Creationist appointed as head of Texas School Board

Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Bryan resident Don McLeroy as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education.

McLeroy has been on the board since 1998, representing nearly 30 counties from the Brazos Valley to the Oklahoma border. Locally, he represents Brazos, Grimes, Leon, Madison and Robertson counties.

He has gained a reputation for being a "nonestablishment" member of the board, avoiding what he calls the "groupthink" of district administrators.

McLeroy said as chairman he wants to raise standards in the Texas school systems.

While most hope that he exercise leadership in this 15 member board, his religious ideology must not rise above the broad interests of Texas' 4.5 million public school students. His past history does give us a moment to be concerned.

According to the Austin American-Statesman:

In 2001, McLeroy and a majority of the board rejected the only Advanced Placement textbook for high school environmental science because its views on global warming and other events didn’t comport with the beliefs of the board majority. The book wasn’t factual and was anti-American and anti-Christian, the majority claimed. Meanwhile, dozens of colleges and universities were using the textbook, including Baylor University, the nation’s largest Baptist college.

In 2003, McLeroy voted against approving biology textbooks that included a full-scale scientific account of evolutionary theory. The books were approved.

McLeroy's elevation to chairman comes as the board begins a revision of science standards for public schools. That could prove embarrassing for Texas if McLeroy pushes for standards that push theology over science. If McLeroy wants to restore the board's credibility, he should promote standards — and textbooks — that educate, not preach.