# Texas AGAIN! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 22, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035 "2011-07-22T21:33:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/1 "2011-07-22T21:33:15Z")
[Oh wait…](http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/22/us-creationism-texas-idUSTRE76L54S20110722) > [@](#): > > The Texas Board of Education voted unanimously to approve mainstream middle school curriculum materials on Friday in a move seen as a victory for proponents of teaching evolution in public schools. > > Conservatives had complained the materials up for approval did not adequately address “alternatives to evolution” such as creationism or intelligent design as a theory of how life began. > > The board also voted to reject any inclusion of materials submitted by a New Mexico company, International Databases, which claimed Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was not proven and that life on earth was the result of ‘intelligent causes.’ My only question is _Why was it even fucking necessary?_ ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/2 "2011-07-22T21:36:49Z")
So Texas does a good thing, and you pit them anyway? Agenda whore much? ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/3 "2011-07-22T21:41:32Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > So Texas does a good thing, and you pit them anyway? > > Agenda whore much? Just figured this is where it’d wind up, what with it being chock-full of Texans and Creationists and such. BTW, I’m from Texas. Most of my family are Texans. So go sit on something sharp and rusty. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/4 "2011-07-22T21:43:13Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > BTW, I’m from Texas. Most of my family are Texans. If that statement is true, then you already know the answer to the question posed in your OP, which makes this thread blatant trolling. Up your nose with a rubber hose. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/5 "2011-07-22T21:47:51Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > If that statement is true, then you already know the answer to the question posed in your OP, which makes this trolling. > > Up your nose with a rubber hose. Oh, look at the widdle junior Mod… it’s so cute when it tries to think! ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/6 "2011-07-22T21:49:28Z")
No, he’s right. This pitting is bad and you should feel bad. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/7 "2011-07-22T22:01:14Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > My only question is **Why was it even fucking necessary?** Because Creationists and those who oppose the teaching of Evolution are citizens and have the same rights to lobby for their preferred curriculum as anyone else. Thus it is necessary to hear their petition, and then vote on it. What would you have preferred the Texas Board of Education do? Lock the public out of the decision making process? Arrest and prosecute anyone who showed up with an agenda you disapprove of? Exactly what should an open, democratic, government do when it needs to make decisions like the selection of Middle School Curriculum? Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/8 "2011-07-22T22:04:34Z")
Being a substitute teacher in Texas, I took a look at what was expected to be taught from the textbooks, which are almost all “Texas Edition” books (really!). None of the books have _any_ suggestion that evolution is “just one alternative”, or that the universe was created in 7 days. They’re all very scientific, detailing genetics, natural selection, the Big Bang, etc. However, middle school math books do have students use 3.14 as the value of pi. But I think that’s just to make it easier to multiply (sans calculators [halleluiah!]). ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/9 "2011-07-22T22:11:31Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Because Creationists and those who oppose the teaching of Evolution are citizens and have the same rights to lobby for their preferred curriculum as anyone else. Thus it is necessary to hear their petition, and then vote on it. What would you have preferred the Texas Board of Education do? Lock the public out of the decision making process? Arrest and prosecute anyone who showed up with an agenda you disapprove of? Exactly what should an open, democratic, government do when it needs to make decisions like the selection of Middle School Curriculum? > > Enjoy, > Steven Oh sure, bring reason into the discussion. Jerk. My problem with all this is that the ultra-religious use the school system as a political tool. They want their religious views–and only theirs, it should be noted–presented as science. I know that’s nothing new, but it still pisses me off. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/10 "2011-07-22T22:15:34Z")
