Edra Bogle for State Board of Education Dist. 14

Background:

45 years experience as a professional educator and/or librarian, B.A. Education & Library Science UNI; M.L.S. Columbia; Ph.D. Comp. Lit. USC. Denton Co. Democratic Chair Feb. \'03-May \'06. Active in political, scholarly, and human rights groups at local, state and national levels.

Goals:

The SBOE decides on Texas public schools\' curriculum and textbooks and on the use of the $18 billion Permanent School Fund. I hope to combat the Neo-Conservative agenda of the incumbant, who supports all their positions, especially abstinence-only education. She also wants to strengthen the already too fact-centered state program of testing.

Issues:

1) Opposing \"No Child Left Behind.\" It is a disaster for school districts with large populations of socio-economically disadvantaged students, like many in Texas, and leads to a higher than reported drop-out rate. 2) Opposing religious dogma in the schools, particularly Intelligent Design and abstinence-only education. (Texas has the highest teen-age pregnancy rate in the country.) 3) Allowing local school boards to make decisions on local educational matters, within a framework of educationally sound rules based on research and results.

Grassroots Support:

I am running my own campaign with the help of (unpaid) friends. I have visited one county already; have two more scheduled; and have an offer of a fund-raiser in Lampasas County, my opponent's home. Since I decided to run less than a month ago, everything is still in transition, however.

DFA Values:

I was an early Deaniac and am an active DFA member. In 1977 I was the second college faculty member in Texas to "come out" as openly gay, and have worked in this area ever since as an officer in state and national groups. I read science fiction! I put myself through college and graduate school, own my home, have no debts, and even bought a new car with cash.