WALKER COUNTY
Last Updated May 11 , 2013
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April 22, 2013
In this MegaVote for Texas' 8th Congressional District:
Recent Congressional Votes
• Senate: Firearms Legislation – Concealed-Carry Reciprocity Amendment Rejected 57-43 Cruz Yes, Cornyn Yes
• Senate: Firearms Legislation – Background Checks Amendment Rejected 54-46 Cruz No, Cornyn No
• Senate: Firearms Legislation – Republican Substitute Amendment Rejected 52-48 Cruz No, Cornyn No
• Senate: Firearms Legislation – Straw Purchases Amendment
Rejected 58-42 Cruz No, Cornyn No
• House: Cybersecurity Intelligence Sharing
Passed 288-127, 17 not voting Brady Yes
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•Senate: Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013
•House: Helping Sick Americans Now Act
•House: Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act
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U.S. Sen. John Cornyn 202-224-2934U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz 202-224-5922U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady 202-225-4901 
May 11, 2013
Results: The School Bond Election
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Click on each of the four links below for an overview of "Obamacare" -
The Affordable Health Care Act
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Rep. John Otto
2011: C+
2009: C
2007: C
Obama interested in 'Allah-is-God' curriculum
Source says federal officials pursuing program used in Texas by John Griffing
CSCOPE, the controversial online curriculum that taught “Allah is God” and currently is used in 80 percent of Texas school districts, has caught the attention of the Obama administration’s Department of Education.
A source in the Texas education system has told WND that Common Core operatives in the U.S. Department of Education are actively pursuing CSCOPE as a way around the Texas legislative process.
Texas is one of the few states still resisting implementation of Common Core, Obama’s national standards initiative, which many feel is a transparent attempt to nationalize education and progressively control classroom content with minimal parental oversight.
Implementation of Common Core is known to have been made a condition of school systems’ receipt of federal dollars under Obama’s “Race to the Top” program.
CSCOPE recently has come under fire for evidence of what sources claim to be radical content and secrecy. Now new information of such a radical agenda has surfaced showing CSCOPE connections to Obama mentor and self-acknowledged terror group member Bill Ayers.
WND has documented a strong link between Ayers and CSCOPE heavyweight and Common Core advocate Linda Darling-Hammond. An unrepentant terror group member (and known Obama supporter, financier, and ghost-writer), William “Bill” Ayers was part of the notorious Weather Underground which attempted to bomb the Pentagon in the seventies. After 9/11, Ayers was interviewed by the New York Times, and was quoted as saying he had “no regrets.”
Ayers gave Darling-Hammond an enthusiastic endorsement for education secretary when Obama was first elected. Ayers has worked extensively with Darling-Hammond on many of the same projects, even editing her work. Both are part of what some education experts have termed the “small schools movement,” which allegedly emphasizes “emotional” responses and output over factual mastery.
Darling-Hammond is mentioned throughout CSCOPE literature, has given innumerable lectures on behalf of CSCOPE, and was part of Obama’s educational transition team. She is a primary advocate and proponent of Common Core in Texas, and observers see the acquisition of CSCOPE by the U.S. Department of Education as a logical next step.
This scenario has alarmed those concerned about classroom content accountability. Previously, WND reported how CSCOPE lessons promote Islam, teaching conversion methods and presenting verses from the Quran that denigrate other faiths. In CSCOPE curriculum, the Boston Tea Party is likened to an act of terrorism on par with 9/11. In the wake of the Newtown massacre, the Second Amendment is portrayed as a “collective,” not an individual right, despite the Supreme Court’s recent rulings to the contrary.
The CSCOPE website has posted a response to concerns about certain lesson plans, including an extensive discussion of the Boston Tea Party. But critics say that such lessons should never have appeared in the first place.
Sources within the Texas education system recently informed WND that Wicca, thought by many to be akin to witchcraft, was being taught in CSCOPE curriculum alongside Christianity, but was removed before the news media could access it, a fact which represents one of the biggest concerns for followers of CSCOPE.
CSCOPE apparently immediately deletes controversial content once leaked, making it impossible at any one time to know exactly what students are learning and in what order. Defenders of this process say that this responsiveness to public scrutiny is a form of self-auditing. Others have said that it simply leaves parents, teachers and those in charge of curriculum oversight powerless to stop agenda-driven lesson plans and the damage the ideas therein might do to students.
WND has documented numerous instances of lessons being deleted after their use in classrooms.When it was discovered that Islam was being given preferential status as a part of a study on the world’s major religions, CSCOPE administrators deleted the lesson plan and associated PowerPoint in the presence of two sources, leaving no trace online.
However, through available technology, documentation of this lesson plan and other such controversial content has been retained and reviewed by Texas educators and WND.
In CSCOPE World History/Social Studies, Lesson 2, Unit 3 under the heading, “Classical Rome,” students are told that Christianity is a “cult,” and given a link to a BBC article saying the early Christians were “cannibals,” i.e. the Eucharist, which students are then led to conclude is the reason for Roman persecution.
