Cargill up for confirmation for second term
The head of the Texas Board of Education has provided assurances to Democrats in the State Senate that only Darwin's Theory of Evolution will be taught in public school science classes in the state, 1200 WOAI news reports.
"I do not want in the textbooks Creationism or Intelligent Design," Barbara Cargill told Senators who are considering her renomination as Chair of the 15 member board. "It is all the science, so, yes, I will stand by the position that those should be taught at home or in the church."
While the members of the SBOE are elected by the people in single member districts, the Chair of the SBOE is appointed by Governor Perry, and as a gubernatorial appointee, the position requires Senate approval.
State Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin) grilled Cargill on the issue.
"Not those issue that would be better taught at home or in the church," Watson said.
But not all Senators were as adamant that schools only teach evolution.
"Because we do not have the scientific facts to teach creation, does that mean we can't teach that God created women and men," asked Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels). "Are we trying to eliminate that?"
The SBOE has waded into several very controversial areas in recent years, after evangelical Christians became the majority on the board ten years ago. Some of the most vocal conservatives have left the board, but the SBOE is still largely conservative.
Cargill stressed that she will not steer the board into requiring the teaching of Creationism or Intelligent Design in her second term as board chair.
"Those things are to be taught at church or in the home," she said. "I have been very clear about that."
