…and this is a 
Dunbar is the creationist, anti-education kook that Governor Perry of Texas is considering putting in charge of the state board of education. Slacktivist explains the problem with this — putting someone who wants to destroy the public education system in charge of the public education system is like making an arsonist the fire chief.
And actually, it's not as much a criticism of Dunbar — she's an out lunatic — but of the system in general, that a leading politician would think this kind of appointment is at all appropriate.
Politics
Comments
Posted by: Berner | July 9, 2009 2:12 PM
I've been watching this whole Texas fiasco for a while now and it just makes me want to weep. Rick Perry really needs to be slapped around or something.
Posted by: chancelikely | July 9, 2009 2:14 PM
Is the Texas legislature going to have the stones to say no to Perry three times? Terri Leo still hasn't been considered, and she's another McLeroy/Dunbar whackaloon type. High wingnut concentration on that board.
Posted by: Disinfo Agent | July 9, 2009 2:14 PM
Dunbar's a lunatic, but at least she's a consistent lunatic. "Secular public education is evil and must be destroyed" is a perfectly reasonable conclusion to draw if you're a Dominionist theocrat.
The premise that the government should be a religious institution is the real problem here, and it's much more common than it should be. I'm glad people like Dunbar exist; the fact that she actually wants to follow through on her beliefs just drives home how ludicrously evil they are.
When there's a chance she'll get into a position of power, though...
Posted by: Glen Davidson
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July 9, 2009 2:16 PM
Nothing like putting a person in charge of an enterprise when she considers that enterprise to be illegal in the first place.
One hopes that the ridiculousness of such an appointment will eventually occur to the governor.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p
Posted by: Lynx | July 9, 2009 2:23 PM
Voting for any Republican is the same as this. They hate Government and claim it is the source of all problems, why would you put them in charge?
Posted by: MrFire | July 9, 2009 2:24 PM
Okayyy. Courtesy of Judy Jennings, let's see what the Texas Consitution says:
...fuckin' lying, reality-denying wackjob.
Posted by: Taylor Muse | July 9, 2009 2:24 PM
Come on, fellow Texans, we stopped McLeroy, we can stop Dunbar. Pick up your phone and let your state senators know how we feel. If you don't know who your senator is go to http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/Members.htm and look it up. Call them. Call late. Keep calling.
I just had a daughter, and few things scare me as much as people like Dunbar having anything to do with her education.
Posted by: Watchman | July 9, 2009 2:24 PM
The future of public education in Texas.
Posted by: MrFire | July 9, 2009 2:30 PM
Okayyy. Courtesy of Judy Jennings, let's see what the Texas Consitution says:
...fuckin' lying, reality-denying wackjob.
Posted by: Meno | July 9, 2009 2:30 PM
"Her idea of 'an emphatically Christian government' ruled by a 'biblical litmus test' douses the Constitution in kerosene and sets it ablaze, then pisses on its ashes."
I laughed when I read that.
Posted by: QrazyQat | July 9, 2009 2:35 PM
Or like making John Bolton the Amb. to the UN. It's what rightwingers do: anything they can to destroy some governmental system that works.
Posted by: MrFire | July 9, 2009 2:36 PM
Sorry for the double-post.
Posted by: Kmac@apple.com | July 9, 2009 2:37 PM
Meno, the sad part is, if you show these people who they're exactly like islamic theocracies, they'd roar their terrible roars and gnash their terrible teeth. And yet the shoe, it fits.
Posted by: j h woodyatt | July 9, 2009 2:46 PM
Be careful there PZ. It's not so much the system that's dysfunctional, it's the implementation of the system. Or, to put it more colorfully, it isn't that the rules of the game are bad; it's that so many of the players are cheating. You can make the argument that the game we are playing is a poor choice, but you should be prepared to propose a suitable game for all of us to play together instead of the one we have.
Then you can help out by explaining how we get people interested in playing the new game instead of the old one.
Posted by: fastpathguru | July 9, 2009 2:47 PM
Why, it's like electing a ex-drunk, evangelical idiot to be the President of the United States!
Posted by: Lauri | July 9, 2009 2:50 PM
Another reason why I am deeply embarrassed to live in Texas.
Guess who Perry appointed as Executive Director of the Texas Medical Board (after the previous heads slunk away after their abuse of power was outed)? A physician? No, that would make sense! He appointed a 34 year old lawyer with absolutely no medical (and very little legal) experience.
Another idiot Texas Governor...another stupid decision...same shit, different day.
