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Emails Show Education Board Member Wants To Deny Hispanics A Vote On Controversial Textbook

Texas State Board of Education
Ryan E. Poppe
Texas State Board of Education

Emails between members of the State of Board of Education shows that one member wants to deny his Hispanic colleagues a vote on a controversial Mexican American Cultural Studies textbook up for adoption this November and now those the emails have spurred calls for one member’s resignation.As heard on Texas Public Radio.

Some Republicans and Democrats on the State Board of Education agree on one thing concerning the Mexican American Heritage textbook up for consideration, it’s riddled with factual errors.  Others on the board take that argument a little further, stating that the book is also filled with racial stereotypes and biases against Hispanics.But some on the board like David Bradley, a Republican from Beaumont, would like to avoid another “black eye” when it comes to the state board voting on another controversial textbook.Bradley, in a string of emails to fellow State Board Republican Thomas Ratliff writes, “If there was a lack of a quorum, and enough board members didn’t show up to vote, that would be nice, you know deny the Hispanics a vote, but the book still fails.”Ratliff believes Bradley’s comments were more about winning a political argument.“He was growing weary of public spectacle about the book because the board had been accused of promoting the book or supporting the book and we haven’t done anything yet," Ratliff explains.

David Bradley did not return Texas Public Radio’s calls for comment on this issue.State Board member Marisa Perez is a Democrat from the San Antonio area.“You would think that this book could easily be condemned by everybody, but now you have an official whose goal was snubbing the Hispanics and snubbing the process that we usually respect," Perez says.Concerning his email comments, Perez thinks Bradley should resign from the State Board of Education.The State Board is still scheduled to vote on whether or not to adopt the Mexican American Heritage textbook at a special hearing on Nov. 15.

Texas Board of Education Textbook Emails

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Ryan started his radio career in 2002 working for Austin’s News Radio KLBJ-AM as a show producer for the station's organic gardening shows. This slowly evolved into a role as the morning show producer and later as the group’s executive producer.