[CSPS] FW: TEXTBOOK CENSORSHIP BILL IN COMMITTEE TUESDAY

[Gene and Maggie Charleton]

-----Original Message-----
From: TFN [mailto:tfn at tfn.org] 
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 3:28 PM
To: action at tfn.org
Subject: TEXTBOOK CENSORSHIP BILL IN COMMITTEE TUESDAY

 

*************URGENT TFN ACTION NEEDED***************

TEXTBOOK CENSORSHIP BILL IN COMMITTEE TUESDAY
TAKE ACTION - TESTIMONY NEEDED TUESDAY; PHONE CALLS

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TEXTBOOK CENSORSHIP BILL IN COMMITTEE TUESDAY

House Bill 220 by Rep. Charlie Howard, R-Sugar Land, mandates that textbooks
be free of "errors of commission or omission related to viewpoint
discrimination or special interest advocacy on major issues, as determined
by the State Board of Education." Further, H.B. 220 gives the SBOE authority
to "adopt guidelines that define general textbook content standards,"
including "standards related to curriculum requirements."

House Bill 220 would effectively repeal legislation passed in 1995 to
prevent the State Board of Education from censoring content in Texas
textbooks.  This bill would permit SBOE members to insert their own
political and religious ideology into our kid's textbooks. 

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TAKE ACTION - TESTIMONY NEEDED TUESDAY

1. TESTIMONY NEEDED TUESDAY - The House Public Education Committee needs to
hear from you. The public hearing at the Capitol on H.B. 220 is this
Tuesday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. in room E2.036.

The religious right voting bloc on the SBOE has attempted to censor various
topics in textbooks over the years, including:

- Health Education: The SBOE voted to approve health textbooks with no
information about birth control and the prevention of sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs) except through abstinence. (2004 testimony on file at TEA)
- Evolution: State Board of Education members and advocacy groups lobbied
for evolution to be either wholly eliminated from biology textbooks or
taught on par with creationism or "intelligent design." (1993 and 2003
testimony on file at TEA)
- Scientific Dates: History book references to the Ice Age and other events
occurring "millions of years ago" were changed to read "in the distant past"
so ancient geological events did not conflict with literal interpretations
of the Bible. (2002 testimony on file at TEA)
- Slavery and Civil Rights: History books were targeted for what critics
called an "overkill of emphasis on cruelty to slaves," asserting that
coverage of slavery, civil rights struggles or discrimination was
unpatriotic and anti-Christian. (1996 & 2002 testimony filed at TEA)
- Science: Board members rejected an environmental science textbook that
critics called "anti-free enterprise" and "anti-Christian." The book
included discussions of global warming and the U.S. role in creating
pollution and had been used at the college level for several years. Changes
to other textbooks significantly curtailed the talk of endangered species
and discussions of Native American cultures. (2001 Board transcripts on file
at TEA)

Please contact Heather Alden, heather at tfn.org or 512-322-0545 for details on
testimony.


2.  CALL HOUSE PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS and ask them to vote no on
H.B. 220.  The State Board of Education should not have free reign over
textbook content.

House Education Committee Members:
Chairman Grusendorf, R-Arlington, (512) 463-0624,
Vice-Chair Rene Olivera, D-Brownsville, (512) 463-0640,
Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, (512) 463-0367
Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, (512) 463-0510
Rep. Anna Mowery, R-Fort Worth, (512) 463-0608
Rep. Dianne Delisi, R- Temple, (512) 463-0630
Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, (512) 463-0797
Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston, (512) 463-0492
Rep. Bill Keffer, R-Dallas, (512) 463-0244

Please e-mail heather at tfn.org after you make calls so we can track our
impact!

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The Texas Freedom Network advances a mainstream agenda of religious freedom
and individual liberties to counter the radical right.

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Texas Freedom Network
P.O. Box 1624
Austin, TX 78767
512-322-0545 phone
512-322-0550 fax
www.tfn.org


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