McLeroy nomination in jeopardy (State Board of Ed wing nut)

[sonias]

AAS 4/22/09
McLeroy nomination in jeopardy

State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy, R-Bryan, faced searing questioning during his uncommonly long confirmation hearing Wednesday at the Senate Nominations Committee.

And Chairman Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, said McLeroy’s nomination is on shaky ground because he might not be able to get the required two-thirds vote from the Senate.

Democratic senators Kirk Watson of Austin and Eliot Shapleigh of El Paso challenged McLeroy over his leadership during a number of controversial Board of Education decisions, including the recent adoption of new science curriculum standards that critics say undermine the teaching of evolution.

This would the cherry on top of the week we've been giving Perry. Please make it so!

:kick: :woohoo: :bounce::kick: :woohoo: :bounce::toast:

Sonia

[Nicole Lambeth]

1. awesome!

I'm so happy to see Mr. Shapleigh named - my hometown is EP, and he's been in politics since I was a kid. This news makes my day!

[sonias]

3. Shalpeigh is one of the best

He loves to work for people. Unfortunately the Senate has such a big R majority that they hardly ever let him pass a bill that would be good for the people. You know the Rs just don't like people in general.

But when he gets the mic and the floor - you better watch out. He's fabulous!

He tore up Van Spakovsky (the DOJ bush hack) on photo ID.

He rocks! :yourock:

Sonia

[sonias]

4. Some of the comments from testimony

Vince Leibowitz live blogged some of the hearing:

Capitol Annex blog 4/22/09

Senate Committee On Nominations Hearings On McLeroy Confirmation

(snip)

7:13 p.m. Laura Ewing now testifying. She is from Sen. Jackson’s district. Ewing spent 24 years teaching social studies/political science. Also spent 10 years working as a social studies curriculum director. Says that social studies will show the same mess as language arts and science. “They have already side railed the process,” Ewing says.

7:15 p.m.: Because of skewed appointments on social studies committee, 50 percent of Texas students have NO REPRESENTATION ON THE SOCIAL STUDIES REVIEW COMMITTEE (TEKS Refinement committee). Says process of TEKS refinement committees was hijacked in March committee.

7:16: Ewing says that SBOE wants out-of-state experts even BEFORE refinement committee on social studies finishes its work.

7:19 Reading Comprehension left out of English-Language Arts standards, Ewing notes.

7:21 p.m. SBOE Member Ken Mercer (a rightwing religious right nut) is testifying. "I always thought dentistry was a science" he notes. Oh, Jesus, this is going to be fun.

(McLeroy is a Dentist) :eyes:

Sonia

[tbyg52]

7. Anybody who tears into Van Spakovsky is a friend of mine! nt

[WolverineDG]

2. Well if he gets the nod

the House could always zero out HIS budget :evilgrin:

dg

[Nicole Lambeth]

5. I called my State Senator

and let the office know that I did not want McLeroy confirmed...the lady that took my call seemed nice enough but I heard the "f-ing idiot" in her voice. That kinda bummed me out.

And Sonia, Shapleigh IS quite awesome! I know people always mention Austin as being the only blue pocket in Texas, but EP (and a lot of the lower Rio Grande valley) vote Democrat pretty consistently. I think it speaks well of my hometown that they've kept someone of Shapleigh's caliber in office for so long.

[sonias]

6. I know

I'm originally from another deep blue pocket of South Texas.

Thanks for calling your Senator!

:hi:

Sonia