Paul Krugman in the NYT on February 11 calls attention to this plank in the 2012 Texas Republican Party’s platform condemning efforts to develop critical thinking skills because, it said, “such efforts “have the purpose of challenging the student ‘s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority”. In fairness Krugman might have pointed out that the Texas Republicans have backed away from this position http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/texas_gops_2012_platform_accidentally_opposes_teaching_of_critical_thinking_skills.php
But they apparently did not back away from other parts of the plank, which reads
.
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. (http://www.tfn.org/site/DocServer/20...pdf?docID=3201
But they apparently did not back away from other parts of the plank, which reads
.
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. (http://www.tfn.org/site/DocServer/20...pdf?docID=3201
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