Thomas Ratliff: A Documented Liar

Today's Austin American-Statesman has dueling Op-Eds on CSCOPE.  Peggy Venable of Americans for Prosperity has a fantastic piece outlining the problems of CSCOPE.  State Board of Education member Thomas Ratliff (R(ino) -- Microsoft) counters with a fraudulent and mendacious defense.

Ratliff asserts:

The allegations are also when extremists claim that CSCOPE is aligned with the Common Core curriculum promoted by the federal government. It’s simply not true. CSCOPE was developed by Texas educators for Texas educators to teach Texas standards to Texas kids. Period. Again, more fear-mongering.

Except for the fact that Linda Darling-Hammond helped design both:

CSCOPE documents also claim connection to Linda Hammond, a proponent of the nationalized Common Core movement that Texas has rejected in favor of its own standards.

 (Sidenote: Back in December, we broke a pretty big story on LDH's background).

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Ratliff also claims:

The allegations are also when extremists talk about parents being denied access to what their children are being taught. If that’s the case, schools are breaking the law and should be held accountable. Chapter 26 of the Texas Education Code provides for “Parental Rights and Responsibilities,” including the right to see what happens in their child’s classroom. The fact is many of these extremists are not parents of public school students. Don’t blame CSCOPE for following Texas law. In fact, CSCOPE lessons are now online for anyone to see. Yet the extremists still want it banned from the classrooms. Transparency obviously isn’t the issue. Censorship and winning a political battle is the issue.

 Cue Peggy Venable:

Last year, it took State Board of Education Chairman Barbara Cargill six months before she was finally granted access to the lesson plans. Parents were denied access to CSCOPE material in violation of state law, which requires lesson plans be available to them. [Emphasis Ours]

 In other words, Ratliff's co-board member experienced what Ratliff claims never happened.

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In another whopper, Ratliff alleges:

The allegations are when the extremists talk about the “Communist” “Marxist” “Socialist” “anti-American” “pro-Muslim” curriculum. First, they need to make up their mind if it’s Communist, Marxist or Socialist. In a state as “red” as Texas, do people really believe kids are being taught to hate America?...These allegations are simply fear-mongering designed to incite a mob.

 Funny, because you can see these lessons here, or here, or here, or here, or here.

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Thomas Ratliff is a smart guy.  He knows that what's he's saying isn't true, but he says it anyway.  That's why Thomas Ratliff is now a documented liar.

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BREAKING NEWS: Dan Patrick to Debate Thomas Ratliff over CSCOPE

With the 83rd Texas Legislature sine done, the time has come for the much anticipated CSCOPE debate between Dan Patrick and Thomas Ratliff:

Patrick to Ratliff: I’m Coming to East Texas, Will You Be There? by DanPatrickTX

Background: Ratliff had been trying to claim that Patrick was afraid to debate him because Patrick had been tied up with Legislative stuff.

Get your popcorn; this'll be fun....

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Texas Politics Over the Next Few Months

There are several events in Texas that are either ongoing or coming up quickly; keep them in mind:

• Current Special Session (Until August 28) - The Texas Legislature is currently in session with Transportation funding the only item on the agenda.  Multiple well-informed sources have told us they doubt Governor Perry will add anything to the call, but since we're talking about Rick Perry one never knows.  Since legislators obviously haven't learned their lesson, the objective on Transportation funding remains to deny House Republican leadership the 100 votes they need to pass this boondoggle.

• State Board of Education Meeting (Sept. 17 - 20) - On the one hand, CSCOPE shenanigans continue.  On the other, this will be the only meeting during the ongoing science review.  On both hands, the Texas "Freedom" Network (aka. the mob) will be there; Cahnman's Musings actually found out about this event from their website....

• Voter Ratification of SJR 1 (Nov. 5; Early Voting - Oct. 21 - 31) - The water boondoggle passed during the general session still needs voter approval; just say no.

