Texas Republicans Let the Cat Out of the Bag

[Theb]

The Republican Party of Texas’ recently adopted 2012 platform contains a plank that opposes the teaching of “critical thinking skills” in schools. The party says it was a mistake, but is now stuck with the plank until the next state convention in 2014.

The plank in question, on “Knowledge-Based Education,” reads as follows:

We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

Elsewhere in the document, the platform stipulates that “[e]very Republican is responsible for implementing this platform.”

Contacted by TPM on Thursday, Republican Party of Texas (RPT) Communications Director Chris Elam said the “critical thinking skills” language made it into the platform by mistake.

“[The chairman of the Education Subcommittee] indicated that it was an oversight of the committee, that the plank should not have included ‘critical thinking skills’ after ‘values clarification,’” Elam said. “And it was not the intent of the subcommittee to present a plank that would have indicated that the RPT in any way opposed the development of critical thinking skills.”

Elam said the members of the subcommittee “regret” the oversight, but because the mistake was part of the platform approved by the convention, “it cannot be corrected until the next state convention in 2014.”

TPM asked Elam what the intent of subcommittee had been in including the “Knowledge-Based Education” plank.

“I think the intent is that the Republican Party is opposed to the values clarification method that serves the purpose of challenging students beliefs and undermine parental authority,” he said.

Here are some other notable planks for the RPT’s 2012 platform:

On the Patriot Act:

We urge review and revision of those portions of the USA Patriot Act, and related executive and military orders and directives that erode constitutional rights and essential liberties of citizens. Emergency War Powers and Martial Law Declarations - We strongly urge Congress to repeal the War Powers Act and end our declared state of emergency. Any Declaration of Martial law should be approved by Congress.

On “Livestock and Pet Locations”:

We oppose a mandatory animal identification system.

On the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA):

We oppose this act through which the federal government would coerce religious business owners and employees to violate their own beliefs and principles by affirming what they consider to be sinful and sexually immoral behavior.

On Campaign Contributions:

We support full disclosure of the amounts and sources of any campaign contributions to political candidates, whether contributed by individuals, political action committees, or other entities.

On the “Voter Rights Act” [sic]:

We urge that the Voter Rights Act of 1965 codified and updated in 1973 be repealed and not reauthorized.

On Homosexuality:

We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable “alternative” lifestyle, in public policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual “couples.” We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction or belief in traditional values.

On the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child:

We unequivocally oppose the United States Senate’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsme...oses_teaching_of_critical_thinking_skills.php

It was a typo, right, a typo :sneaky:

 

[nehalem256]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsme...oses_teaching_of_critical_thinking_skills.php

It was a typo, right, a typo :sneaky:

You mean you do not have a "critical thinking skills" key on your keyboard?

 

[Jhhnn]

I think the only "mistake" of including it in the platform was in letting the ROTW know what Texas Repub leaders really think. Other than that, they actually believe it & reveal just how deeply authoritarian they really are.

Knowledge is the enemy of Faith, and they make it perfectly clear which they prefer their flock to have- Faith, beaten into their heads at a young age, long before critical faculties are developed.

If we believe in things that can't withstand critical examination, they're really not worth believing in, which is why Texas Repubs want to avoid critical examination...

 

[woolfe9999]

The trouble with the explanation that they accidentally fell on their keyboard and coincidentally typed "critical thinking skills" - besides its patent absurdity - is that the platform goes on to explain the objective is to prohibit educational practices which are aimed at "challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority." Challenging fixed beliefs sounds an awful lot like critical thinking to me. Maybe they typed those words in by accident as well.

 

[Phokus]

Conservatives have become a parody of themselves (if they weren't before).

The number 1 danger to conservativism is a knowledgeable population.

 

[zinfamous]

heard about this yesterday.


quite amazing.

thinking bad--Jesus good.

something like that?

Edit: Oh wow--now they are saying it was a mistake? that they didn't mean to include the terms "critical thinking skills?

so, then, was this part describing the danger of "critical thinking skills" not a "typo?"

which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority

whoa....seriously? What the fuck else could they have possibly meant than "critical thinking skills?" It really doesn't matter--as the attempt to squash a child's ability to challenge their own beliefs is insidious and regressive enough.

Texas: destroying themselves day by day. Welcome to the Bronze age, dickheads.

 

[bfdd]

LOL what a failure from the GOP. Goddamn and this is one half of political parties that rule us. Really need to get out from under the two giant antiquated parties.

