What You Missed: SBOE Testifier Says, "Islam is Death"

The later it got last night, the crazier it got. I was at the SBOE meeting when a testifier (it was public hearing day) advocated for God and Country and Christianity, and went straight at Islam with this:

"Islam is coming and Islam is death. Repent, America! Repent!" There was more to his testimony that that, but there's your recap. 

SBOE member Lawrence Allen (who is Muslim), very patiently asked the testifier what particular standard (TEK) he was addressing. That's what yesterday's public testimony was supposed to be about - recommendations to changes in the social studies TEKS. 

Testifier: "I'm not addressing a standard, I'm addressing our Judeo-Christian values."

Allen pressed Chair Lowe, "Why is he allowed to testify? He is saying Islam brings death - what standard is he addressing?"

SBOE member Don McLeroy started frantically waving his hand to be recognized. 

Chair Lowe said she felt the testifier was making an overall statement about the TEKS, so it was acceptable that he was not addressing a specific TEK. 

McLeroy was recognized and he said, "What she said." (paraphrasing)

Allen expressed his displeasure again, and asked the testifier, "What religion was responsible for slavery?"

Testifier: "Slavery was caused by a fallen angel coming down to Earth."

Allen told him his comments were offensive. The testifier interrupted Allen saying he could be offended all he wanted, but Islam was coming and Islam was here and America was a Christian nation and Islam was death. 

Allen asked him at least two more times what TEK he was addressing, and Lowe kept explaining what the testifier meant.  

Lowe let this go on way too long. She had already twice laid out ground rules that testifiers could not make personal attacks on members. This was in response to two testifiers who used direct quotes from Terri Leo to prove their point. I can't imagine she would have let this much be said about the Christian religion.