Published: October 07, 2009 11:36 pm      

State education board candidate visits school officials

COMMERCE — Thomas Ratliff, a candidate for the Texas State Board of Education, visited with Hunt County school officials Tuesday night at the Alumni Center on the campus of Texas A&M-Commerce.

Ratliff, a Republican of Mount Pleasant, is opposing incumbent Dr. Don McLeroy R-Bryan, for District 9. Ratliff, son of a former lieutenant governor, is a lobbyist in Austin and is part-owner of a title company in Mount Pleasant.

This was the first in a number of stops across the district where Ratliff plans to speak and hear the thoughts of local officials.

Ratliff said he differs from McLeroy on many issue and that prompted his decision to run for the office. Issues he discussed included the permanent school fund, creation vs. evolution, electronic textbooks, and in-state vs. out-of-state curriculum experts.

Ratliff said the decision on electronic textbooks should be made at the local level not in Austin.

"To not support electronic textbooks because you think you control all the content in the classroom, tells me you haven't been in a classroom in a long time," says Ratliff.

Ratliff said he was opposed to hiring out-of-state experts to review curriculum standards, noting the recent appointment of Peter Marshall, a minister from Massachusetts, to review social studies curriculum.

"Why somebody from Massachusetts needs to come help us write our curriculum when we've got a lot of folks here locally, I just don't think it is the best use of our own resources,” he said.

Regarding evolution, Ratliff said that if he had been a member of the SBOE during the recent session, he would have voted with the majority to retain the existing science standards.

Ratliff said he was “shocked” that many superintendents said they had never communicated with the current board member.

He said he had contacted approximately 85 percent of superintendents within the district and several said they had never spoken with McLeroy.

Ratliff also addressed concerns that, as a lobbyist, he would have a conflict of interest.

"I have never represented a client in front of the State Board of Education, and obviously never would, should I win this race,” he said.

The event was hosted by Ratliff’s wife Stacy’s aunt and uncle — Dennis and Julie Anderson, who reside in Commerce. There are 29 counties in the district that Ratliff is running to represent.