 

[zanejohnson]

LOL what a failure from the GOP. Goddamn and this is one half of political parties that rule us. Really need to get out from under the two giant antiquated parties.

this.

 

[tweaker2]

I think the only "mistake" of including it in the platform was in letting the ROTW know what Texas Repub leaders really think. Other than that, they actually believe it & reveal just how deeply authoritarian they really are.

Knowledge is the enemy of Faith, and they make it perfectly clear which they prefer their flock to have- Faith, beaten into their heads at a young age, long before critical faculties are developed.

If we believe in things that can't withstand critical examination, they're really not worth believing in, which is why Texas Repubs want to avoid critical examination...

Without faith, the Repub party would cease to exist. They can't offer much else because offering the truth would also cause the Repub party to vanish into thin air, leaving only a small minority consisting of the rich and very rich........and their progeny, the Tea Party.

 

[Steeplerot]

LOL what a failure from the GOP. Goddamn and this is one half of political parties that rule us. Really need to get out from under the two giant antiquated parties.

Yay, then we can have the Coca-Cola party vs Wal Mart vs Newscorp runoffs with the way the system is bought out already and the sensationalist/consumerist US voting base.



Oh well, same difference, I for one would welcome our new corporate overlords.

-With ze molotov!

 

[jackschmittusa]

Mistake? More like a "Freudian slip". lol

 

[dmcowen674]

Texas Republicans Let the Cat Out of the Bag

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsme...oses_teaching_of_critical_thinking_skills.php

This is no surprise, just look at the posts from the Republican posters from Texas in here.

 

[Wreckem]

The majority of the platform they passed is complete and total fail.

I am kind of glad that I'll be getting out of this state in less than a year.

 

[alzan]

Mistake? More like a "Freudian slip". lol

Careful. Only women wear slips, made by Freudia or whoever.

You're gonna offend a lot of Texas men with comments like that.

 

[Murloc]

this is horrible, I don't know how normal americans can live with people like that.
Someone who was responsible for writing this thing wrote it. And whoever read it didn't correct it. So there is people who believe in it.
The others who want to delete that part instead, they're like al-qaeda members that eat pork basing themselves on taqiyya and kitman. They hide their true intentions to reach their objective. They'd found a center-right with brains party if they didn't believe in these totalitarian ideologies. Not being honest with political programmes is being anti-democratic.

 

[Screech]

There's some other real gems in there....

On the “Voter Rights Act” [sic]:

We urge that the Voter Rights Act of 1965 codified and updated in 1973 be repealed and not reauthorized.

......yeah.....

 

[Kadarin]

Yep, Republican true colors right there. Disgusting.

 

[Nemesis 1]

Funny subject . I lol . I been caring for my grand children. I getting to weak to keep them out of public school. But I am stressing to them . What is taught in the school system you HAVE TO learn . and give the answers that they teach . Even tho you know them to be false . I told hoim about science in my youth . and how when tested I gave the true answers . Like whats at center of milky way. I knew but the world didn't . My answer was correct but the failed me because of my true answers. So I stress to them both . You have learn both the truth and the lies. and when tested give the wrong answer so as to be graded improperly in their system of lies. Never ever look at just 1 side of a coin to check if its real or not. You must lie to them inorder for them to welcome you into there small tiny world . The eldest asked why he wants to live in small world when the world is so big. I said to assist man you need to get into a position to help man . You can't do that from the bottom up . but it comes from the top down . To get to the top you have to repeat Their lies.For them to except you as their own. The truth destroys them. So truth you must not reveal you know or be is a position to change nothing ever.

 

[Paul98]

Funny subject . I lol . I been caring for my grand children. I getting to weak to keep them out of public school. But I am stressing to them . What is taught in the school system you HAVE TO learn . and give the answers that they teach . Even tho you know them to be false . I told hoim about science in my youth . and how when tested I gave the true answers . Like whats at center of milky way. I knew but the world didn't . My answer was correct but the failed me because of my true answers. So I stress to them both . You have learn both the truth and the lies. and when tested give the wrong answer so as to be graded improperly in their system of lies. Never ever look at just 1 side of a coin to check if its real or not. You must lie to them inorder for them to welcome you into there small tiny world . The eldest asked why he wants to live in small world when the world is so big. I said to assist man you need to get into a position to help man . You can't do that from the bottom up . but it comes from the top down . To get to the top you have to repeat Their lies.For them to except you as their own. The truth destroys them. So truth you must not reveal you know or be is a position to change nothing ever.