Let’s concentrate on the good here. I think I’ll send a letter to the Texas Board of Education thanking them. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/11 "2011-07-22T22:21:45Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > Just figured this is where it’d wind up, what with it being chock-full of Texans and Creationists and such. > > BTW, I’m from Texas. Most of my family are Texans. So go sit on something sharp and rusty. [Good book](http://www.amazon.com/Made-Texas-Southern-Takeover-American/dp/0465041213) on Texas political culture. It has a progressive strain you don’t often hear about and that strain goes back a surprisingly long way. By the same author: [A book-length epic poem about the Battle of the Alamo.](http://www.amazon.com/ALAMO-Michael-Lind/dp/B005CXQGQC/ref=sr_1_33?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311373288&sr=1-33) It ain’t Homer, but it’s **way** better than you’d expect. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/12 "2011-07-22T22:22:08Z")
Thank you to the OP. For once, Texas does something that doesn’t embarrass the shit out of me. Hell, I would have been proud if it were a close vote. The fact that they voted unanimously is just gravy. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/13 "2011-07-22T22:33:52Z")
> [@AWB](#): > > However, middle school math books do have students use 3.14 as the value of pi. But I think that’s just to make it easier to multiply (sans calculators [halleluiah!]). 3.14 IS the value of pi to two significant digits. The “Biblical” value of pi would be 3.0 > [@SoulFrost](#): > > My problem with all this is that the ultra-religious use the school system as a political tool. They want their religious views–and only theirs, it should be noted–presented as science. I know that’s nothing new, but it still pisses me off. So it’s more of a “Creationists fight dirty” pit than anything the State of Texas or any of the officials or employees thereof did? So why isn’t the thread title “Creationists, AGAIN!” From what can tell the parties in this kerfluffle which most deserve to be representative of “Texas”, having been either elected or appointed to the Board of Education and entrusted with political power, behaved reasonably and rationally. Do you believe other states don’t have Creationists lobbying them for changes in their curriculum? Especially those states who determine books at a whole state level? Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/14 "2011-07-22T22:41:15Z")
I figured from the thread title that the Texas Board of Education had given in to pressure and decided to expand the creationists’ foot in the door. Instead, they apparently did the right thing, which is praiseworthy, and the OP is dumb. > [@Mtgman](#): > > Because Creationists and those who oppose the teaching of Evolution are citizens and have the same rights to lobby for their preferred curriculum as anyone else. Thus it is necessary to hear their petition, and then vote on it. What would you have preferred the Texas Board of Education do? Lock the public out of the decision making process? In the event this is not a whoosh, “the citizens” (i.e. right-wing politicians, church groups etc.) [have been pressuring the Texas Board of Education for years](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html) to counter the Godless Left (i.e., anyone who wants to teach good science and leave religion out of it) by [“teaching all sides” of Evilution](http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-03-30-science-texas_N.htm) and other aspects of science (though I doubt the same fervor has applied to gravity, flat earth theory and such). There may be legitimate reasons for pressure groups to demand hearings on parts of the curriculum, but science is not something to be voted up or down based on one’s religious and/or political affiliation. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/15 "2011-07-23T00:37:07Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Let’s concentrate on the good here. > I think I’ll send a letter to the Texas Board of Education thanking them. Don’t use a bunch of big words! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/16 "2011-07-23T00:41:31Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Don’t use a bunch of big words! :dubious: The eyes of Texas are upon you! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/17 "2011-07-23T01:01:37Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > Just figured this is where it’d wind up, what with it being chock-full of Texans and Creationists and such. > > BTW, I’m from Texas. Most of my family are Texans. So go sit on something sharp and rusty. Why does it have to “wind up” anywhere? This is a non-story. And a terrible Pit thread. In fact, I predict it will “wind up” in MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/18 "2011-07-23T01:06:50Z")
I’m from Texas, I hate Texas, and even I think this is a silly pitting. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/19 "2011-07-23T02:33:50Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > :dubious: The eyes of Texas are upon you! Don’t be silly. There is no “I” in Texas! ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035/20 "2011-07-23T03:12:23Z")
The more educated and liberal someone is the less children they have. The less educated and more religious you are the more children you have. So people who deny evolution are beating you at the game they’re not even trying to play. With all the advantages you still fall behind. You mad? etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-again/590035.md?page=2)