Texas Conservative Lobbyist Update: Thomas Ratliff Press Release

Texas Conservative Lobbyist Update: Thomas Ratliff Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2013
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TRUMP RUMORS AND POLITICS

I am proud to announce that the State Board of Education will once again discuss a
review of the CSCOPE lesson plans in compliance with SB 1406 passed by the 83rd
Texas Legislature. I appreciate Chairwoman Cargill listening to the majority of our
board and agreeing to put this item on our September agenda. I know her decision was
not an easy one, but it was the right one.

This artificial controversy has gone on too long without someone at the state level taking
charge and performing a review of these lessons and separating myth from reality and
education from politics.

It’s unfortunate that so much time, energy and taxpayer dollars have been wasted because
Senator Patrick was too quick to run to the Senate Press Room before he fully vetted the
policy and practical implications of his actions. It’s clear that being a leader requires
more than having a good press conference. We now have hundreds of districts,
thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of students being impacted because of
the political ambitions of one person. Education is too important to be a political pawn
and the SBOE is going to do what we can to get those schoolchildren off of the chess
board.

I am confident that the SBOE will do the right thing by providing transparency and
accountability regarding these lessons and helping our local school boards,
superintendents, principals and teachers stay focused on their important task at hand,
rather than defending themselves against baseless political attacks.
I look forward to a thoughtful and vigorous discussion of this issue in September.