Posted by: HappyHead | July 9, 2009 2:50 PM
For the record, Ontario once had a Minister of Education who was a highschool drop out. He commented to a reporter that the best way to make it a more high-profile position was to create some kind of educational crisis. Our education system still has not recovered from the damage he did, and that was back in 1997.
Posted by: schism | July 9, 2009 2:52 PM
Rick Perry really needs to be slapped around or something.
Bad idea. If you hit his hair, you'll probably break your hand.
Posted by: SciencePundit
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July 9, 2009 2:53 PM
Wow! I couldn't have said it any better.
Posted by: Rob Schneider | July 9, 2009 2:56 PM
Most disturbing is the general, neo-con, Grover Norquist-esque philosophy on display here, which the author nails squarely: If you believe government is bad, then it is important to detroy any GOOD public services. Put Brownie in charge of FEMA, then defund it, then go batshit about the uselesness of government agencies and demand privatization when a disaster strikes that FEMA fumbled.
It's too damn consistent in the Vouchers/HomeSchool/Anti-Public education situation. Fortunately, unlike a single federal agency, public education retains some local control. (That portion not sucked away from it by No Child Left Behind mandates.)
Posted by: Tex | July 9, 2009 2:58 PM
Even if the legislature opposes Dunbar's appointment, there is not much they can do for a couple of years. The Texas legislature meets only every two years, and they just finished the 2009 session. They meet again in January 2011, which would be the first time they could do anything. Perhaps the appointment of someone as off-the-wall as Dunbar would motivate them to completely revamp the State Board of Education.
Posted by: BABH | July 9, 2009 2:59 PM
One of the amazing things about this story is that someone as poorly educated as Dunbar actually has a law degree. Three guesses which school sunk so low as to grant her a J.D.
Posted by: BABH | July 9, 2009 3:02 PM
One of the amazing things about this story is that someone as poorly educated as Dunbar actually has a law degree. Three guesses which school sunk so low as to grant her a J.D.
Posted by: Gingerbaker | July 9, 2009 3:02 PM
The question is whether something can be done about this if indeed she is made chair?
Is there an oath of office she would be breaking? Can the Texas State constitutional mandate for "support and maintenance" of public schools preclude her from even being on the board based on her published statements about public education?
Are there any legal options for activists to pursue?
Posted by: Ed Darrell | July 9, 2009 3:03 PM
You know, every time you harp on this, P. Z., Rick Perry looks at the post and says to himself, "Well, that's what them crazy atheists say." Some would argue you're doing more damage than help.
Don't listen to them. Truth is valuable, and it's important that accurate analysis be introduced into this debate. Keep calling it as you see it, keep telling it as it is.
Thanks for the post. You know, you may be attributing more sanity to Dunbar than she really exhibits . . .
Posted by: Chris Davis
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July 9, 2009 3:05 PM
Hmm. An arsonist would bring specialist knowledge and experience to the position. This would be more like giving the job of Fire Chief to a fish.
Posted by: raven | July 9, 2009 3:09 PM
Dunbar says that teaching evolution leads to cannibalism. She sent this out in a mailing to a bunch of people.
She uses Jeffrey Dahmer as a moral authority. Of course, Dahmer was raised in a wingnut fundie household. If anything leads to cannibalism, it would be toxic religion.
If Dunbar asks anyone to do lunch, just say no. You probably won't be the main course but why take chances?
Posted by: Bostonian | July 9, 2009 3:16 PM
How about appointing someone who said they didn't think there should be a Department of Energy to lead that department? Or appointing John Bolton as ambassador to the UN, when he thought the UN should be abolished?
If you want to destroy something, seek out the Republicans: they'll likely put you in charge of it. If you think something doesn't work even though it does, the Republicans will help you convert your politicoreligious beliefs into self-fulfilling prophesies. This is not new behavior, sadly.
Posted by: James F | July 9, 2009 3:18 PM
chancelikely #2, Tex #21
Don't forget, Dunbar is up for reelection in 2010, she could be defeated. Of course, as noted, there are others in the creationist bloc to choose from, it's a deep bench o' fail.
Posted by: Kobra | July 9, 2009 3:18 PM
They keep getting dunbar and dumber.
Posted by: raven | July 9, 2009 3:19 PM
The real target of Cynthis D., which she makes crystal clear, is public education.
So what is wrong with public education. We have it and the USA is the world's last superpower, the world leader in science, largest economy, and best group of organized people for blowing stuff up in the way (the military). Sure, public ed. could be better. So what, so could anything.
