Texas Conservatives rewrite History

And there are several points in this article that make me wince. First, a look at the backgrounds of those deciding what Texas kids will learn:

"There are seven members of the conservative bloc on the board, but they are often joined by one of the other three Republicans on crucial votes. There were no historians, sociologists or economists consulted at the meetings, though some members of the conservative bloc held themselves out as experts on certain topics."

I am well aware that many people with credentials are also idiots, but it always amazes me when people with no historical background at all decide that those of us who do are just wrong. I am also amazed when people who admit they know next to nothing about biology are sure evolution is wrong, but in Texas those people get to decide the nature of biological and historical truth.

And just to prove their ignorance, this little bit:

He also made sure that textbooks would mention the votes in Congress on civil rights legislation, which Republicans supported.

“Republicans need a little credit for that,” he said. “I think it’s going to surprise some students.”

Well, yes. I keep hearing this from Republicans who seem to be oblivious to the fact that the South was the biggest opponent of Civil Rights--and true, that South was dominated by Democrats--but those Southern Democrats then moved to the Republican party (for the most part). The Republicans who voted, did so from Northern states and were, by today's standards, far too liberal for the Republican party. A party, I might add, that is now dominated by the South.

A little education might have helped that self-identified historical expert with a little context. I know that confuses people like him and Glenn Beck, but people who study these fields their entire adult lives do have something to offer.

But as Jerry Coyne noted in his excellent book on evolution, scholars don't have the same luxury as zealots in declaring they know the absolute truth. Complexity is liberal and biased, and these conservatives will have nothing to do with that.

Sigh.