Texas Science Curriculum Director Resigns, Says Creationism Politics To Blame
The state’s director of science curriculum has resigned after being accused of creating the appearance of bias against teaching intelligent design.
Chris Comer, who has been the Texas Education Agency’s director of science curriculum for more than nine years, offered her resignation this month.
In documents obtained Wednesday through the Texas Public Information Act, agency officials said they recommended firing Comer for repeated acts of misconduct and insubordination. But Comer said she thinks political concerns about the teaching of creationism in schools were behind what she describes as a forced resignation.
Agency officials declined to comment, saying it was a personnel issue.
Comer was put on 30 days paid administrative leave shortly after she forwarded an e-mail in late October announcing a presentation being given by Barbara Forrest, author of “Inside Creationism’s Trojan Horse,” a book that says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Forrest was also a key witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case concerning the introduction of intelligent design in a Pennsylvania school district. Comer sent the e-mail to several individuals and a few online communities, saying, “FYI.”
Agency officials cited the e-mail in a memo recommending her termination. They said forwarding the e-mail not only violated a directive for her not to communicate in writing or otherwise with anyone outside the agency regarding an upcoming science curriculum review, “it directly conflicts with her responsibilities as the Director of Science.”
The memo adds, “Ms. Comer’s e-mail implies endorsement of the speaker and implies that TEA endorses the speaker’s position on a subject on which the agency must remain neutral.”
In addition to the e-mail, the memo lists other reasons for recommending termination, including Comer’s failure to get prior approval to give a presentation and attend an off-site meeting after she was told in writing this year that there were concerns about her involvement with work outside the agency.
It also criticized Comer for allegedly saying that then-acting Commissioner Robert Scott was “only acting commissioner and that there was no real leadership at the agency.”
Comer, who hadn’t spoken about her resignation publicly until Wednesday, said she thinks politics about evolution were behind her firing.
“None of the other reasons they gave are, in and of themselves, firing offenses,” she said. Comer said her comments about Scott, who eventually received the commissioner appointment, were misconstrued. “I don’t remember saying that. But even if I did, is that so horrible?” she said. “He was, after all, acting commissioner at the time.”
Comer said other employees don’t report off-site activities and that the presentation mentioned in the memo had been approved previously. Agency officials did not respond to Comer’s assertions.
As for the e-mail, Comer said she did pause for a “half second” before sending it, but said she thought that because Forrest was a highly credentialed speaker, it would be OK.
Comer’s resignation comes just months before the State Board of Education is to begin reviewing the science portion of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the statewide curriculum that will be used to determine what should be taught in Texas classrooms and what textbooks are bought.
Agency spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe said the issue of teaching creationism in schools has not been debated by the board in some time.
“There’s been a long-standing policy that the pros and cons of scientific theory must be taught. And while we’ve had a great deal of public comment about evolution and creationism at state board meetings, it’s not been a controversial issue with the board.”
The call to fire Comer came from Lizzette Reynolds, who previously worked in the U.S. Department of Education. She also served as deputy legislative director for Gov. George W. Bush. She joined the Texas Education Agency as the senior adviser on statewide initiatives in January.
Reynolds, who was out sick the day Comer forwarded the e-mail, received a copy from an unnamed source and forwarded it to Comer’s bosses less than two hours after Comer sent it.
“This is highly inappropriate,” Reynolds said in an e-mail to Comer’s supervisors. “I believe this is an offense that calls for termination or, at the very least, reassignment of responsibilities.
“This is something that the State Board, the Governor’s Office and members of the Legislature would be extremely upset to see because it assumes this is a subject that the agency supports.”
Eugenie Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, which sent the original e-mail to Comer announcing the event, said Comer’s situation seems to be a warning to agency employees.
“This just underscores the politicization of science education in Texas,” Scott said. “In most states, the department of education takes a leadership role in fostering sound science education. Apparently TEA employees are supposed to be kept in the closet and only let out to do the bidding of the board.”
Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, an advocacy group that monitors state textbook content, said the group wants to know more about the case. The network has raised questions about past comments made by State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy about teaching creationism.
“It’s important to know whether politics and ideology are standing in the way of Texas kids getting a 21st century science education,” Miller said. “We’ve already seen a faction of the State Board of Education try to politicize and censor what our schoolchildren learn. It would be even more alarming if the same thing is now happening inside TEA itself.”
© 2007 Austin Statesman
Christianofascism awareness!
Bear in mind that the main reason President Unitard does so much brush-clearing at his artificial ranch in Crawford is because he’s hoping to uncover the bones of the dinosaurs Adam & Eve rode to church!
Kind of puts things in perspective, eh?
It’s Texas.
