Texas GOP rejects ‘critical thinking’ skills. Really.

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deleted15807

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Who could make this up?
Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

Texas GOP rejects ‘critical thinking’ skills. Really.

 

Calboner

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Yes, it is surprising to see the Texas Republicans being so open and shameless about their rejection of critical thinking in favor of "fixed opinions" and "parental authority." Their statement (PDF) also included this:

Controversial Theories – We support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories. We believe theories such as life origins and environmental change should be taught as challengeable scientific theories subject to change as new data is produced.
In other words, they approve of a questioning attitude toward well-established scientific conclusions that conflict with their religious positions, but not with such an attitude toward those religious positions themselves.
 

kayman

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WOW, WOW, WOW! Texas takes the cake as one of the states with the most idiotic leadership I've seen. They are trying impede development of critical analysis skills pertinent to being successful in discerning choices in adulthood.

It's a shame that Ann Richards was an one-term governor, otherwise Texas might have been a better place than it is today. Pragmatism is lacking with the state government there.
 
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deleted15807

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In other words, they approve of a questioning attitude toward well-established scientific conclusions that conflict with their religious positions, but not with such an attitude toward those religious positions themselves.

Yep. Exactly.

WOW, WOW, WOW! Texas takes the cake as one of the states with the most idiotic leadership I've seen. They are trying impede development of critical analysis skills pertinent to being successful in discerning choices in adulthood.

When you look at Rick Perry what do you expect?

Rick Perry upholds the right of Texans to have the worst health care in the country



Texas Textbooks (cartoon)

The fact that it's a cartoon is the only clear indicator that it's fiction.

Love it! Many people don't know or have forgotten about the Texas textbook controversy were the right-wingnuts literally cooked the books to match their beliefs.
 

JTalbain

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oy vey! -if this isnt the best case yet for a forced succession, i dont know what is.
Honestly, bullshit like this is the reason why we need a strong federal Board of Education. We're looking at Texas here, but many of the states in the Southeastern US have similar issues with bad education. The children in those states shouldn't have to be disadvantaged for life because of their state's leadership being ideologically driven to stupidity.
 

ColonialBoy

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Yes, it is surprising to see the Texas Republicans being so open and shameless about their rejection of critical thinking in favor of "fixed opinions" and "parental authority." Their statement (PDF) also included this:
Controversial Theories – We support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories. We believe theories such as life origins and environmental change should be taught as challengeable scientific theories subject to change as new data is produced.
In other words, they approve of a questioning attitude toward well-established scientific conclusions that conflict with their religious positions, but not with such an attitude toward those religious positions themselves.

So what is the Texas Republicans opinion on contraversial scientific topics like Quantum Mechanics, Uni-axial Tensile Testing & COX-2 selective inhibitors?

Which of the dozens of competing TOE theories be taught? The best minds in the world cant work it out but I'm sure the Texas Legistature has the answer.
Theory of everything - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

tamati

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Honestly, bullshit like this is the reason why we need a strong federal Board of Education. We're looking at Texas here, but many of the states in the Southeastern US have similar issues with bad education. The children in those states shouldn't have to be disadvantaged for life because of their state's leadership being ideologically driven to stupidity.

Yes, agreed. but who then would be left to vote for the right?
 

Bardox

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Wow... I mean just... Wow! I never thought they would come out openly and say "We don't want you to learn things. You might question what we tell you is good or bad and try to think for yourself."

This does explain a few things about Rick Perry though...
 

Nrets

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Critical thinking is useless when future employment opportunities are limited to security, policing, and member of a prison gang. A certain type of critical thinking comes with mastering those fields, but the type taught in school does nothing but to possibly undermine the path to a future where security, police and prison are the only employment opportunities. If you can think critically you may question things and serve to slow things down. Texas doesn't want that. And I would not be surprised if liberal states follow suit down the line.
 

GothSpice

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Critical thinking is useless when future employment opportunities are limited to security, policing, and member of a prison gang. A certain type of critical thinking comes with mastering those fields, but the type taught in school does nothing but to possibly undermine the path to a future where security, police and prison are the only employment opportunities. If you can think critically you may question things and serve to slow things down. Texas doesn't want that. And I would not be surprised if liberal states follow suit down the line.


WTF?
Seriously?
 

StormfrontFL

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critical thinking is useless when future employment opportunities are limited to security, policing, and member of a prison gang. A certain type of critical thinking comes with mastering those fields, but the type taught in school does nothing but to possibly undermine the path to a future where security, police and prison are the only employment opportunities. If you can think critically you may question things and serve to slow things down. Texas doesn't want that. And i would not be surprised if liberal states follow suit down the line.
don't feed the troll
 

Bardox

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Critical thinking is useless when future employment opportunities are limited to security, policing, and member of a prison gang. A certain type of critical thinking comes with mastering those fields, but the type taught in school does nothing but to possibly undermine the path to a future where security, police and prison are the only employment opportunities. If you can think critically you may question things and serve to slow things down. Texas doesn't want that. And I would not be surprised if liberal states follow suit down the line.


So the the 2012 texas GOP platform is now "Don't ask questions. Just do as your told. We will tell you what's important." And you are okay with this???
 

b.c.

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Just your typical right-winged-conservative-FASCIST-gestapo-mind control bullshit.

Nothing new.

Besides, anyone thinking "critically" would have the common sense to WAKE UP and see them for the narrow-minded hate mongering selfish conniving bastards they are.


(Hey, now let me tell you what I really think of them.....)
 
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MrTrunk

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As the delightful Christina Aguilera once sang at the Super Bowl.

OOOooooooooHHHHhhHHHHHHHH the LAAAAAaaAAAaAAAnnnnnDDDD of the FREEEeeEE!!EEEeEEE*#eeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

AAaaAAaaaaaaAAAAAAAANnnddd the HooooooooOOOmmmmeeEEEEEE oooooooooOOFff the STTUUuuuuUUuuuuuuPppiiiiiiiiiIIIDDDDD

Disclaimer.......*Not all Americans are stupid*

I'm a teacher and things like high order thinking skills and critical thinking are EXACTLY what I want my students to be doing!!
 

Bardox

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I brought this up to a texan I know. She said "What the rest of the world doesn't know is that Texas is preparing it's populous to become the security force for the rest of the country once the republicans run everything." I kept waiting for a punch line, cause she does have a good sense of humor, but... I'm not entirely sure she was joking...