Last week, that body rejected a proposal to ensure that the authorized textbooks were factually accurate: “Other Texans can also check the books on their own and identify what they see as errors in public testimony during board meetings.”

Concerns about the weaknesses of this approach were heightened this fall. The Texas Tribune noted that “controversy over the materials flared up…after Pearland mother Roni Dean-Burren posted a screen shot…of an infographic in [a] McGraw-Hill World Geography textbook that read, ‘The Atlantic Slave Trade between the 1500s and 1800s brought millions of workers from Africa to the southern United States to work on agricultural plantations.’ The backlash prompted an apology and correction from the publisher.”

“Those who can’t, teach. Those who can’t teach, teach teachers.
Those who can’t teach teachers, write textbooks.”

But speaking of being oblique, my “eh?” was heartfelt: I had no idea what you meant by “manifesto”. But you never responded to the question mark by clarifying what you meant, so I’m not guilty of ignoring you on that one.

And as for the quote, not every mention of a third party’s name is a feces-flinging bank shot. I thought the reference to knowing you so well we could “do a pitch-perfect TB by now” was noticeably affectionate…making it a sort of “cushion” shot, I guess. But I don’t see any feces being flung there.

First paragraph, sure, that’s pro forma snark. That little branch was mostly idle snarkiness. Sorry. We should compartmentalize it better to Flame.