Texas Board of Ed. and Capitalist Pigs
This past Friday, the Texas Board of Education gave preliminary approval to a sweeping, conservative-led rewrite of the state’s school curriculum, eliminating sound social science and humanities teaching and including Christian conservative notions of history, economics and sociology. Included in the 120-page curriculum standards are the removal of mention of the separation of church and state in U.S. law, excising of Thomas Jefferson – a deist and proponent of keeping religion out of government – from history lessons, emphasis on America’s Judeo-Christian roots, and removal of references to Latino contributions to American history.
The board also voted to take out mention of hip-hop’s contributions to American culture, while emphasizing those of country-western music. Discussion of institutional racism in America in the state’s textbooks has been struck.
The board approved the curriculum standards by a 10-5 vote, split along party lines. Following a public comment period, the board is expected to cast its final vote on the new requirements in May.
The board’s decision will impact public school education far beyond the Lone Star State. The state accounts for a enormous purchasing block in the textbook market and the amendments, by extension, will be incorporated into textbooks sold throughout the country. Estimates are that 80% of textbooks in U.S. schools will reflect the Texas curriculum.
One particular amendment struck me: removal of the word ‘capitalism,’ which will be replaced by the term ‘free market.’ As conservative board member Terri Leo put it: “Let’s face it, capitalism does have a negative connotation […] You know, ‘capitalist pig!’ ”
I was reminded of Leo’s comments this week while reading about the latest US Chamber of Commerce-led attacks on environmental, health care, and workers’ rights regulation.
Leo and the Texas Board of Education are really on to something!
On Tuesday, the Chamber petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger the public’s health.
Always the strategic political player, the Chamber is targeting not only the EPA’s efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions but also ensure that the Senate climate and energy bill is as meaningless as possible.
And up to now, the Chamber is getting exactly what it wants.
The Chamber has long fought workers’ health and safety protections, including most recently provisions to aid mine workers suffering from Black Lung. And it has fought, for several decades, legislation and damages compensation related to the health effects of asbestos exposure.
Consumer protection and financial markets reform? Here, too, the Chamber is a leader of ‘free market’ enterprise.
Capitalist pigs, indeed.
