Advice for next Texas State Board of Education hearings

In a Houston Press blog, Richard Connelly is being snarky (and I like it):

Just in case you were worried that Texas hadn't made an embarrassing spectacle of itself lately, you need fret no more.

Once again the State Board of Education is coming to your rescue.

There is some actual news here, however. Apparently, the Discovery Institute is coming to town for the next State Board of Education public hearings on the science standards. A member from the institute writes:

Texas has invited scientists on both sides of the evolution debate to testify about the scientific status of Darwin's theory.

Connelly's responds to the idea that this is all just about "good teaching" and offers advice:

We assume these people will also call for standard that demand critical thinking in the theory of the boiling temperature of water and whether gravity makes things go up or down.

January 21, folks. In Austin. Bring popcorn and enjoy the show.

The Evo.Sphere blog has more.

Only (SBOE member and chairman, Don McLeroy) has the power to invite the six experts to attend a SBOE hearing to give testimony and answer questions from the other State Board members, but this idea was not his alone. He was coached by his Discovery friends to set up this misleading debate, since it is designed to fit perfectly with the Discovery Institute marketing campaign to spread fear and doubt about evolution, thus promoting the currently-popular alternative that the DI markets, Intelligent Design Creationism.

Oh, and one more thing: Apparently, Texas has the lowest high school graduation rates in the country.