The same sewage farm that blossomed Rove and Bush
Why don’t we just saw it off? There is proven culture of barbarism there.
And if there any sane people left there, they will either stand up or leave.
Love
Zero
When I wake up in the morning, I curse the fact that I am waking up in the United States.
How can teachers focus on teaching, when they have to fight against these ignorant people who want the Bible taught in schools?
How can this country move ahead, when so many ignorant people want to take us back to the 19th century?
Conservatives love to complain about public schools, but here we see conservatives undermining the quality of schools, yet again!
Religious people have always been weak minded. They’re coming up with new ideas now to allow then to get through school without being set back too many times. This creationism concept allows the really stupid ones to be able to pass science classes. Forget DNA, epochs, evolutionary biology, natural selection, or geology. Just say “God did it!” and you’ll pass! Congratulations!
I would have to say that anyone who considers Intelligent Design to be a scientific fact, or considers it related to science in any way, is an idiot.
If there’s any hope of this country regaining it’s strength and standing in the world, it’s based on our creativity, ingenuity and inventiveness. We need schools that teach critical thinking and research that’s unfettered by some ancient mythical beliefs. Keep religion out of the classroom!!
The great thing about this is people who deny evolution and embrace strict biblical creationism are identifying themselves genetically unfit by way of Forrest Gump IQ, thereby removing themselves from the running for the more cherished mates.
This all makes perfect sense. The Dark Ages were the best time Christianity ever had. Little wonder many Christians seem to want to take us back there.
The IRON HEEL takes a walk to Texas to stomp out those who won’t believe. Get out the Brown Shirts and practice your snake dancing.
Hoa binh
I lost all respect for Texas, and things Texan, in the ‘61-2 school year. As a member of our local district’s text book committee that year, I learned that texts were often re-written so that Texas would buy them to be used state wide.
I made a vow then, and kept it. I vowed to have one copy only of each and every pertinant, avaialable text in my classrooms.
:)gwenith
ps. Texas has not earned back any of my respect yet!
Wasn’t this settled aready…..For crying out loud !! See: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/id/
What on earth are these knuckleheads going to do when life is found on another planet?
Who said the religious Right was on the ropes? They are like a hydra-headed monster—-you cut off one and another appears. What surprises me most about this article is that Ms Comer lasted as long as she did.
If you want to see an excellent documentary about Texas education and the influence of the religious Right, see “The Education of Shelby Knox.” It is excellent and actually gave me some hope—-that’s right, even about Texas!
I see the folks who believe in talking snakes are at it again. Amazing to see what evolution has turned that talking snake into.
Maybe somebody should start a movement to press for the teaching of calculus in Sunday school.
I wish I could write her resignation speech.
“I quit. You people are too goddamned stupid to teach anything to.”
Gorsegrower: As an avid Sunday School attendee, I think it would be nice to have a little differentiation and integration with my Sunday School lesson.
Why is it so hard for people to separate science and religion? I was raised (in Texas, egads!!!) to be able to understand and deal with evolution. I love science for the very reason that there are documented facts concerning the mechanism (nee biology) of creation and how organisms have changed over time. It is not up to anyone in public school to tell you WHO did the creating. Let’s just deal with what we can actually observe and leave the rest to be hashed out and debated in Sunday School, church, temple, synagogue or wherever. I think we’d have an easier time of having common ground on observed data (measured, seen, testable by anyone and everyone).
Here’s something that is not stressed enough: Even Christians debate these issues, a whole lot. I especially resent that there are attempts by a so called “Christian Monolith”, to act as if all the Christians in Texas got together at some ‘Christian meeting” to decide on this particular “Intelligent Design ” curriculum. If so, I wasn’t invited because I would have greatly protested this. I don’t like anyone in the public sphere telling me what or what not to believe. I just guess that there are others who would feel the same.
Firing a science curriculum director for promoting science: how dare she! Science is certainly an issue on which education officials must remain neutral. Ditto grammar, math and history.
I wish these creationists would take a closer look at their Book of Genesis and let us know which of the TWO creation stories is the correct one.
Having “Intelligent design” blasted around is simply a self-defense for knowing that they lack real intelligence, and they’ve heard that it’s important to appear intelligent (appeal to authority).
Yuck!
Namaste … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … Mahatma Gandhi … … … … … … … … … …
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http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/texas-education-agency-trouble-at-the-top/
http://www.texscience.org/reviews/tea-science-director-resigns.htm
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-tea_17tex.ART.State.Edition1.428d156.html
Check out the links above.
Robert Scott was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to be the Commissioner of TEA last month. He is not a certified educator and has never been a teacher or even a school administrator. He is a lawyer. I have been a Texas classroom teacher for 22 years. I guess with Perry’s logic, I am qualified to be the chief of the State Bar or the American Medical Assosciation. This was cronyism at its worst.