The real problem for the christofascist wingnuts is that it works too well. They have trouble brainwashing their kids and having it stick. Poor people with darker skins can get an education, get good jobs, run for office, and you end up with some guy like Obama as president.
It was illegal in the old south to teach blacks to read and write. They were afraid they wouldn't make good slaves if they did. They were right. Cynthia Dunbar is just following a long and dishonorable tradition. And these clowns have the hypocrisy to call themselves good xians.
Posted by: Matt Penfold | July 9, 2009 3:20 PM
How hard is it for people to understand that the person who gets put in charge of education should 1) have an interest in education 2) have expertise in education 3) be willing to listen to those with more specialised expertise and 4) not be certifiably insane ?
Posted by: bam | July 9, 2009 3:26 PM
Oh, yes, my two favorite bloggers together. Fred is so bloody brilliant, with a fundamental decency so complete that I have absolutely no issues with his Christianity. None.
And PZ, who is also brilliant and who never calls a spade anything but a F%^@#$#king shovel,whose blog I check several times a day because he causes so much trouble and I am a bit childish that way, recognizing Fred. Can't be anything but good.
All us Texans (those at least with more than two neurons that synapse) need to hit this one hard. We thought Perry's choice of McDentist was an insult to our teachers and children, so what do we call this? Call to arms here, folks.
Posted by: Grant N | July 9, 2009 3:26 PM
From the "About Me" page of http://www.cynthiadunbar.com/
"I am a constitutional purist who does not believe in judicial legislating and it this position I use to educate and advocate for strict adherence to statutory and constitutional authority."
"I am convinced that a solid grasp of our past is the best compass to direct us to a brighter future."
Like praying your strength won't give out when dangling from a rope over an abyss: no matter what, eventually you lose your grip from muscle fatigue. In this case, Dunbar's rope is reality.
Posted by: Clemens | July 9, 2009 3:38 PM
This would be equal to making Richard Dawkins director of the Creation Museum, or making PZ the new pope. ^^
Posted by: Geds | July 9, 2009 3:44 PM
bam:
I share your high regard for both Fred and PZ. However, when I realized PZ was linking and quoting Fred approvingly I still started looking for the various signs of the apocalypse...
Posted by: PZ Myers
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July 9, 2009 3:49 PM
Uh-oh. How are you going to cope with the fact that I like Slacktivist a lot, and read it regularly?
(Yes, I know he's a Christian. It's OK, so is my mom.)
Posted by: Jadehawk, OM
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July 9, 2009 4:00 PM
I love slacktivists blog.... if only because his literary criticism is helping me become a much better writer myself. I guess it's true that you can learn a lot more from analyzing horrible writing, than from analyzing good writing :-p
Posted by: Geds | July 9, 2009 4:03 PM
How are you going to cope with the fact that I like Slacktivist a lot, and read it regularly?
Oh, no! This is like finding out that LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are actually roommates who regularly hang out and play video games. And are also puppets...
Actually, that's really cool. Fred may well be a Baptist, but he's as different from the caricature as anyone can possibly be. I guess it's like my dad always said, "You learn something new about PZ Myers every day."
Okay, my dad has never once said that and probably never will.
Posted by: DistendedPendulusFrenulum | July 9, 2009 4:07 PM
One big problem I see--the people who really need to understand this would not be able to make head or tail of the argument
Posted by: Lauri | July 9, 2009 4:17 PM
#27 she believes teaching evolution causes cannibalism?
I thought it was the Catholic creationists who practiced cannibalism with their crackers?
I forgot, this is Texas and the rules of reality don't often apply here.
Posted by: dorght | July 9, 2009 4:19 PM
Thomas Frank covers this destroy from the inside method very well in his book "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule."
Posted by: Andy | July 9, 2009 4:23 PM
She's a Regent University School of Law graduate. (Of course.)
http://www.cynthiadunbar.com/
Posted by: tsg | July 9, 2009 4:26 PM
Or that "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and the Iron Sheik were arrested for smoking pot while driving to their Steel Cage grudge match.
Posted by: bam | July 9, 2009 4:29 PM
I'm not in the least surprised that PZ likes the Slacktivist. PZ is no ideologue. And Fred does a damned good job of articulating a set of ideals and political principals that are extremely close to my own, and I suspect pretty damned close to PZ's. If any of you are unfamiliar with the Slacktivist, this is a great excuse to remedy that. He's one of the best writers out there.
p.s. And his page-by-page dismantling of the Left Behind series is an art form.
