Posted: Aug 16, 2013 6:40 PM CDT Updated: Aug 16, 2013 8:05 PM CDT
“My classroom from class to class, my curriculum might change and I’m not sure that a courtroom can look at my children and determine what’s good for them,” said Llano Spanish teacher Lisa Petty.
CSCOPE is a curriculum that has divided the state. Its detractors say it’s full of errors, it’s anti-American and anti-Christian.
Senator Dan Patrick drove 300 miles to testify but he didn’t get to. He has been fighting CSCOPE for a while, passing Senate Bill 1406, which essentially made CSCOPE subject to a heavy vetting process.
Patrick thought that was the end of CSCOPE. But since it’s now in the public domain, any school district can use it.
“Here’s my biggest frustration: I don’t understand why those who are defending it won’t at least acknowledge that there are problems with the program! And to say ‘look let’s get to the bottom of it!’ If we have these issues, let’s get to the bottom of it,” Patrick said.
So this summer, Llano ISD announced they would be using CSCOPE this school year. Some concerned taxpayers and parents decided to get together and sue the district.
At Friday’s hearing, the court decided it doesn’t have the jurisdiction to hear such a case.
“What that does with the lawsuit is, procedurally, it makes it go ‘bye, bye’ it goes ‘poof'” said plaintiff attorney Tim Cowart.
“I’m excited that my teachers have the tools that they want to use,” said Llano ISD superintendent Casey Callahan.
Cowart says his clients are considering taking an appeal to the Third Court of Appeals here in Austin.
In the meantime, Llano ISD will be using CSCOPE if teachers want to use it. They will not be required to use it.