“Agency spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe said the issue of teaching creationism in schools has not been debated by the board in some time.” SHE IS NOT A TEACHER.
“The call to fire Comer came from Lizzette Reynolds, who previously worked in the U.S. Department of Education. She also served as deputy legislative director for Gov. George W. Bush. She joined the Texas Education Agency as the senior adviser on statewide initiatives in January.” SHE IS NOT A TEACHER.
“Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, an advocacy group that monitors state textbook content, said the group wants to know more about the case. The network has raised questions about past comments made by State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy about teaching creationism.” The State Board of Education Chairman IS NOT AN EDUCATOR.
Don’t believe me?
You can check out who is a certified teacher/educator in Texas by going to this link:
http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp
To paraphrase our previous Governor, who needs no further introduction, “Bein’ a teacher is HARD WORK.” Especially when we have incompetent cronies down in Austin who never taught a class a day in their life making decisions about what should be taught.
Everybody knows that the world is flat so we need to teach that in astronomy and geography classes.
Newton was wrong, there is no gravity, the world sucks.
Would you want to be treated by a doctor who doesn’t believe in the basic laws of biology?
How many school graduates will be able to find jobs in Creation Science labs?
It is alarming that these faith based people prevent an understanding to battle the global warming crisis which is approaching a tipping point. Three of the Republican candidates said that they did not believe in evolution. The other countries are training innovative scientists and they will make the contributions to develop wind and solar power etc. This nation is not raising scientific interest in the school years K-12
“The Dark Ages were the best time Christianity ever had. Little wonder many Christians seem to want to take us back there.”
People keep using “the Dark Ages” long after historians have discarded the term as a propagandistic anachronism. The ‘dark ages’ were chaotic due to the the collapse of central authority in Western Europe, with what we would call “warlords” establishing power locally; the Church gained power largely as the sole non-tribal institution. Westerners always forget that the Byzantine empire continued for centuries after the sack of Rome.
Today’s IDers and Creationists come from the so-called “Bible” churches in Anglo-centric countries & from some of those in other traditions who work with them in the pro-fetus movement. And these “Bible-centered” Christians would have hated the early centuries of the Church, since their religion didn’t exist until the 16th century.
When the US sent a man to the moon and returned him to the earth, did those in charge of the project use the Bible as their scientific treatise? I rather think they referred to Isaac Newton.
Yes, I have a Bible in my home, which I work through at the rate of one verse every other night. I too believe in Jesus, but I prefer not to obsess about him.
Hey Zero BOY,Are you outta your mind? 1.The Bush comes from Kenybunckport MAINE not from Texas
2. A lot of the people who reside here came from another state. Maybe even from your state. Why, because they saw something better than the were gettin at HOME. Its the immigrants from other states that fouled up TEXAS. Thats why its so fu2465#D up down here. Thanks Texrey
Talk about insecure ignorant people!!! Christian’s have to be the world’s worst. They rank right up there with Islamic fundamentalist’s. They are not happy until they are shoving that crap in the Bible down everyone’s throats! Something that is based on a hypothesis developed by early Christian’s who took a book and started up the new religion is now being passed off as fact. Scientology did the same thing and it’s ridiculed as being a cult! They want to dump science for the mythology of creationism? It’s unbelievable. The older I get the worse religion gets. Why don’t they start teaching ancient Greek mythology in school and pass it off as real????? There is about as much truth to that as there is Christianity! But, then I guess that’s the problem isn’t it? A lot of us no longer buy into the myth of the Bible. We are sick to death of fanatical Christian’s who can’t get their heads out of the Bible long enough to deal with reality. They don’t have the strangle hold on people’s minds the way they did years ago. Even though we have a lot of religious nuts running the country now. It’s likely to end one of these days when people get fed up with all the religion. I am waiting for the day when all the religious hacks/political pundit’s fall flat on their faces. When people in this country grow up enough to start thinking for themselves again instead of Christianity doing it for them!
And the Creationism Museum in Northern Kentucky is unfortunately alive and well.
Either curious gawkers wanted to see the train wreck or there are that many idiotic people in the world. I am betting on the latter.
I am ashamed..
They want to expand too!!! Complete with their attack dog and military related activities….
They have an agenda folks… and they don’t appear to be going away any time soon.
You Amerricans are just plain nutz — and we Canadians are coming up right behind you.
Why is Creationism “a subject on which the agency must remain neutral”? How can the USA, world leader in science and technology for so long, remain neutral on such idiocy? Like impeaching presidents for sins but definitely not crimes, this one just totally escapes me.