Posted by: CatBallou
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July 9, 2009 4:44 PM
It's also a little bit like accepting money from the Templeton Foundation for a speaking engagement and then trying to undermine them in your speech.
Posted by: Marion Delgado | July 9, 2009 4:55 PM
I apologize in advance for being slightly OT, P.Z., but I read this old article, originally from a CSICOP guy named Ray Hyman, that is so brilliant I thought I'd post about it for a new generation of commenters. Not sure EXACTLY how you'd apply it to Cynthia Dunbar. Probably only parts of it.
Posted by: Matt Heath | July 9, 2009 5:02 PM
Slacktivist is 10 ninjas of awesome. That is all
Posted by: tsg | July 9, 2009 5:04 PM
very little....
Posted by: Les Lane | July 9, 2009 5:05 PM
James Watt, Reagan's Secretary of the Interior, is the prototype of Frank's Wrecking crew. Dunbar (known affectionately as "Nutbar") is potentially a modern (premodern?) version.
Posted by: Les Lane | July 9, 2009 5:07 PM
James Watt, Reagan's Secretary of the Interior, is the prototype of Frank's Wrecking crew. Dunbar (known affectionately as "Nutbar") is potentially a modern (premodern?) version.
Posted by: truthspeaker | July 9, 2009 5:08 PM
It's not hard, if you bother to do a little research. Too many votes will see that R next to her name and vote for her because they assume she's the same kind of Republican they are.
Posted by: tsg | July 9, 2009 5:10 PM
I thought awesome was measured in explosions.
Posted by: shamar
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July 9, 2009 5:28 PM
I live in Texas, and this just makes me sad, and happy that I don't have any kids......I wouldn't want to have any kids in this fucking "back asswards" State :-(
(I was pissed when Rick Perry got re-elected this last time)
Posted by: RobertDW | July 9, 2009 5:28 PM
It's nothing like putting an arsonist in charge of the fire brigade. After all, the arsonist will happily create work for the fire brigade to do...
Posted by: PZ Myers
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July 9, 2009 5:31 PM
I know Ray Hyman -- he's a psych professor at UO, where I got my Ph.D., and he was even on my wife's dissertation committee there.
But you forgot to include a link!
Posted by: deang | July 9, 2009 5:36 PM
It's been normal Republican strategy since the 80s, when Reagan deliberately appointed people to social services agencies and environmental agencies who were hostile to the functions of the agencies. In Texas, it's been common practice of both Republicans and Libertarians to put people hostile to "big government" in charge of government functions, the better to prove the right-wing point that "government doesn't work". And it has real-world consequences that really do hurt people who need the services, but right-wingers don't care.
Posted by: Toby | July 9, 2009 6:01 PM
I see a parallel here with the Sarah Palin fiasco. Palin has been exposed as a completely vapid, airheaded pantsuit with no more qualification for high office than Barney the Dinosaur.
The point is that McCaine and the head Republican honchos knew that at the time and appointed her anyway because it would win over "the base". To hell with "the good of the country" and the quaint tradition that "the best should govern".
Similarly, with the appointment of this wretched, obscurantist creature to a key education post. It may destroy education in Texas for a generation, but, hey, it will enthuse the base and get them to the polling booths on time.
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | July 9, 2009 6:31 PM
You people just don't understand: Perry has to appoint Dunbar.
It's a matter of both tradition and state pride.
Between Louisiana and California, Texas is otherwise in serious danger of losing its hard-won title of "national laboratory for bad government."
Posted by: Aquaria | July 9, 2009 7:12 PM
etween Louisiana and California, Texas is otherwise in serious danger of losing its hard-won title of "national laboratory for bad government."
Are there any states that have decent government? Maybe Vermont?
I do have to give Louisiana the worst state government award. Any state that has as its gubernatorial candidates a known racketeer and a KKK grand wizard... Well, that says it all.
Fortunately, the crook won.
Baton Rouge is nothing more than a shakedown house.
Posted by: CatBallou
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July 9, 2009 8:21 PM
Wow, tsg. That's a devastating rejoinder--and so persuasive. I'm reeling.
Why is it that you lose so many arguments?
Posted by: gotot | July 9, 2009 8:27 PM
Look. You people don't know what you're talking about. Cynthia is perfect for Texas education. ANd Governor Perry was right. Texas must secede. Texas must secede now, if it doesn't want its children to become--well, you know--educated.
Posted by: less is more | July 9, 2009 8:41 PM
PZ face facts.