 This is a partial list, and other events will pop up, but keep these three on your radar screen at all times.

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Dan Branch and Common Core-style Data Collection

Six weeks ago, we discussed HB 2103, a disastrous law passed by the Texas Legislature during the general session.  At the time, we wanted Governor Perry to veto it.  Unfortunately, in one of the worst moves he's ever made, he signed it into law.

In late May, Donna Garner explained:

[Author's note: This WaPo article is about a similar Federal program]

In a Washington Post article dated 3.13.13, (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/13/lawsuit-charges-ed-department-with-violating-student-privacy-rights/ ), the U. S. Dept. of Ed. Is being sued because of the changes made to the FERPA law under the Obama administration.  Now private companies and foundations under the cloak of “promoting school reform” are allowed to get access to private student (and teacher) information. No parental permission is required, and student ID’s are linked to their private information.

A database funded by Bill Gates called iBloom, Inc. has already collected personal student data from seven states and will most likely morph into the national database under the Common Core Standards Initiative.

According to the Washington Post article, the information already collected “holds files on millions of children identified by name, address and sometimes social security number. Learning disabilities are documented, test scores recorded, attendance noted. In some cases, the database tracks student hobbies, career goals, attitudes toward school – even homework completion.”

.....

[This is about the Texas Program]

State education agencies from other states can negotiate agreements for these Texas education research centers to share Texas data.

The research centers can also form agreements with local agencies or organizations that provide education services to Texas students, including relevant data about former students of Texas public schools.

 Earlier today, while looking into another topic, we made an interesting discovery about HB 2103.

Who was it's primary sponsor?!?

Dan Branch.

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Veto these Bills: An Open Letter to Governor Rick Perry

The Honorable Rick Perry

Dear Mr. Governor,

During its general session, the 83rd Texas Legislature passed a lot of terrible legislation.  It deserves to be vetoed in a reprise of your so-called 2001 "Father's Day Massacre."  The following list is incomplete, but it would be a darn good place to start:

• SB 1 AND HB 1025 -- These disgraceful bills increase Texas' state spending by 26% over 2011 levels that were already too high.  This budget would alter the trajectory of state spending with disastrous but predictable consequences.  As the Wall St. Journal explains: "nearly everything from mental health to family planning to Medicaid...won fat funding increases....The danger is that Texas will repeat the fiscal mistake that California has made repeatedly: spend during the glory days and, once the economy slows, raise taxes to cover the deficit. The Texas oil patch is riding high on $95 a barrel oil and a doubling in production in four years. But Texans shouldn’t forget the lesson of the 1980s and late 1990s that oil prices are volatile and a decline can be painful and prolonged."

• HB 5 -- This bill would gut accountability in Texas public schools that have proven they cannot be trusted.  Standardized testing is imprecise, but it holds big education somewhat accountable.  Until Texas structurally reforms education, end of course testing the least bad way to keep the current system under control.

• SB 15 -- Cahnman's Musings wrote you about this bill last month.  It takes the authority to appoint University regents out of the hands of an elected Governor and places it in the hands of University bureaucrats.  Similar to HB 5, the status quo isn't great, but it's better than the proposed alternative.

• HB 866 -- This is a companion bill for HB 5 and deserves to be vetoed for the same reasons.

• HB 1675 -- "Educational Service Centers" are a bureaucratic sinkhole that launched and promoted CSCOPE.  Under current law, those ESC's are scheduled to appear before Texas' Sunset Commission in 2015; HB 1675 would punt this appearance to 2019.  Given everything we've learned about the ESC's during the past few months, this type of accountability cannot come soon enough.

• SB 1730 -- This bill creates places tolls on existing roads without corresponding reforms to existing transportation authorities.

• HB 2013 -- Enables Common Core style data collection in Texas schools; need I say more?!?

• HB 2824 -- Another companion bill for HB 5; also deserves to be vetoed for the same reasons.

