We Don’t Need No Critical Thinking

This is from the Texan Republican party platform:

Knowledge-Based Education – 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.

This is not a joke. Go read the whole thing. If they had inserted a section demanding the right to burn witches and place atheists on the rack it would fit right in. By the time you reached those parts your eyes would be so glazed over, your forebrain so battered and abused, you would pass right over them.

Too bad Texas isn’t in play. Wouldn’t it be great to hear Romney go down there and shamelessly pander by saying this: “Of course I oppose critical thinking. I’ve always opposed it. Ann too. And we don’t believe kids should have their fixed beliefs challenged either. Just look at Tag and Craig and Josh and (?) and (?), do they look like their fixed beliefs have ever been challenged?”