Evolution Controversy

Once the Texas Board of Education voted on science standards in the spring, most folks figured the evolution front would be quiet for a little while. But the federal court system finds itself chewing on TWO different cases about evolution and creationism in science education. Either case's success would represent a watershed event in the ongoing Evolution wars...

This afternoon, the Texas Senate finally held its debate on McLeroy's nomination to chair the Texas Board of Education. Because a 2/3 majority is required, he lost on a 19-11 party line vote, amid much discussion about whether he was being punished for his faith or for being a divisive leader. Speculation about who the governor will appoint next to chair the board is rampant at the Texas Education Agency and the state Capitol...

Last night, when McElroy's nomination didn't make it out of the TX Senate nominations committee, it pretty much sealed his tenure as Chairman of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE). Without confirmation by the full Senate, he automatically is removed as chair (but not as a member) when the Lege adjourns on June 1st. But what happens next...?

If you've got 2 and a half hours to spare, and you want to hear for yourself (rather than the summaries provided in my previous posts) you can download the RealPlayer file.
McElroy's part begins at about 1:20:00, and the skewering by Senators Shapleigh and Watson beings in earnest at about 1:56:15. It goes on for a couple of hours more after that...

After the lengthy questioning, it was time to take testimony from those who'd registered to speak. In some ways, what followed was a microcosm of past Board meetings: six witnesses, including perennial testifiers Texas Freedom Network's Kathy Miller and SMU's Ronald Wetherington decrying the Board's refusal to heed scientific experts and Chairman Don's role in particular; and Board Member Ken Mercer and Free Market Foundation's Jonathan Saenz speaking long and hard to defend the Chairman.

Then, Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin) picked up where Shapleigh had left off, continually pounding the point home that whether intentional or not, McElroy had created so much controversy that he was unlikely to be an effective and believable leader, and that the Board could get "de-fanged and de-clawed" because of him. Senator Shapleigh returns at the end of this post to utter ominous threats. The lash-by-lash details of the punishment of Chairman Don follow for those who relish such intricacies...

As the hours of the hearing wore steadily on, the Democrats took over the questioning, and became progressively tougher on McElroy. Leading the first charge was Elliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso), who seemed to enjoy the game of taking quotes from McElroy and asking him to explain himself...

SHAPLEIGH: Perception is that you have a point of view, and you're using this bully pulpit to promote this point of view. Reads quote from McElroy "I was totally convinced that biblical account was true, and that it could be scientifically accurate."

After a brutal cross-examination by Democratic senators Elliot Shapleigh (El Paso) and Kirk Watson (Austin), a parade of 6 witnesses asked the committee to deny confirmation, followed by 2 defenders of McElroy. At this point, it was late in the evening past 7:30 CST, and the nomination was left pending as all members of the committee but the chair had left.

In the midst of everything else, Governor Rick Perry nominated State Board of Education chairman Don McElroy for another two-year term (until February of 2011) as Chairman of the Texas Board of Education. The Nominations Committee of the Texas Senate took his case up at about 4:55 pm, first with a firm but gentle grilling of McElroy by the Republican chair, Mike Jackson (La Porte), and Republican Jane Nelson (Flower Mound). Details or the R's questions are below, and then the two D senators present took to treating McElroy like a pinata--see next posts...

On Tuesday, March 31st, a federal judge dismissed Chris Comer's wrongful termination lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency, in which she alleged that the Agency's officially neutral stance on evolution issues was unconstitutional...

It all started back in 2007. Barbara Forrest, a key witness in the Dover, PA Intelligent Design trial was coming to Austin, to promote a new book, "Creationism's Trojan Horse."