• HB 2836 -- This bill would gut the elected State Board of Education and place curriculum standards in the hands of educational bureaucrats.

The 83rd Texas Legislature passed A LOT of bad legislation during its general session.  Mr. Governor, the ball is in your court.  We urge you to act.

Sincerely,
Adam Cahn
Austin, TX
June 10th, 2013

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Contact Governor Perry:

Phone: (512) 463-2000
Twitter: @GovernorPerry

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Update: Governor Perry signed HB 5 on Monday afternoon.

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Ft. Worth Star-Telegram Neglects a Key CSCOPE Fact

A disappointing piece in today's Ft. Worth Star-Telegram uncritically regurgitates talking points from the so-called Texas Freedom Network; according to the Star Telegram:

“Sen. Patrick seems to think someone has appointed him Texas classroom czar, with the power to dictate to local teachers what they can and can’t do in their own classrooms,” said Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/06/05/4914217/demise-of-cscope-curriculum-leaves.html?utm_source=MRT+Morning+Email+List&utm_campaign=0319d183fe-060613_230am_CT6_6_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a93afa5aa-0319d183fe-26289625#storylink=cpy

Unfortunately, the Star-Telegram neglects to mention that grassroots pressure forced CSCOPE into the spotlight in November 2012, but Senator Patrick didn't get involved until January 2013.

Senator Patrick was reacting to a story that fell under the purview of his committee that had already been in the news for several months.

But, you know, other than that the story is accurate....

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Contact the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram:

Phone: 817-390-7734
E-Mail: grav@star-telegram.com
Facebook: Ft. Worth Star Telegram
Twitter: @StarTelegram

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How to Identify Toxic Cirriculums

A must read piece from Texas CSCOPE Review:

The Characteristics of Toxic Curriculum Include:

1. A 21st Century learning curriculum

2. Constructivism or Progressive Teaching Philosophy

3. Project Based Learning– Projects that have students reinventing the wheel.

4. Not available to be viewed by parents. Anything–ANYTHING used to instruct students should be visible to the public.

5. Self-directed learning, discovery learning, cooperative work in heterogeneous groups

 Example of a problem with heterogeneous grouping: Two elementary students worked together and their work was videoed. The parent was not allowed to see her son’s class work because the video contained another child. Parents of the other child had to give permission. Who gave the teacher to video tape elementary children?

6. Emphasis on the “whole child” approach that blends psychological, social and cultral well-being of the child, which are all subjectively measured. The increase in the number of dyslexic students may be due to these children not being taught how to read during the most important formative years. A Texas teacher has reported removing the dyslexic label from a student–HOW?  By teaching the child phonics–sounding out letters–etc.. in other words, teaching the child how to read. The progressive education approach has been tried and proven not to work. 

7. Whole-language–Doesn’t teach kids phonics–This was and is the CSCOPE approach to learning. Students need phonics —students need grammar—students to know how to write in script—in other words, use computers as resources that complement traditional teaching techniques.

8. Interactive and discovery learning–”fuzzy” math–CSCOPE promotes not teaching multiplication tables. Kids are not taught traditional –tried and true –methods of solving math problems.

 The terms used for progressive instruction sound wonderful. Interactive—it is good for students to interact with each other. Science students always work in groups when doing science lab investigation. Discovery learning–this is what science is all about. But the progressive interactive discovery learning means students are given a problem to solve and they interact and share ideas and discover facts. This is much like having students pretend they are scientists of the past. But even these scientists first learned everything that has been previously discovered about a problem. They were not trying to reinvent the wheel, which is what progressive education is doing. This is what project based learning is: giving students a project that results in their reinventing the wheel.

9. Focus on diversity, multiculturalism, and global citizenship

Even the science lessons in CSCOPE included biased social issues.

10. The 4 Ps–Posters, portfolios, projects, PowerPoints.

Most of the Projects that assessed CSCOPE lessons were for students K-12 to make a poster, a portfolio, or some time of organizer. Thus, subjective assessments.

