The E Word

I started the day of testimony off at the SBOE meeting this morning on a positive note.  I commended the board members and the workgroups they put in place on creating the high school science TEKS standards.  I watched the workgroups create the TEKS standards, and they did great!  And I told the board they should be proud of their workgroups, they should be proud of these standards, and they should adopt them as-is.  

Kevin Fisher, one of the people in the biology workgroup, then stepped up to testify, and continued the positive approach.

Then several people representing teachers, and another workgroup member testified.  The board has been asking really good questions, and not allowing the E word to take over the more broad concern of the standards in general.

Chris Mittal

A private high school student says his friends are taught evol as fact, and he wonders why questioning is not welcome.  A board member asked if he feels this in any way doesn't prepare him for college/life.  He said he wants to be able, and thinks he's ready to/capable

B  How does talking about evol as fact shake your faith?  

CM  It disappointed me that questioning wasn't allowed, when I thought questioning was the basis of sci learning.  Chris said he had witnessed teachers discussing how to shake students' faith.  The B was rightly concerned about that.  

Chris Marshall - earth sci teacher

Talks about the concern that the length of the standards.  He assured the B that they cut what they could, and are sure they can teach the whole thing in one year.

He was on the workgroup as well, and is also proud of the standards.

I'm glad so many of the workgroup members are here; I wanted to tell them how much I enjoyed watching them work back in December, but I wasn't allowed to speak with them.  I'm glad they got to hear my testimony sing their praises.