This lesson has since been removed, but documentation in WND’s possession confirms that the lesson existed. Critics contend that this ability to change content on a whim to evade scrutiny or accountability is a persistent risk with a system like CSCOPE. An organic curriculum – if regulated – might be advantageous, but without transparency, these types of occurrences will likely be more frequent, critics say.
Speaking with WND, Texas Sen. Dan Patrick, new chairman of the education committee, communicated his intent to hold high-profile hearings and investigate CSCOPE.
Sen. Patrick noted, “Any system where the chairman of the state board can’t get a password to explore their site in detail for six months, requires teachers to sign an agreement that could subject them to criminal penalties, and is not easily transparent to parents, needs to be closely examined by the legislature.”
When asked if he would support placing CSCOPE under state oversight and/or local school board oversight, Sen. Patrick answered carefully, explaining,
“We will make that decision after our hearings. However, I have concerns of any curriculum program that is in the majority of our school districts without some level of oversight by either the SBOE, TEA, or the legislature.”
Patrick, along with many other Republicans, supported the 2011 legislation that took power over Internet curriculum review away from the SBOE, though this provision was admittedly ill-understood in its implications and was originally intended to reduce the cost-burden to school districts in obtaining and distributing the curriculum. While reducing costs, this move also created the basis of the current controversy.
Opponents of CSCOPE, on the other hand, desire a lawsuit. They do not want to wait for hearings. As they contend, CSCOPE is already violating Texas public statutes, which require all “instructional materials” to be available to parents. CSCOPE places all primary content – apart from summaries – behind a pay wall.
Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative (TESCCC) Governing Board minutes, obtained only by Texas Public Information Act request, reveal that even the governing board in charge of CSCOPE may not be fully aware of CSCOPE content issues.
Minutes for the meetings covered show that governing board members were told by CSCOPE Executive Director Wade Labay that they will only be involved in content-related issues if “politically sensitive,” what Labay calls “’911′ type messages or those deemed critical.” In other words, in addition to the absence of state oversight, corporate oversight within CSCOPE might be lacking.
The fears of some that CSCOPE is replacing textbooks, a claim denied by Texas SBOE member Thomas Ratliff, would appear justified if governing board minutes are considered.
In addition to outlining when and under what circumstances CSCOPE would communicate with the TESCCC governing board, pending textbook alignments with Pearson, McGraw Hill, et al., were discussed and delayed with the support of governing board members. Some attendees lamented even having to align CSCOPE content with textbooks, since “the mission of CSCOPE is to change instruction in the classroom.”
TESCCC has now asked the Texas Attorney General to make its minutes are exempt from public information requirements.
Read more at
Texas CSCOPE Review
For a guide of what is being taught in Texas Public Schools, please visit the website Texas CSCOPE Review.
The following statements are written by science author Janice VanCleave.
I wonder why so many superintendents and school board members so adamantly defend CSCOPE. I’ve never known administrators to be so supportive of text books.
But a BIGGER QUESTION is: “Why are superintendents purchasing CSCOPE?”
Most administrators say they needed the scope and sequence.
1. They can find the scope, which are the TEKS on the TEA website. The TEKS vertical alignment for every subject is also on the TEA website.
2. CSCOPE has specificities, which are explanations for the TEKS, but….
•CSCOPE has not been approved by the SBOE.
•CSCOPE has not been evaluated by any outside source. No documentation can be provided to prove the claims made about CSCOPE.
•CSCOPE specificities are written by unknown authors.
◦Unlike text books, which are approved by the SBOE, CSCOPE specificities may or may not describe the TEKS correctly.
◦In other words, the SBOE approves text books that provide information that interpret and embellish the TEKS to meet the intent of the standards.
Since the SBOE has not reviewed any of the CSCOPE specificities, IFOs, or lessons nor has CSCOPE materials been evaluated in anyway, nothing verifies –no documentation can be provided to prove that CSCOPE has:
•correct content alignment to the TEKS
• correct interpretations of the TEKS
What is the incentive for purchasing CSCOPE? Why are superintendents taking a chance on having their school districts forced to verify its instruction material conforms to state requirements.
TASA (State Association of School Administrators) launched its Vision Learning objectives in 2006, the same year that schools started purchasing CSCOPE. Any connection? Superintendents are the ones who buy CSCOPE.
TASA’s Vision Learning Mission to reform Texas education is in opposition to the TEA mission for Texas education.
CSCOPE has lists of the TEKS, which is suppose to confirm that CSCOPE is aligned with the state standards. BUT,are the CSCOPE specificities in line with the SBOE standards?
Do you think the CSCOPE specificity would be approved by the SBOE?
A Primer on CSCOPE - Open the Curtains
Our country is on the brink of losing it’s freedom and its constitutional rights due to the progressive /Marxist ideology of the Obama Administration and those that support his leftist (government knows best, collectivist) ideology.
