PARENTS GAIN ACCESS TO SECRET SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Lawmaker confirms immediate changes in controversial operations- John Griffing

AUSTIN, Texas – Parents of school children across Texas now are gaining access to a previously secret public school curriculum, according to an announcement from a state lawmaker.

The CSCOPE program, an online offering that until now has prohibited, under penalty of law, teachers from sharing the lessons with parents, stirred up controversy because of its various lessons – some that were taken offline after the questions arose.

Among those issues were that the curriculum at one point taught the Boston Tea Party was an act of terrorism and Christians were cannibals, and forced students to draw a socialist flag while imagining a new socialist country.

Teachers also would have been exposed to criminal penalties for sharing CSCOPE lesson content with parents, and educators were required to teach strictly from the CSCOPE lesson plan, without additions or changes.

But Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, whose Texas Senate Education Committee held a public hearing last week investigating CSCOPE, said there now have been “significant changes.”

The Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative, which owns CSCOPE, agreed to the following changes, effectively immediately, he said.

Those include:

• All future meetings of the TESCCC governing board, beginning with the February meeting, will be public with all the respective notice requirements being met.
• The TESCCC will begin a joint review process of all CSCOPE lessons with the SBOE beginning with Social Studies.
• Amendment of all Terms of Use Agreements, signed by both teachers and districts, removing civil or criminal penalties associated with the release of CSCOPE content.
• Clarifying that all teachers and districts may post any and all CSCOPE lessons that they deem necessary.

In addition to these immediate transparency and quality control changes, CSCOPE will also undergo structural, governance, and other changes, including ending the non-profit 501(c)3 arrangement that incorporates CSCOPE, posting lessons online, and creating a standing curriculum review panel comprised of parents, teachers, school administrators, members of the SBOE, and TESCCC board members.

The online courses no longer will be mandatory, either, the senator said.

“CSCOPE is notifying all participating school districts that lessons are not intended to be taught verbatim, and the governing board generally recommends that local districts utilize CSCOPE lessons solely as a resource. Until CSCOPE lessons can be reviewed through a collaborative process with the SBOE and TESCCC, districts are strongly encouraged to review all lessons at the local level, to ensure that lessons are appropriate for their students,” the senator’s announcement said.

For more of the article go to:  http://www.wnd.com/2013/02/parents-gain-access-to-secret-school-curriculum/#haDUJJeWqCaj2uYG.99

Gun Shop Owner: Piers Morgan Did A Hatchet Job On Me

CNN host lied to Texas firing range owner over “live” segment
- Steve Watson

When Infowars’ Alex Jones appeared on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, he directly accused the host of being “A hatchet man for the new world order.” A gun shop owner in Texas found this statement quite accurate this week, noting that Morgan completely misled and misrepresented him in an interview designed purely to make Morgan look more knowledgeable on firearms.

Morgan traveled to Tactical Firearms in Katy, Texas to meet with owner Jeremy Alcede to film what he believed would be a live segment.

“He said, ‘well, I’d like to learn more about guns. People criticize me, saying, how can I be against guns if I don’t know anything about guns?’” Alcede told reporters for KIAH-TV news.

“I said man, this is going to be really good, he really is wanting to find out.” Alcede said.

“You won’t be able to accuse me of knowing nothing about how guns work after this,” tweeted Morgan in anticipation of the segment.

However, the firing range owner soon found out how Morgan and CNN really operate, when he watched the re-run of the show only to discover that the segment he was told was airing live was actually completely edited.

“They completely misrepresented what I wanted to get across, completely,” Alcede said.

“The points that I did make were just garbled to the point that people were asking why was I speaking in broken sentences,” he added.

Alcede noted that the clip would cut to him and he was wearing glasses, then in the next sentence he was without the glasses and with hearing protection.

“They just chopped it up so bad it wasn’t even funny.” he said.

Alcede had invited Alex Jones to the shop in order that he could confront Morgan in a civilized manner. He had told Alex that CNN intended to broadcast live. When Jones arrived he instantly noticed something amiss, having the knowledge and experience that he does about live transmission.

Alex asked Morgan if they were going live during the segment, to which Morgan replied that for the most part the segment would be broadcast live.

Watch the clip:

The fact that none of the segment was broadcast live, and was heavily edited to make Alcede seem rambling and incoherent, shows how duplicitous Piers Morgan is. He has a clear anti-Second Amendment agenda, which is why all of the positive points Alcede made ended up on a cutting room floor.

Alcede proved he is an intelligent and knowledgeable firearms expert in a subsequent appearance on the Alex Jones Show this week, where he was able to make his points LIVE, without fear of being edited and made to look a fool.

TEXAS DECIDES TO REIN IN 'LIBERAL' CURRICULUM

Lawmakers insisting on state oversight of online teaching plan
- John Griffing

Texas lawmakers have decided they want to rein in a controversial public school curriculum content and management system that at one point taught “Allah is God.”

