For many years I worked with K-12 educators here in Texas. And, in fact, for much of my Ph.D. program I intended to work with textbooks and curriculum.

The problem, as I discovered, is that the most anti-education organization in the state is the State Board of Education. https://twitter.com/thetattooedprof/status/1355723858955956224

Their process is utterly ridiculous. Each board member appoints someone to serve on committees to oversee the standards revisions.

And by someone, I mean that literally. A friend—an actual teacher—was appointed to the 6th grade world cultures committee. One of her co-panelists owned a car dealership and objected to the idea that students learned anything about the rest of the world.

Nothing against people who own car dealerships, mind you, but I’m not clear what credentials this man had to do a deep dive into the 6th grade education standards. I don’t think he did, either.

Once all of this is done, they open the proposed revisions up for public comment. Every comment, no matter how insane or screwbally is taken seriously and debated.

Finally comes the public testimony, which is a multi day affair in which ordinary members of the public get to testify. The testimony doesn’t just skew conservative, it skews the kind of conservative that make most conservatives uncomfortable.

Islamophobes, homophobes, people who insist that Catholics aren’t Christian...you name it. Then, at the end of all of this emotional debate, without discussion or consulting with anyone, the board passes whatever revisions they want without any accountability.

All the pre-work, written commentary, committee work...can be erased at the last second just because.

That’s where I gave up. It’s an exercise in futility. It doesn’t matter how well credentialed or articulate you are. If you don’t get the votes, the tin foil hat brigade wins.

And, indeed, they have. Many times.

I feel sorry for the teachers that have to deal with this roller coaster of mandates coming down from on high.