This week, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) takes up the adoption of new social studies standards for public schools’ guidelines that will impact students around the country from kindergarten to 12th grade for the next ten years. Hearings begin Wednesday and run through Friday in Austin over curriculum requirements for U.S. History, U. S. Government, and other social studies-related courses. The controversy over the new requirements involves the impact and role of religion in America (including Christmas), the Founding Fathers, the greatness of America and the exclusion or inclusion of significant persons in U.S. history including Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Daniel Boone and more.

Stay on top of this issue! Visit our Texas Legislative Update blog here Wednesday through Friday as we blog from the hearings.

Friends and Patriots,

Wednesday morning, 3/10/10, I drove to Austin and arrived at the Texas Education Agency in time to be present when Fox and other news agencies gathered for a preliminary news conference concerning “testimony to the State Board of Education” (S.B.O.E.). After the news session, we adjourned into the SBOE chambers. I was honored to be given the information and to be invited to testify today and thanks in a large part goes to Jonathan Saenz, Esq., Director of Legislative Affairs & Attorney for the Liberty Institute.

I was up late preparing the one-pager (time limit of 3 minutes) and I appreciate the efforts and help from Dr. John Bell, Hope d’Amore, and Jonathan Saenz. I’ve included at the attachment my summary and I can tell you this: 3 minutes goes by quickly. I did not have time to quickly read though this before my time expired; however, 2 Board members (who had copies of my sheet) wanted to address the items I didn’t cover, and they assured me the items in question would not be removed from the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills). I found the Board to be friendly and reassuring about the message I brought. My prayers were answered — and hopefully, this will bring about good fruit for the school children of Texas (and other states) over the next 10 years (at least in the areas of Social Studies, Government, and World History).

Thanks to all of you who lent encouragement and support. It is only with the help of friends, Patriots, and those who pray that we will stand and prevail.

Standing fast for ‘Liberty’,
Gary D. Nunn, Chairman Precinct 4054
SATP Education Tiger Team Leader
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Testimony to the Texas State Board of Education
Gary D. Nunn

Hello and thank you for this wonderful opportunity today. I am Gary Nunn, U.S. Air Force retired, with 24 years — at which time I chose a teaching career. This new career allowed me to use what I’d learned while serving my country and traveling to other states and countries as well. I taught Social Studies – and integrated that across the curriculum, since I taught all classes in 5th and 6th grade Special Education. I became an Administrator and served as assistant principal at both junior high and at elementary and was a Director when the first Alternative Education Programs were put in place in 1996. After 16 years, a year ago in December, I retired but kept abreast of Education. I know how important the standards are that the State Board of Education will pass and that they will be in effect for the next 10 years . Because “what happens in Texas doesn’t just stay in Texas”, I know the standards you enact will be viable across most of the nation.
There were “unelected review members” who had a chance to ‘tinker with Social Studies, U.S. Government and World History and more. Some of the changes were outrageous – and, thankfully, the SBOE has voted to reject many of those proposals. Many of those things have already been addressed and those who did the “revision” did an exceptional job in my opinion. However, a few things, I feel, are yet to be resolved and I trust this Board will address these.

First, Social Studies, Grade 1, page 7, Sections (b)(1)(A) July 2009 Draft:
I understand Independence Day, Neil Armstrong, Daniel Boone, Christopher Columbus were all previously removed – but have now been returned. I’m glad somebody put them back. Thank you.

However, on Section (b)(15) Culture. It used to say: “The student understands the importance of family beliefs, customs, language, and traditions of communities, etc., etc. Families and traditions of families has become unimportant. The community has gained more importance; “ No, really, the word “family” and “families” has been removed. “Family” was taken out in the revision and the word “community” is taking its’ place??? It seems to me those who edited this draft overlooked “the family” as being a vital part of THE CULTURE IN TEXAS. I HOPE that will strike a note with the BOARD and that the BOARD will LOOK AT AND PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THIS “OVERSIGHT” – THIS BLUNDER, to my way of thinking. It seems the “revisionists” have edited the “family” out of Texas culture – that’s what the Draft Recommendation says.

Second, U.S. Government, Page 2, Section (c)(1)(B) (October 2009 Draft):
Section (c) (1)(B) has been changed, adding something that was seriously lacking – and that concerned me greatly. I understand the Texas Freedom Network and other organizations were attempting to delete from our textbooks any mention of the religious background of our Founding Fathers – however, any objective reading of these Founding Fathers affirms our very existence as a nation is predicated upon universal principles, or Natural Laws, which transcend man-made laws – illustrated in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution and rooted in Judeo-Christian principals, as my friend Hope d’Amore so eloquently pointed out in her letter to Gail Lowe, Chairman of the State Board of Education, from Lampassas.

My friend, Dr. John Bell said this: “ rewriters of history delight in debunking historical truth. Even the most educated and articulate fall prey to perpetuating revisionist myths. Most recently, President Obama ignored these historical facts and cultural considerations in his apparent efforts to build goodwill in the Muslim world by declaring America is not a Christian nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. America is by no means perfect and has strayed from her principles on occasion – however, those principles derived from the Christian tradition have served her well for 233 years. For her future, and for the future of Texas, we would do better to “live the sentiment” of “one Nation under God” rather than to deny that part of her history. God bless America – God bless Texas – and God bless the Texas State Board of Education!!!

The Justice Foundation has put together a form that you can print out and give to your children’s school to protect their rights.

Click here to download or print it.