Wow, what kind of drugs are you on and where can I get some? lol

 

[sunzt]

Funny subject . I lol . I been caring for my grand children. I getting to weak to keep them out of public school. But I am stressing to them . What is taught in the school system you HAVE TO learn . and give the answers that they teach . Even tho you know them to be false . I told hoim about science in my youth . and how when tested I gave the true answers . Like whats at center of milky way. I knew but the world didn't . My answer was correct but the failed me because of my true answers. So I stress to them both . You have learn both the truth and the lies. and when tested give the wrong answer so as to be graded improperly in their system of lies. Never ever look at just 1 side of a coin to check if its real or not. You must lie to them inorder for them to welcome you into there small tiny world . The eldest asked why he wants to live in small world when the world is so big. I said to assist man you need to get into a position to help man . You can't do that from the bottom up . but it comes from the top down . To get to the top you have to repeat Their lies.For them to except you as their own. The truth destroys them. So truth you must not reveal you know or be is a position to change nothing ever.

calculus is a made up math anyway.

 

[CitizenKain]

Funny subject . I lol . I been caring for my grand children. I getting to weak to keep them out of public school. But I am stressing to them . What is taught in the school system you HAVE TO learn . and give the answers that they teach . Even tho you know them to be false . I told hoim about science in my youth . and how when tested I gave the true answers . Like whats at center of milky way. I knew but the world didn't . My answer was correct but the failed me because of my true answers. So I stress to them both . You have learn both the truth and the lies. and when tested give the wrong answer so as to be graded improperly in their system of lies. Never ever look at just 1 side of a coin to check if its real or not. You must lie to them inorder for them to welcome you into there small tiny world . The eldest asked why he wants to live in small world when the world is so big. I said to assist man you need to get into a position to help man . You can't do that from the bottom up . but it comes from the top down . To get to the top you have to repeat Their lies.For them to except you as their own. The truth destroys them. So truth you must not reveal you know or be is a position to change nothing ever.

 

[Nemesis 1]

calculus is a made up math anyway.

I knew someone would take that out of context. MATH has nothing to do with the learning or teachings I spoke . I would love to see modern man build today what was built in egypt thousands of years ago . Modern man is ignorant and cann't do what people thousands of years ago did. so much for progress

 

[Nemesis 1]

Without faith, the Repub party would cease to exist. They can't offer much else because offering the truth would also cause the Repub party to vanish into thin air, leaving only a small minority consisting of the rich and very rich........and their progeny, the Tea Party.

Alot of truth in your words here. If I were a mean killing machine type like so many seem to be . Given a choice of fighting people of faith vs. Non believers . I would war on the weak minded faithless for the victory. Thats what they are counting on. But what science has discovered recently has made them realize things are not as they thought. They now know about alphas. They know they can't kill them without killing themselves. Your reality sucks and leads to total destruction . My reality leads to enlightenment. Were the USA will try to shot down UFOs without knowing their mission . If they meant us harm they would have already made a move. These are the Gods of the Bible old test. Read old test really read it 3 differant gods for sure. The living Word brought a differant meaning a differant truth than the poision the hebrews force feed us. He tells were God dwells . Its not in the sky above . Those are just other beings God created.
Read the story of bable . and the reason the gods gave for what they did. If thats god I want nothing from god now or ever. Read it Google it. its a 2 min read . It goes against all thats holy. It goes against YOU and Me (all men).

 

[RightIsWrong]

Funny subject . I lol . I been caring for my grand children. I getting to weak to keep them out of public school. But I am stressing to them . What is taught in the school system you HAVE TO learn . and give the answers that they teach . Even tho you know them to be false . I told hoim about science in my youth . and how when tested I gave the true answers . Like whats at center of milky way. I knew but the world didn't . My answer was correct but the failed me because of my true answers. So I stress to them both . You have learn both the truth and the lies. and when tested give the wrong answer so as to be graded improperly in their system of lies. Never ever look at just 1 side of a coin to check if its real or not. You must lie to them inorder for them to welcome you into there small tiny world . The eldest asked why he wants to live in small world when the world is so big. I said to assist man you need to get into a position to help man . You can't do that from the bottom up . but it comes from the top down . To get to the top you have to repeat Their lies.For them to except you as their own. The truth destroys them. So truth you must not reveal you know or be is a position to change nothing ever.

I'm guessing that the school you went to didn't teach grammar either.

And everyone knows what is at the center of the Milky Way....it's the creamy nougat.

 

[GoPackGo]

In all of history there have been three truly great Republicans. Lincoln, Roosevelt, Eisenhower.