11. Do not Use An Online Curriculum to replace student textbooks. Students need to have books to learn about using indexes, glossaries. CSCOPE directors scorned the use of textbooks. Thus, students in one Texas CSCOPE algebra 2 class spent two to three days copying equations flashed on the screen by an over head projector. That left two days for instructions. How 21 Century is this? I’ve pleaded with this school district to give students books.

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Americans for Prosperity and Texas "Freedom" Network Clash over CSCOPE

The audio is a little difficult to pick up at first, but this video speaks for itself:



Highlights:

• When Dan Quinn says no one was pressured over CSCOPE, he's either lying or he's disqualifyingly misinformed.

• Ditto on Parents being informed.

(h/t Texas Watchdog)

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CSCOPE Fight is NOT Over

Via Texas CSCOPE Review; reposted in full:

Teachers Instructed to Save CSCOPE Lessons

MAY 20, 2013 BY JANICE LEAVE A COMMENT

The CSCOPE ESC directors announced that they will gut the CSCOPE curriculum by removing every CSCOPE lesson K-12. YEA!

Was this done because these Education Service Center directors decided that the CSCOPE lessons are not of a quality that they would want taught to our Texas children? I wish. Instead, this decision was made with the intent of killing a legislative bill that would provide control over curriculum created by the ESCs. Seems the ESC directors will do anything to remain in control of their kingdom.

In a last ditch effort to keep CSCOPE lessons in our Texas Schools, the CSCOPE ESC directors are encouraging teachers to download the CSCOPE lessons.  Yes, teachers are encouraged to copy the poorly written, incorrect, Anti-American, pro-Islamic, Anti-Christian CSCOPE lessons before Aug. 2013 when they will be forever gone. (Not if the CSCOPE ESC directors have anything to do with it. Wait and you will see these lessons for sale somewhere. Maybe in another form they will sell them to Texas School superintendents who confess that they must have CSCOPE.]

Now that the CSCOPE lessons may legally be copied, there is no need for school districts to rent CSCOPE. Every CSCOPE lesson has the number of suggested days and every IFD (Information Focus Document) for the lesson has the clarification for the TEKS. Done Deal! Teachers have the coveted scope and sequence that superintendents have used textbook funds to rent. Now all they have to do is open up the book room and dust off those textbooks. YES!!! Any textbook is useful. The ESCs who sell CSCOPE are the same ESCs who received more than $180+ million dollars to compare the TAKS state standards with the new TEKS. All superintendent have to do is request the Rider 42 K-12 TEKS Professional Development turnaround academy materials for Science, ELAR, Social Studies and Math. It is time for the public to evaluate this material that they paid $180+ million dollars for.

How fast things can change. Only yesterday teachers faced legal action for even making paper copies of the CSCOPE lessons. Following is one of several statements in the legal contract that teachers were forced to sign if they wanted to work. Yes, this contract was suppose to have been null and void according to Senator Patrick, but superintendents did not confirm this with their teachers.

“You are prohibited from copying, saving to a disk or hard drive, redistributing, using or publishing any portion of the Site, except as allowed by Section 3. (Which allows sharing only with others who have signed the CSCOPE gag-order.)”

What ever the reason, I send my thanks to each ESC director for making the right decision. Since there is no need for the ESCs to sell the CSCOPE scope and sequence, as of August, the entire CSCOPE website can be taken off line and the ESC directors and staff can return to actually providing a service to schools in their district.

Since my original intent for viewing the CSCOPE lessons was to help elementary kids with science, I volunteered my tutoring services. I am now volunteering my services to help elementary teachers with science. First order of business is to request science text books. If they are outdated–no problem. I am sure that the ESCs have not spent all of the $180+ million Rider 42 grant money and will be happy to use it to hire someone to post science information on the project share website. Without the CSCOPE micromanaging program, teachers can again be creative and actually align science lessons with the science process standards. I will be more than happy to provide complimentary materials to guide this process. My heart for the first time since I discovered the mind controlling CSCOPE program is light and happy. Thanks to everyone who has helped.

