So the Texas Republican Party, always on the cutting edge of wingnuttery, has come out in opposition to teaching critical thinking to children.
From their platform:
We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.
I'm kinda' glad I don't live in Texas. (Sorry, msbelle.)
eta:
Anti-Science as a Political Platform
That is crazycakes, Tommy. I just....crazy.
Dana, that news sucks! I am so sorry.
Yay! Maybe I should go this time....
Have fun buying a ticket!
Sadly, I won't be able to get into that panel since the Ballroom 20 line is insane, and I'm doing an
Entertainment Weekly
Discussion Group that morning. But I'm hoping that it's very cool and that there are celebrities hanging around the EW Photo Studio.
The Texas GOP platform is a living example of Poe's law: I honestly thought it was a parody when I first saw it. Nobody could be that wingnutty for real, right?
sigh.
I just got off a conference call in which the substance was resolved but then I learned that the process would add anywhere between 35 and 105 days to my project schedule, and I just CAN'T. I have to get this project funded before the end of the fiscal year!
So I've got a call in to our lawyer to see if I have to play nice with this regulator at all. Cross your fingers for federal sovereignty.
Have fun buying a ticket!
Fine. Attack my plan with reality.
Ha ha ha, God help me, I decided to engage:
What happened to the Constitution today?
My response:
I...I think it's still in the National Archives Building.
And the next status is "This is the biggest assault on our freedom and the Constitution."
The biggest assault!!
Here's Daliah Lithwick on what it was like at/in the Court today. [link] I want to be her when I grow up, except that I'm older than she is.
Dana, I'm so sorry. I hope he finds something soon in a place where you'd really love to live.
I don't think that person knows what any of those words actually mean.
Republicans have gotten their way on most issues in recent years, so it's fun to watch them react to a setback.
I also want to day to those outraged by the decision: "If it's unconstitutional, then why did Republicans come up with the idea for an individual mandate back in the early '90s? Why did Republicans champion the idea from the '90s until '08? Why did Romney institute the same plan in Massachusetts? Why Republican voters choose Romney as their presidential candidate? Why didn't Republicans pass their own healthcare reform during the W Bush administration when they controlled both chambers of Congress and the Supreme Court."
