Donation (to "religious fanatic") stirs concern in education race
Donation (to "religious fanatic") stirs concern in education race
Houston Chronicle | February 24, 2005 | CLAY ROBISON clay.robison@chron.com
Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 5:08:35 AM by Cincinatus' Wife - original
AUSTIN - Races for the State Board of Education, whose members have been known to bicker more than children on a playground, normally receive little attention.
True to form, the Republican primary race for District 10, a large chunk of Southeast Texas stretching from north Austin to Houston's western suburbs, was being waged quietly — until a $10,000 blip hit the radar screen.
Cynthia Dunbar, of Richmond, the candidate favored by the board's ultraconservative bloc, received a $10,000 campaign contribution from Cecelia Leininger of San Antonio, wife of businessman James Leininger, a major donor to conservative candidates and strong advocate of spending tax dollars on private school vouchers.
The single donation gave Dunbar a financial edge in a race in which she and her opponent, Tony Dale, a gas company executive from Round Rock, are unknown to most voters.
The contribution also raised the concern of board-watchers who believe Dunbar is a key figure in efforts by social conservatives to gain control of the 15-member board, which has oversight over curriculum and textbook selection and manages the Permanent University Fund, the state's multibillion-dollar endowment for public schools.
"Anybody who's interested in public education should be concerned about a State Board of Education that's dominated by a lot of religious fanatics," said Dan Quinn, spokesman for the Texas Freedom Network, a watchdog group that monitors activities of the religious right.
Dunbar, 41, an attorney and longtime Republican activist who home-schools her two children, said she is a "person of integrity" who won't be swayed by campaign contributions.
"My votes and my position never have been for sale and never will be for sale," she said. "I am going to do what I believe is right."
Unlike Dale, she said she supported a controversial effort by conservative board members to regain the authority — stripped from the board by a 1995 law — to reject textbooks because of content.
Right-wing efforts to control textbook content, including the ideological editing of references to evolution and civil rights, plus frequent arguing among board members, prompted the Legislature, while George W. Bush was governor, to restrict the panel's authority to veto books.
The board's oversight is now limited to assuring that books comply with curriculum requirements and are free of factual errors. But some board members, including Terri Leo, of Spring, are seeking to expand that authority and have asked Attorney General Greg Abbott to rule on the issue.
Leo is part of a conservative bloc of about five or six board members that could grow, depending on the outcome of one or two board races.
Dale believes the board should comply with the 1995 law, which, he said, gives local school districts "more control over which books they select."
But Dunbar said limiting authority over textbooks plays into the hands of publishers, "who are driving education."
She said evolution should be presented as a theory in science textbooks and that equal treatment should be given to the theory of "intelligent design," which holds that a supernatural force played a hand in creation.
Dunbar reported raising only $1,020, aside from Leininger's contribution, through Jan. 26, the end of the most recent reporting period.
She said she has received additional donations since, including another $10,000 contribution from a Houston donor. The next public report will be filed next week.
Dale reported raising $3,535 through Jan. 26. His biggest contribution was $1,000 from a friend.
The two candidates are vying for the Republican nomination on March 7 to succeed Cynthia Thornton of Round Top, a moderate Republican who isn't running for re-election. Thornton has endorsed Dale.
Libertarian Martin Thomen of Austin also is seeking the seat; no Democrat filed for it.
Dale, 36, a former Republican precinct chairman in Williamson County, said he is running because he has a strong personal interest in the public schools: two young daughters. The oldest, 5, is in kindergarten in the Leander School District.
"The overriding concern of the board should be that we get our money's worth out of education," he said.
He questioned why Dunbar, a homeschooler, would want to serve on a board with responsibility over public education.
"It makes you wonder about someone's agenda when they're trying to set public policy for the public schools," he said. "It's like being a cattle rancher and a vegetarian. It doesn't make any sense to me."
Dunbar said her 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, who are being home-schooled now, have attended private Christian schools. She said she and her husband were considering public high schools for the children.
"I don't feel that where I place my children is really relevant to the issues facing the state board," she said. "I think I can empathize with parents."
Dale, who has been endorsed by a number of Republican leaders in Central Texas, said he could support a voucher program for children from failing schools, if the Legislature created one, but many private schools may not welcome the increased accountability that may be attached to state tax dollars.
"I do consider myself a conservative Republican. I'm pro-life, and I'm a Christian. I also am very much into limited government," Dale said. "But I wouldn't consider myself someone from the religious right."
Dunbar has numerous endorsements from social conservatives, including leaders or former leaders of the Texas Eagle Forum, the Free Market Foundation, the Texas Home School Coalition, the Young Conservatives of Texas, Texans for Life and the Texas Christian Coalition.
"I am truly the conservative (candidate)," she said.