Texas It is Not Over

While the CSCOPE lessons have been offered up by the CSCOPE ESC directors, they want superintendents to continue to purchase supplies from companies that pay the ESCs a fee so that their products are purchased by Texas School Districts. Yes, companies are charged a yearly fee of $25,000 to $100,000 or maybe more for the honor of advertising that they are aligned with CSCOPE. I wonder how this is working out for them? But, on the sly, these companies could still sell to Texas schools with superintendents who continue to use the CSCOPE lessons. Teachers can help stop this by notifying CSCOPE Review that they are being pressured to copy the CSCOPE lessons. This can be done anonymously . Send the info to CSCOPEREVIEW@gmail.com or snail mail it to:

Tx CSCOPE Review
PO Box 145
Riesel, Texas 76682

Don’t stop now.  We still have the superintendents and other administrators who shoved CSCOPE down the throats of our teachers. We still have the school board members who sold out to CSCOPE and never evaluated the lessons. We still have TASA and TASB who are stealing school taxes from our school districts and have rings in the noses of most of the Texas school administrators. These administrators have no concern for our children. They have in their own minds established themselves as kings and queens. But, they need to be dethroned and people who love our children enough to listen to the concerns of parents. We want administrators who do not think they know what is best for our children and want parents and the community to not be involved in education. Yes, there is still much work to be done.

The ESCs need to explain what they have been doing with the millions and millions of grant money they have received over the past few years. They certainly do not need to be given anymore.

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OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT: Konni Burton for Texas Senate!!!

Cahnman's Musings wasn't planning to jump into Election 2014 before sine die.  Legislative outcomes during final week of the General session and the upcoming Special session(s) remain our top state level priority.  But it's Friday and this one's a no-brainer.

Konni Burton has worked behind the scenes the past few election cycles.  She helped lead the revolution that swept the Tarrant County GOP during 2012.  She also supported Ted Cruz in 2011, back when doing so was (to put it mildly!) controversial.

Konni Burton has been an advocate of school choice and an opponent of educrats for a long time.  In post CSCOPE Texas, with the school finance lawsuit expected to come to a head in 2014, an irreconcilable clash of visions is brewing.  Cahnman's Musings encourages Konni Burton to focus on the moral case FOR school choice while simultaneously mocking educrats and their financial enablers.

That being said, another aspect of Konni Burton's platform holds special appeal:

Work to reduce the state’s dependence on federal dollars.

 This is VERY important, and it highlights a concern that drives everything Cahnman's Musings does at the state level.  40% of Texas' Budget comes from Washington.  This is dangerous.  Washington is not a reliable business partner.  Cahnman's Musings is pleased to see Konni Burton make this issue a priority.

While the case FOR Konni Burton is strong enough on it's own, Cahnman's Musings must also comment about her opponent, incumbent State Senator Wendy Davis (D - Educrats).  In 2011, Wendy Davis held taxpayers hostage to flush more money down the rat-hole of public education.  In addition, the relationship between Wendy Davis' law practice and her votes in the Texas Senate are questionable at best.  Wendy Davis uses a self-righteous mask to cover crony corporatist double dealing.  It's just as easy to oppose Wendy Davis as it is to support Konni Burton.

An irreconcilable clash of visions over education is brewing in Texas.  In one corner are parents, children, and taxpayers who want options and a reasonable rate of return on their investment.  In the other are a group of self-serving bureaucrats protecting their boondoggle.  Konni Burton is the former; Wendy Davis is the latter.  For this reason, Cahnman's Musings unapologetically and unconditionally endorses Konni Burton for Texas Senate!!!

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ACTION ALERT: MAJOR CSCOPE Vote!!! (Yes on SB 1406)

One of the most important votes of the 83rd Texas Legislature will occur today when the Texas House votes on SB 1406.  If passed, this bill will take all things CSCOPE out of the hand of bureaucrats and place them under the supervision of Texas' elected State Board of Education.  This will begin to control CSCOPE.