Most of the state’s classrooms, some 80 percent, are using the CSCOPE program that also has raised eyebrows because educators had refused to allow parents and others to see what being taught.

Twenty-five state representatives now have signed onto a proposed oversight statute that would target CSCOPE, the online system that set up firewalls and passwords so that parents would not be able to see the curriculum.

Bill author State Rep. Steve Toth said, “It’s imperative that we bring CSCOPE under the direction and oversight of the locally elected members of the State Board of Education. Repeated instances of impropriety along with a decidedly liberal leaning agenda makes this move of the utmost importance. ISDs all over the State of Texas have been misled as to what CSCOPE is and what it contains. We’ve got to get this right.”

The action followed a recent hearing by the Texas State Senate Committee on Education, where lawmakers expressed alarm and more.

The hearing was chaired by Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and concerned CSCOPE’s secrecy and lack of transparency, as well as complaints that teachers are contractually prohibited from revealing classroom content to parents.

The committee consensus appeared to focus on the fact that parents and the public have not been allowed access to CSCOPE instructional materials. The committee also argued that Texas’ TESCCC (CSCOPE’s de facto parent company) is funded with state dollars, and therefore, CSCOPE content “belongs to the people of Texas.” The TESCCC is a “public entity,” as is CSCOPE, and must therefore submit to state oversight, they also said.

Senators also found the way CSCOPE was set up, it exposes teachers to legal action if they revealed CSCOPE content to the public. CSCOPE representatives admitted to this, but claimed it was unintentional – a mistake in language.

During the hearing, four panels were heard by the committee..  Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/02/texas-decides-to-rein-in-liberal-curriculum/#alDsuMVjcS9Odj2q.99

Congressman Responds To President Obama’s Dangerous Proposals

- CONGRESSMAN STEVE STOCKMAN (R-TX)


Gun bans and anti-gun laws have always lead to one thing – more gun violence.

We owe it to innocent people to make this country as safe as possible. Sadly, in President Obama’s announcement every tragedy he mentioned was either in a state that aggressively restricts the right to keep and bear arms or was in a location that banned guns completely.

The White House has indicated they are willing to use Executive Orders to infringe upon the God-given right to keep and bear arms protected by the Second Amendment from government intrusion.

President Obama announced the specifics of his anti-gun sneak attack today, though he refuses to answer questions regarding his own illegal transfer of weapons to Mexican drug lords.

Among the Executive Orders issued are tracking of your firearms, which creates a de facto national gun registry, and a White House demand for laws regulating the private transfer of firearms.

In other words, if you give your son his first hunting rifle, you may face a prison sentence if you fail to get approval from the government.


Those proposals, along with others floated by the White House as presidential decrees, are cutting attacks on your right as a peaceable person to keep and bear arms for your defense. The ability to defend one from aggressors is a basic human right.

My staff is reviewing the Executive Orders. Should President Obama issue Orders infringing upon your basic human right, I am prepared to fight back with peaceable legislative force.

Please read more: http://www.westernjournalism.com/congressman-responds-to-president-obamas-dangerous-proposals/

TEXAS TO JOIN WYOMING: FELONY CHARGES FOR ENFORCING NEW GUN CONTROL

Texas state representative Steve Toth is filing legislation for a "Firearms Protection Act" similar to that which we saw in Wyoming. 

- Awr Hawkins

This law will make "any federal law banning semi-automatic handguns or limiting the size of gun magazines unenforceable within the state's boundaries."

Not only will this put Texas shoulder-to-shoulder with Wyoming in making it a felony for anyone--including federal agents--to try to enforce new gun control, but according to the Tenth Amendment Center it is in perfect harmony with the actions of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, "who has already filed over twenty-three lawsuits against the federal government."

More good news--representative Toth is newly elected, which means he isn't wasting any time. He is taking it to the gun-grabbers instead of sitting back to see what happens next.

Toth puts it this way: "We can no longer depend on the Federal Government and this Administration to uphold a Constitution they no longer believe in."

The message is simple: "Don't Mess With Texas," and particularly, with Texas' gun laws.

For original article go to: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/01/15/Texas-to-Join-Wyoming-Felony-Charges-For-Enforcing-New-Gun-Control

Freshman lawmaker threatens impeachment over gun rights

- Jonathan Easley, The Hill

- image credit: floyd reports -

Freshman Republican Rep. Steve Stockman (Texas) on Monday said he would "seek to thwart" executive action by President Obama in regard to gun laws by any means necessary, even if it means "filing articles of impeachment."

"The White House’s recent announcement they will use executive orders and executive actions to infringe on our constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms is an unconstitutional and unconscionable attack on the very founding principles of this republic," Stockman said in a statement. "I will seek to thwart this action by any means necessary, including but not limited to eliminating funding for implementation, defunding the White House, and even filing articles of impeachment."

At a press conference in the East Room on Monday, Obama said he would consider executive actions on gun control, but said such actions would be limited in scope.

For more of the article go to: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/277021-gop-rep-threatens-obama-with-impeachment-over-gun-action