September 10, 2003, SBOE Textbook Hearing Documents

"Even though their [Discovery Institute and Texans for Better Science Education] arguments did not invoke religion, I think we all know what's behind these arguments. They're trying to protect religious beliefs from contradiction by science. They used to do it by prohibiting teachers from teaching evolution at all; then they wanted to teach intelligent design as an alternative theory; now they want the supposed 'weaknesses' in evolution pointed out. But it's all the same program -- it's all an attempt to let religious ideas determine what is taught in science courses." -- Steven Weinberg, UT-Austin Physics Professor and Nobel Laureate, from his September 10 Testimony.

Testimony to the Texas State Board of Education by TCS Members

An Open Letter to the Texas State Board of Education by Sahotra Sarkar, signed by 136 University of Texas at Austin professors, mostly scientists, who urge the Texas State Board of Education to reject attempts made by individuals and groups such as the Discovery Institute to inject false or misleading materials into the textbooks.

How should schools teach evolution? by Alfred Gilman. Open letter signed by 17 North Texas scientists, all members of either the National Academy of Science or National Institute of Medicine, including four Nobel Laureates. All ask the State Board of Education to render a decision based solely on whether the texts are scientifically accurate, and not capitulate to outside organizations that are trying to insert scientifically-inaccurate "weaknesses" into the biology books.

Updated Preliminary Recommendations for Instructional Materials by the Texas Education Agency Biology Textbook Review Panel contains their analysis that all eleven of the submitted biology textbooks are conforming to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, and thus can be adopted without revision. (This link will download the document as a one-page DOC file.)

TEA Textbook Adoption Hearing Materials: Official Texas Education Agency webpage, contains written testimony, transcripts of oral testimony, handouts, and other valuable materials.

Joint NCSE-TCS Press Release for the September 10 State Board of Education public hearing. Authors Say "Don't Mess With Textbooks!"; Scientists And Teachers Say "Don't Mislead Students!" (will download as a PDF file).

Statement on Evolution in Textbooks by authors of all biology textbooks being considered for adoption in Texas. "We deplore the efforts made in some states and districts to require that evolution be disclaimed."

Texans for Better Science Education: The True Story! A thrilling exposé of the new Spring, Texas, creationist website that serves as a front for the Greater Houston Creation Association. The TBSE pretends to be for better science education in Texas by only asking for "weaknesses" and "criticisms" to be put into high school biology textbooks, but would really like much more. TBSE says some naughty things about Texas Citizens for Science.

TABT President's Alert and Talking Points for Texas Teachers One-page letter from Texas Association of Biology Teachers President Robert Dennison plus Talking Points (will download as a PDF file).

TABT-NCSE Talking Points for Texas Teachers Talking Points only (will download as a PDF file).

Newspaper Articles about the September 10 Hearing

July 9, 2003, SBOE Textbook Hearing Documents

Written Testimony to the Texas State Board of Education by TCS Members

Press Release prepared for the TCS press conference in Austin on July 9.

Texas Textbook Adoption An historical analysis of science textbook adoption in Texas from the TCS viewpoint prepared by Steven Schafersman, TCS President.

Initial News Story by Steven Schafersman about the Discovery Institute's attempt to chage science textbooks in Texas by asking the Texas State Board of Education to compel the addition of "weaknesses" and "criticisms" of evolution during the biology textbook adoption process.

Talking Points for the Public Hearing of the Texas State Board of Education Prepared on July 5 by the National Center for Science Education staff using Alan Gishlick's "Icons of Evolution?" (linked below).

TEA • Transcript of July 9 Public Hearing (This link will download the document as a PDF file.)

TEA • Comments from July 9 Public Hearing (This link will download the document as a PDF file.)

TEA • Publishers' Responses to Testimony and Written Comments from the July 9 Public Hearing (This link will download the document as a PDF file.)

Useful Links

Censorship of Evolution in Texas The original 1982 article in Issue 10 of Creation/Evolution by then Texas Council for Science Education President Steven Schafersman publicly revealing for the first time the tremendous extent of censorship of the topic of evolution in biology textbooks used in Texas and the United States; as he explains, the culprits were members of the Texas State Board of Education. Read this for deja vu all over again; some things never change.

Find Your State Board of Education Member Use this page to identify and communicate with your State Board of Education member.

Texas Texts Reignite Evolution Debates by Julia C. Keller, Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology.

A Textbook Case of Bad Science by Salon.com writer Katharine Mieszkowski. "Defenders of evolutionary theory in Texas say creation scientists are getting sneakier -- and more successful -- in getting their views into public school educational materials."

Significant Court Decisions of the Evolution-Creation Controversy in America A collection of nine major decisions by federal and state courts that have repeatedly ruled against creationist attempts to force their religious doctrines into public schools in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Texas SAT Scores Still Near Bottom High school students across the nation averaged the highest scores in years on the most recent round of SAT testing, but Texas continues to rank near the bottom.

San Angelo Standard Times Biology Textbook Controversy Letter Exchange

Holt, Rinehart and Winston Biology Textbook Changes Criticized

TCS Letter to Holt, Rinehart and Winston President Judith Fowler from TCS President Steven Schafersman detailing concerns about Holt's biology textbook changes.

Science Educational Society Position Statements

Websites That Reveal the Truth About the Discovery Institute

Websites That Analyze and Critique Creationist Pseudoscience and Pseudoscholarship

Last updated: 5 October 2003