While a recommendation to stop all references to the defenders of the Alamo being 'heroes,' has gotten all the attention, there are several recommendations of a committee of the State Board of Education and are seen as equally problematic, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Dan Quinn with the Texas Freedom Network blasted the governor for seizing on something as universally supported as the Alamo while ignoring that textbooks teach kids that slavery was not a major cause of the civil war.
"Its certainly politically courageous for Gov. Abbott to stand up for the Alamo, but what does he think of teaching kids that slavery really didn't cause the Civil War," Quinn said.
The Texas Declaration of Secession, approved by the Legislature in 1861, clearly and repeatedly says Texas is withdrawing from the union specifically to protect the institution of slavery.
Quinn and the progressive-leading TFN say they will be standing shoulder to shoulder with supporters of the Alamo defenders in denouncing the new standards as they are discussed by the full SBOE.
"Let's not have a bunch of political grandstanding," he said. "Lets teach kids the truth and not teach a bunch of things that get history wrong."
The Alamo defenders proposal appears certain to be defeated by the elected SBOE. Board Member Ken Mercer of San Antonio wrote on 1200 WOAI's Facebook page after the story was first reported on Friday that, "Yes, for the record, the defenders of the Alamo are heroes!'
Other SBOE members have expressed similar reactions to the release of the committee report, which claims that 'hero' is a 'value charged word' and should not be taught in school. The recommendation also calls for the famous 'Victory or Death' letter written by Aalmo commander William Travis to be downplayed in the classroom.
PHOTO OF ALAMO CANNON COURTESY OF TEXAS A&M