From Concerned Women for America -- Texas:

Thank you for all your prayers, phone calls, and e-mails regarding SB 1406 "The CSCOPE bill". This has been the major bill we have been working on since day one of session, and we are getting excellent movement on this bill. SB 1406 will be heard tomorrow on the House floor. CWA of Texas will be there. If this bill passes as written, it is an exact match to the Senate version, and we believe it will head straight to the Governor's desk to be signed into law. CWA of Texas believes CSCOPE needs to have oversight by the State of Texas because it was paid for using federal, state, and local tax dollars. That is what makes CSCOPE different from any curriculum in this state. It was created with Texas tax dollars. If our House members do not support this bill, they are saying to Texans that it is OK for a non-transparent, unaccountable, un-elected bureaucrat to run amuck with millions of our tax dollars and the hearts and minds of our children with their slanted materials.

 From Americans for Prosperity -- Texas:

Chrmn Patrick and Sen. Donna Campbell sponsored SB 1406 which does the same.  A hearing was held April 2 and passed out of committee April 4^th with a vote of 7-0. The April 2^nd hearing can be viewed here: Senate Education (Part 1) and Senate Education (Part 2).
It is clear some Senators are not open to public review of CSCOPE and we encourage their constituents to be asking why.

We encourage citizens to take action, talk to your school board and see if your district uses CSCOPE and if it does, work to get it out of your District.  Call your legislators and ask them to support SB 1406 and HB 760.  Help educate more citizens on what is going on in our schools by joining AFP-Texas.

Read more: http://americansforprosperity.org/texas/legislativealerts/cscope-of-c-scam/#ixzz2TMyyAqcP

 While the General Session of the 83rd Texas Legislature has been a bust for conservatives, we can still get CSCOPE under control.  Let's salvage something.  Call your legislator NOW and urge them to vote YES on SB1406!!!

Find your legislator here.

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Ramparts 360: Texas Senate Does It's Job, House Drags it's feet

A Must Read Piece from Ramparts 360; re-posted in full:

Texas Senate Does Its Job, House Reps Drag Their Feet

by Sibyl West | May 14, 2013 | Citizen Report

“This is probably the first session I’ve seen in a long time where the Texas Senate has been far more conservative than the House. They’ve [the Senate] managed to pass meaningful legislation that conservatives support while the House has twiddled their thumbs, waiting for time to run out.”

- Eliza Vielma, AFP Legislative Affairs & New Media

What’s up at the TxLege? Well there doesn’t seem to be much sense of urgency in the house. Yet. They’re still in the tease-the-reporters phase. Over at Trailblazers we find this:

“Asked if he was keeping all his options open, Pitts downplayed the referral of the bill by Straus’ office to Appropriations. ‘Uh, they didn’t refer a lot of Senate bills until now,’ he said.” [Pitts is saying Straus didn't refer the bills until now.]

Continue reading Pitts won’t say if House will punt water-fund issue to voters

Senators are very concerned about the House’s slow pace with only 13 days left in the 83rd Legislative Session. It’s now or never to push the House to do the job we sent them there to do and get some of these important bills heard.

Details – Great Conservative Senate Bills  that the House needs to push to pass:

