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1 Texas Board Of Education Approves Bible Curriculum In Classrooms
At the end of last week, the Texas Board of Education approved a new curriculum in the state allowing lessons based on the Bible in K-5 classrooms. With an 8-7 vote, the board approved instructional materials developed by the state called Bluebonnet Learning. While the lessons are optional and their use will be at the discretion of local school districts, any who choose to use the state-approved materials can receive at least $40 per student from the state. The curriculum includes lessons about Moses, the Golden Rule, the story of the Good Samaritan, text from the Book of Genesis, and more. While Texas Gov. Greg Abbott approves of the move and actually signed legislation that led to the curriculum being developed, others aren’t as on board with the plan. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has criticized the plan, saying that state leaders are trying to “turn the state’s public schools into Christian training grounds.” Supporters say the curriculum is important for the historical context of US history and can help instill moral values into students.
2 Winter Storms Forecast Across US For Thanksgiving Week
Weather forecasters around the country are predicting severe weather tied in with winter storms this week, something that could impact holiday travel plans for thousands. The National Weather Service office in Sacramento issued a winter storm warning for the state’s Sierra Nevada through tomorrow. Total snowfall of around four feet was forecast, with wind gusts as high as 55 mph. Parts of the Colorado Rockies are forecast to also receive show showers as a part of the storms. Rain and snow are in the forecast today for the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. While the Pacific Northwest and California recover from last week’s “bomb cyclone,” will most likely see more precipitation this week. One person was found dead inside a submerged vehicle in California on Saturday, bringing the death toll from the storms to three. Over the weekend, precipitation in Pennsylvania and West Virginia helped the drought conditions that have led to wildfires in the area, with up to 17-inches of snow falling in northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Pocono Mountains. A low pressure system is forecast to bring rain to the Southeast on Thanksgiving Day, then move to the Northeast where areas from Boston to New York could see rain and strong winds through the holiday weekend. Snowfall is possible from the system in northern New Hampshire, Maine, and the Adirondacks.
3 An Idaho County Is Publishing Every Voter's Ballot To Fight Distrust In Election Process
Ada County, Idaho has a unique idea about how to start rebuilding trust in elections. In the next few days, all 271,186 ballots cast on November 5th in the county will be published on an interactive website for anyone to review. The website will also include how each ballot was tabulated. The idea was the brainchild of Ada County Clerk Trent Tripple, and while other counties have published ballots or tabulation data in the past, this appears to be the first time any county has published both together. The published ballots won’t have any personal information included, and both Republicans and Democrats are on board with the idea. Erik Berg, the chair of the Ada County Democrats, said “If it is what it takes to make sure people have faith in things, by all means. Hopefully it prevents people from spreading false information.”