We need a constitutional amendment that if the majority of the registered american voters say so, we can kick a state out of the US.
Screw secession, kick them out.
Posted by: tsg | July 9, 2009 8:50 PM
My responses are precisely calibrated to the quality of the comment they are in response to. In your case, I had to go a little bit over or it would have been blank.
Why do you hate America?
Posted by: Awesome McCool | July 9, 2009 8:57 PM
I can only speak for myself (obviously), but as a Texas-hating New Mexican, I approve of this sort of move. The more retarded school board officials they nominate/confirm, the sooner Texas gets full enough of itself to secede, at which point, loyal Americans like myself will get to nuke the motherfuckers, which will be great fun for any number of reasons.
Posted by: CatBallou
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July 9, 2009 10:00 PM
And yet you still had the compulsion to respond. Sad, very sad. You violate your own standards just to be a dick.
I don't hate America--we Danes are just...disappointed.
Posted by: tsg | July 9, 2009 10:27 PM
As did you. Project much?
It's more a set of guidelines than actual rules. And if it gives me the chance to be a dick to an idiot, so much the better.
That whooshing noise was the point going sailing over your head.
Posted by: Troy
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July 10, 2009 2:08 AM
US is too retarded for Dunbar not to get this job.
Posted by: Midnight Rambler | July 10, 2009 4:36 AM
Let's not forget that she also said that Barack Obama doesn't just pal around with terrorists, he's actively plotting with them to "take down America".
As for removing her: as has been pointed out, she'll be in for two years at least. And lets not forget that only 1/3 of legislators voted against McLeroy, the bare minimum to remove him. Truly frightening.
Posted by: CatBallou
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July 10, 2009 5:03 AM
Exactly what is your problem with me, dick? Surely my relatively innocuous original comment doesn't deserve this level of vitriol, and it certainly wasn't aimed at you. If the alternative was to not comment at all, what was the source of your hostility toward me that compelled you? Possibly you're angry because of comments I've made on other posts, but if we've disagreed in the past, I certainly don't remember your arguments, or even your name. Or do you just randomly and unsupportedly snipe at any comment you disagree with?
This is not projection because I never made a grandiose claim about "guidelines," you did. My guidelines include not criticizing the opinions of others without presenting an actual argument. You don't think such an argument with me is worth your time, yet you won't shut the fuck up.
And of course I got the feeble "hate America" joke. Subtlety and originality are not, apparently, tools at your disposal.
To paraphrase the great Ray Smuckles, "Don't be a cock to a stranger."
Posted by: inkadu | July 10, 2009 5:45 AM
From the comments on slacktivist: Putting conservatives in charge of government is like putting Andrea Dworkin in charge of a strip club.
Word.
Posted by: Aquaria | July 10, 2009 6:06 AM
the sooner Texas gets full enough of itself to secede, at which point, loyal Americans like myself will get to nuke the motherfuckers, which will be great fun for any number of reasons.
Classy.
You'd kill all kinds of people, who happen to live in a certain geographic area, just to satisfy your hate, without knowing anything about any of them, or why they live there.
You're a disgusting, dysfunctional slimeball.
You, too, can fuck right off.
Posted by: Gilian | July 10, 2009 6:45 AM
@ #65
America is a continent, not a country.
As such I'd say it would be very hard to find a Loyal American, nevermind someone who's willing to nuke a part of his own country just to make himself feel less inadequate.
Posted by: Troy
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July 10, 2009 7:08 AM
LOL, when this is over with you will all wish that McLeroy was still the chairman.
Such a retarded country....
Posted by: Bill from MN | July 10, 2009 10:10 AM
I hate to say it but this is what Hitler did to Germany. He hated the democratic system that was in place in Germany at the time. So after his beer hall revolution failed and after his "prison" term was up he started to use the system to bring it down. As they say the rest is history.
This wack-a-loon would probably do the same thing bring down the system.
Posted by: Savior Breath | July 10, 2009 11:46 AM
OT
I just heard that Rick Perry nominated Gail Lowe to the SBOE chair. I am trying to verify...
Posted by: Savior Breath | July 10, 2009 11:56 AM
Whoops. I more-or-less accentally applied my post to the thread that's on-topic, not OT as I submitted.
Posted by: Ryan Egesdahl
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July 10, 2009 6:06 PM
Well, I see Troy is back - and using the same word incorrectly again, too! Or is this the other Troy that is indistinguishable in any way from the other other Troy? Not that it matters - both are indistinguishable in their stupidity as well.