SBOE: Out With the Old, In With the Old

While the critics of the State Board of Education applauded the Senate's rejection in May of Bryan dentist Don McLeroy to another term as board chair, they also knew Gov. Rick Perry might then nominate a replacement who was just as bad ... or even worse. With Perry's nomination last week of Lampasas newspaper publisher Gail Lowe to lead the board, they possibly managed to avoid the "or worse," but they definitely got an ideological mirror of McLeroy.

"Gail has shown exemplary leadership and commitment to the education of young Texans through her work on the State Board of Education for the past seven years, as a classroom volunteer assisting elementary school students with math and reading, and as a member of the Lampasas School District," Gov. Perry said in a statement. "I am confident that through her leadership, we will continue to ensure that Texans receive the educational foundation necessary to be successful in college, the workplace, and beyond."

The 15 SBOE members are elected by district, but Perry appoints the chair, subject to approval by two-thirds of the Senate. In May, Senate Democrats blocked Perry's renomination of McLeroy, who has held the chair since 2007. Because Lowe has been appointed in the interim between legislative sessions, her chairmanship will not be subject to Senate review until 2011.

Presumably, Perry appointed Lowe because she would draw less notice than McLeroy, who, while unfailingly polite, was nonetheless quite forceful in pushing his ultraconservative agenda. It had been rumored that Perry might appoint District 10 board member Cynthia Dunbar, whose avowed hatred of public education might have made McLeroy seem like a wallflower. Instead, he chose a lower-key option.

As Lowe herself told the Chronicle, "I think people who've watched me on the State Board of Education recognize that I'm more a background person. I'm well versed, I think, on our business, but I'm not an out-front, aggressive, outspoken-type person, so it will be a little different being in that chairman role."

But the Texas Freedom Network – an activist nonprofit dedicated to advancing a "mainstream agenda of religious freedom and individual liberties to counter the religious right" – has little expectation that the board will be less controversial under Lowe: "It's disappointing that instead of choosing a mainstream conservative who could heal the divisions on the board, the governor once again appointed someone who repeatedly has put political agendas ahead of the education of Texas schoolchildren," said TFN President Kathy Miller. "Ms. Lowe has marched in lockstep with a faction of board members who believe that their personal beliefs are more important than the experience and expertise of teachers and academics who have dedicated their careers to educating our children and helping them succeed. We can only hope that she will rise above her history on the board and as chair keep fellow members from continuing to hold the education of our children hostage to divisive 'culture war' battles."

The board has 10 Republicans and five Democrats; seven of those Republicans form the board's religious right bloc. It was inevitable that Perry's appointment would come from the GOP, but some board critics had hoped he might pick from moderates Geraldine Miller, Bob Craig, or Patricia Hardy.

"It's a big responsibility, and I'm a little bit overwhelmed," Lowe said. Asked about her predecessor, Lowe said, "I think it was not so much his leadership style that was criticized, but rather the controversial subject matter. I think Texas has shown over the years that any time evolution is discussed in public policy it brings a variety of opinions."

As for TFN's criticisms, she said, "I think Texas Freedom Network's stated goal is to get rid of conservative influence, and particularly religious conservative influence in the public arena, therefore they will always be at odds with people like me, who are people of faith, and people who hold conservative principles and make principled decisions. ... One could put anybody's name in their press release, and if it was someone who didn't toe the Texas Freedom Network line, then they would have been opposed to the appointment."

TFN has long maintained that it is not anti-religion and, in fact, has the support of many progressive religious leaders.

Lowe represents District 14 on the board. She was first elected to the SBOE in 2002 and is currently co-publisher of a semiweekly newspaper, the Lampasas Dispatch Record.