• SB 2 – Expanding Charter School Cap – This bill was placed on the General State Calendar for this week, but just got taken off the agenda and is back in calendars again.
• SB 7 – Health Care Savings - Description here; currently sitting in calendars
• SB 8 – Targets Medicaid Fraud; sitting in calendars
• SB 11 – Drug testing before receiving benefits; Hasn’t been heard in House Human Services yet
• SB 12 – Allowing admission of more evidence in a trial re: sexual offenses committed against a child – Background here; sitting in calendars
• SB 21 – Drug screening before receiving unemployment benefits; sitting in calendars
• SB 149 – Clarifies and Strengthens conflict of interest provisions at Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT);  made it out of committee, headed to calendars.
• SB 150 – Paying down debt of CPRIT through their collected royalties, etc to help alleviate taxpayer cost; sitting in House Public Health
• SB 1263 – Parent Trigger (Ed Reform); sitting in House Public Education Committee
• SB 1406 – CSCOPE Oversight; Placed on General State Calendar for tomorrow (5/15)
• SB 1458 – Revisions to Teacher Retirement System of Texas law in relation to benefits; sitting in calendars
• SB 1655 – Financial Relief for Electric Customers; Relating to authorizing the Public Utility Commission of Texas to direct the comptroller to return the unappropriated balance of the system benefit fund to retail electric customers; sitting in House State Affairs

I hope you’ve got your rep on speed dial. Let’s get to work. Click here to find out who represents you.

Cahnman's Musings has intended to put together something like this for awhile; thanks to Ramparts360 for doing so.

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HILARIOUS: Educrat Throws Hissy Fit over CSCOPE!!!

Any article that starts off like this has to be good:

Wikipedia defines McCarthyism as the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. It also means "the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict dissent or political criticism”.  Its origin, known as the “Second Red Scare” was characterized by heightened fears of communist influence on American institutions.  "McCarthyism" soon took on a broader meaning, describing the excesses of similar efforts. The term is now used more generally to describe reckless, unsubstantiated accusations.

American history reflects an earlier similar episode known as the Salem Witch Trials. This was one of the most notorious cases of mass hysteria, and has been used in political rhetoric and popular literature as a vivid cautionary tale about the dangers of extremism, false accusations and lapses in due process.

 Read the whole thing here.

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OPEN CALL: Citizen Volunteers Needed for CSCOPE Review Panel

The CSCOPE review process moves forward, from Texas State Board of Education Chair Barbara Cargill:

Dear friends,

If you know qualified people who might be interested in serving on
a review panel for the social studies CSCOPE review process, please
let me know about them.  Or let your SBOE member know about them.

The SBOE is asking for help in appointing reviewers to ensure that
the CSCOPE lesson plans for social studies are error-free and of
great quality.

Here is a little more information about the nomination process for
CSCOPE review panel members.  If you go to the TEA website, there
is now a separate link for the CSCOPE review.  It gives more
details.  That link is

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=25769804296

The timeline for the process is also linked to this website.

The link to the nomination form is open now.  It lists the panels
by grade and subject.
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=25769804296

Interested citizens may submit a nomination form through April 29.
The CSCOPE Ad Hoc Committee expects to make committee assignments
in May. The review panels would then work June 3-16 to review the
material.

Thank you!

Barbara Cargill
Chair, State Board of Education

PO Box 8742, Lumberton, TX 77657, USA

 Cahnman's Musings doesn't have time to take this task on, but if you do, you should.

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CSCOPE Data Collection (Common Core as well)

Glenn Beck has a chilling report on how CSCOPE and Common Core are collecting oodles of infomation about your children:



Highlights:

• Began with the Stimulus in 2009.
• $5 billion for 'finance incentive grants'

• Race to the Top
• Thinly concealed bribery for the states.
• Money from Washington ALWAYS comes with strings attached.
• In this case the strings included improving collection and use of data.

• All the usual suspects of bad guys are involved.
• GE
• Microsoft
• Apollo Alliance/Tides Foundation

Highlights:

• G.E. gave $18 million to Common Core

• Microsoft wants to run the operation.

• Student monitoring from Kindergarten to age 20.

• Act local and statewide.

Highlights:

• Evaluating how to place you for careers at really young ages.

• Personal Note: To me, this whole enterprise reminds me of Brave New World.
• Predictive Testing -- Neuropsychological testing performed by Kindergarten teachers

Highlights:

• Bug the crap out of your local and state legislators 

• Educate the Public

• Protect your medical records at all cost!!!

