Thursday, March 26, 2009

Evolution Issue in Texas Education Gets a Preliminary Vote

As advertised, the Texas State Board of Education met today, and will return tomorrow to finalize votes on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills document for science instruction in that state. In a preliminary vote, a vote to see where everyone is on returning the “strengths and weaknesses” terminology in the state’s science curriculum, the motion to add the language back in failed in a tie 7-7 vote.

The rules call for a simple majority. Lacking that, the motion failed.

Video is courtesy of KXAN.

Now one thing that the video did not explain was where that 15th vote was, who it is, and what will come of the final vote tomorrow. That information can be found at the Dallas Morning News.

To wit:

“A final vote will occur on Friday, but the outcome is not expected to change. One board member who was absent – Democrat Mary Helen Berlanga of Corpus Christi – will participate in Friday's meeting by video conference from Houston. She has already stated her opposition to the requirement backed by social conservatives.”

Now it is my tradition not to hope for too much, especially when it comes to going up against the rightwing religious evangelicals in Texas. But did I just glimpse a dim light at the end of a long, dark tunnel?

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