Unbeknownst to many who voted for Texas State Board of Education members Thomas Ratliff and Pat Hardy, who ran as republicans and stand by a Marxist Curriculum that is in a majority of Texas Schools. This so-called curriculum is called CSCOPE. If you have not heard about it before don’t be surprised a majority of the parents whose kids are being indoctrinated with it haven’t heard of it either. Why?
Parents have not been allowed to view it. Teachers had to sign a non disclosure statement that they would not release the contents of it or say anything negative about it. Homework is discouraged and most schools who have purchased it have no text books for children to bring home. Surely this isn’t happening in Texas you may say. Sadly it is! Here is a list of Texas Schools that have purchased and implemented CSCOPE.
Texas has 20 Education Service Centers that were originally set up to help local schools. The directors of nineteen of the 20 (excluding 4) formed a non-profit called Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative , TESCCC which owns CSCOPE. ESC 4 is now a part of TESCCC.
Follow me here for a minute, state employees, use tax money to form a non-profit which operates in state buildings and use state employees to sell their product. You can read more about the formation and lack of transparency in regard to TESCCC at the following links.
Colleen Vera Trash Talk There’s no reason to force people to do what you want if you can condition them to do as you want.
Stop Common Core
Common Core is a Department of Education nationwide initiative designed to herd states into national K-12 standards and national tests thus taking control of education out of the hands of the states.
TEXAS SAYS NO TO COMMON CORE
In 2009 Robert Scott, then Texas Commission of Education and Govenor Rick Perry say no because the Common Core standards were not written and Texas Law prohibits taking standards without input from Texas teachers, parents and businesses.
State Representative District 18: John Otto
Austin: 512-463-0570 Dayton: 936- 258-8135
Dayton: 936- 258-8135Email: john.otto@house.state.tx.us
State Senator District 5: Charles Schwertner
Austin: 512-463-0105
Walker County Representatives in the
Texas House and Senate
Texas Legislative Contact Information
Mission Statement
Monday, May 20, 2013
Speaker: Barbara Cargill - State Board of Education
Topic: The Status of CSCOPE in Texas- Review Process,
CSCOPE content, Follow the Funds, Parental Access
And Action Taken by the Legislature and SBOE for the Region Service Centers, School Funding, Graduation Requirements, Statewide Testing,
Time:
Doors open to the public at 6:15 pm
Prayer & Pledge at 6:45 pm
Speaker from 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Location:
Veterans Conference Center
455 State Highway 75 North
Huntsville, Tx 77320
He was employed in the medical branch of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for approximately 16 years. During that time he was also enrolled and graduated with honors from Sam Houston State University with a degree in microbiology. T.J. founded his own recycling center and named it T.J. Burdett and Sons Recylcling. T.J. graduated from the Angelina County Police Academy and was employed as a priviate investigator for Trinity County. Besides owning a business and a career in law enforcement, T. J. maintained interest in history, politics, medicine and mechanics. He loved to fish in his "spare" time. Mr. Burdett was a major supporter of many civic and private organizations during his lifetime.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Huntsville Fire Department, Forrest Masonic Lodge #19 A.F. & A.M. , Marine Corps Toys for Tots, Knights of Columbus - St. Thomas Church or SHSU Biology Department, c/o James Deshaw.
Sam Houston Tea Party
expresses our condolences to the
Family of T.J. Burdett
IN MEMORIUM
Tommy "T.J." Jack Burdett
January 12, 1945 - April 22, 2013
T.J. served his country in the Marine Corps for four years and was in Vietnam. In 1977 he met Mary Maly at church and they married in Saint Thomas Catholic Church in Huntsville.
Walker County Registered Voters 25,585
Ballots Cast 4,327 17.03%
Unofficial Results
For 1,630 37.42
Against 2,726 62.58%
After months of discourse
for or against the School Bond,
the plan, the taxes, the money.......
Huntsville, We Still Have a Problem
Parent and community input
is needed in Huntsville schools
to assure
Quality Instructional Programs
Successful Teachers
and Students
Is CSCOPE what we want in Texas schools?
Come, listen-then you decide.
Speaker: Barbara Cargill - State Board of Education
Topic:
Status of CSCOPE in Texas,
Review Process for alignment,
Questionable CSCOPE content,
CSCOPE funds and the Region Service Centers Parents requests to see CSCOPE lessons
Mrs. Cargill will also discuss recent legislation and School Funding, Graduation Requirements, Statewide Testing
********************************************************
May 10, Texas Senator Dan Patrick - Chair of the Senate Education Committee, receives documents from CSCOPE compliance with requests for financial documents. Click the link below: CSCOPE Financial Documents
Read the letter from Texas State Attorney, Greg Abbott. Click the link below
April 26th
Americans for Properity hosted Texas
Lt. Govenor, David Dewhurst for an audio
Townhall. To listen to his concerns about CSCOPE management structure, funding and lesson content and parental concerns click
on CSCOPE here
April 3
Letter from Huntsville Independent School District to Linda Thompson re: request for information. Click here to read letter
Monday, May 20, 2013
