The Texas State Board of Education is gearing up for another curriculum battle.
Kelly Shackelford, president of Plano-based Liberty Legal Institute, says the Texas State Board of Education is currently reviewing social studies curriculum. He explains that in a suprising move the writing committee, in its review of religious holidays, has decided to replace Christmas and Rosh Hashana with the Hindu holiday of Diwali.
"Some of this stuff is really getting out of hand," says Shackelford, "and I think the people are going to take it back into their own hands and say, cut it out we are not replacing Christmas with Diwali. I hope and expect that will be the result, but right now that's what we've got."
The Board faced another major battle earlier this year with science standards and the teaching of strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory. Many concerned citizens made their voices heard, and the strengths and weaknesses component was not dropped from teaching requirements. In fact, it was strengthed.
"What's encouraging about all this is that if people speak up, they really can make the difference," the attorney shares. "And this will effect the textbooks that are going to be in place for the next ten years."
The Lone Star State is one of the nation's largest consumers of textbooks. Consequently, the outcome could have national implications.