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CSCOPE: Greg Abbott Speaks!!!

Via the personal Facebook page of Concerned Women for America's Associate State Director Michelle Smith:

AG Abbott told me last night he has ordered a full investigation into C-Scope and if illegal action was taken by C-Scope he stated he will, "Shut them down completely" he said it is ok to tell others that too. Thank God for General Abbott.

That works for me!!!

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Governor Rick Perry's MUST HEAR interview with Glenn Beck

Governor Rick Perry, fresh off CPAC, gave a great interview to Glenn Beck:



Highlights:

• On the Boy Scouts: "Promotes young men to the values that most people in this country aspire to."

• Education:
• Perry stood up to Common Core YEARS ago!
• Supports all of Dan Patrick's efforts.
• Attacks on Homeschooling won't stand in the state of Texas.

• Finance:
• The first unwinding of the Global economy will be the failure of a foreign sovreign.
• "We are in the process...of bringing Gold that belongs to the state of Texas back."
• "We're in the conversation with the legislature phase."
• It costs the State of Texas 8 basis points to store it out of state.
• If we own it "then I'll suggest to you that it's not someone else's determination whether we can take posession of" an asset we own.

• Employers from states that restrict firearms "will be welcome in the state of Texas."

•  When recruiting businesses from California: "We're recruiting people who believe in freedom; if they're takers who want government to take care of them from cradle to grave, they're going to stay in California."

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ZING; The Most Incredibly Amazing CSCOPE Parody

Wow; so I was just messing around on YouTube when I found this:

Take THAT educrats!!!

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TheBlazeTV does CSCOPE

 Glenn Beck devoted his entire television program to an expose on CSCOPE today.

First up, David Barton explains the origins of CSCOPE in the Texas Textbook wars of 3-4 years ago:



HIGHLIGHTS:

• Since SBOE monitors curriculum, they call CSCOPE 'instructional material.'

• Teaching globalism, not American Exceptionalism.

• Taking out: Nathan Hale, Liberty Bell, Christopher Columbus' faith.

• Replacing with: Respect and fairness, Dolores Huerta.

• Replacing George Washington with Kay Bailey Hutchinson (yeah, wrap your mind around that one!)

• Emphasis on Contemporary over History.

• Refused to teach abundance alongside scarcity: "The other members considered all resources scarce."

Next, two teachers talk about CSCOPE from the Inside:



HIGHLIGHTS:

• CSCOPE sets up a system where educrats control everything.

• Shocked by the mediocrity of the content.

• Teachers are constantly monitored by educrats.

• Teachers have been fired for speaking out to school boards.

• "There's tremendous coercion."

Finally, Texas Senator Dan Patrick, chair of the Senate Education committee updates the state of play in his committee's ongoing investigation of CSCOPE:



HIGHLIGHTS:

• Talks about the runaround he's gotten: CSCOPE formed the shell company to hide everything.

• "We don't have the votes" to shut down CSCOPE.

• Apple will probably put CSCOPE out of business.

You can read the Blaze's write-up of this episode here.

Finally, if you don't yet get theBlazeTV, you can get it here.

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PushJunction: Wichita Falls ISD filibusters CSCOPE meeting.

Cahnman's Musings hasn't discussed CSCOPE for awhile, but this story out of Wichita Falls merits comment:

The 200 community members who attended Tuesday’s Wichita Falls ISD noon work session to hear board members discuss CSCOPE sat through a meticulously long presentation that lasted long past the lunch hour.

....

By 2 p.m. most community members were still sitting patiently through Assistant Superintendent Tim Powers’ two-hour presentation of 111 detailed slides — most unreadable to audience members — giving intricate detail about CSCOPE’s structure.

....

Such presentations are typically capped at 30-45 minutes.

Obviously, citizen activism has made an impact and the CSCOPE people are scared.  It seems their strategy is to string this out until we get bored and moved on.  This is the moment where persistence is key.

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