012 at 9:19 am
Anonymous
The danger to Humboldt County is not Estelle Fennell,
but a citizenry capable of entrusting a woman like her with the role of supervisor. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of a Fennell as supervisor than to restore the necessary common sense
and good judgment to a depraved electorate who will to have such a woman for their supervisor.
The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Ms Fennell,
who is a mere symptom of what ails America.
Blaming the princess of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast
confederacy of fools that made her their princess.
Humboldt County can survive an Estelle Fennell, who is after all ,
merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools,
such as those who made her their Supervisor.
July 1, 2012 at 10:54 am
ED Denson
j67k I fully appreciate the praise given my physician ancestor in discussing the outcomes of his interventions, and join in it however oddly it strikes the modern ear. However, he worked in the 1860s. We are 150 years beyond my ancestor’s medical skills, and I am happy that in the treatment of my various ailments i have received care more advanced than that of wounded soldiers in the War between the States.
July 1, 2012 at 11:00 am
suzy blah blah
-hey anonymous, you forgot to include the original:
“The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting an inexperienced man like him with the presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president.”
–From the newspaper Prager Zeitung, Czech Republic, April 28, 2010
July 1, 2012 at 11:14 am
Bolithio
Its amazing to me that Estelle is being viewed as some evil. With the exception of private property rights, she is totally liberal! People who are complaining about her are never, ever going to be satisfied with anything!
July 1, 2012 at 11:38 am
tra
So Anon 9:19′s post turns out to be both idiotic and plagiarized.
What a fool.
July 1, 2012 at 12:33 pm
j67k
That article would make sense if they replaced Obama w/Bush and the word inexperienced with the word incompetent. A person can have plenty of “experience” and still suck. The idea that only people who have experience in power should be allowed to have greater power leads to an Oligarchy. Czechoslovakia should understand why that could end badly…
@ED Actually, surgical skills are pretty much the same. The procedures, medicine, tools, and knowledge of anatomy are all better, but the talents that would make an excellent surgeon then, would make an excellent surgeon now.
July 1, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Labtech
Good one, Suzy!