Name confusion gets kid's author banned from Texas curriculum

[proud2BlibKansan]

What do the authors of the children's book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and a 2008 book called Ethical Marxism: The Categorical Imperative of Liberation have in common?

Both are named Bill Martin and, for now, neither is being added to Texas schoolbooks.

In its haste to sort out the state's social studies curriculum standards this month, the State Board of Education tossed children's author Martin, who died in 2004, from a proposal for the third-grade section. Board member Pat Hardy, R-Weatherford, who made the motion, cited books he had written for adults that contain "very strong critiques of capitalism and the American system."

Trouble is, the Bill Martin Jr. who wrote the Brown Bear series never wrote anything political, unless you count a book that taught kids how to say the Pledge of Allegiance, his friends said. The book on Marxism was written by Bill Martin, a philosophy professor at DePaul University in Chicago.

more . . . http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-books_25tex.ART.State.Edition1.4ba2046.html

[niyad]

1. of course, because "bill martin" is such an unusual name--there could be just one.

HOW do these stupid people manage to function?

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Pretty funny comment:

Brown bear, brown bear, what do I see?
I see Commies behind every tree!
Brown bear, brown bear, what do I see?
I see morons in your BOE!

[sakabatou]

2. Ah, Texas, where some school officials are full of dumb-assery

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. .

:banghead:

[dmr]

5. he was hell on the field, too

[FarCenter]

6. "No Read List" stupidity joins "No Fly List" stupidity

[StClone]

7. Texas Might directs School Text buying Nationwide

Just God damn sobering how whacked this country has become.

[LeftyMom]

8. And their clout is increasing for at least the next few years.

Normally it's offset somewhat by California being the other large state with centralized textbook approval, but California's budget is such a mess textbook purchases are being delayed beyond the normal replacement cycle.