Trim the Fat
What to know: The University of Houston announced that the Board of Regents has cut 40% of its core curriculum classes, in alignment with Gov. Abbott’s directive to develop a three-year degree option.
The TPPF take: Few could argue these courses were integral to a college education.
“Almost all the media reported that classes that were cut included Introduction to Global Climate Change, Introduction to LGBT Studies and Black Liberation Theology in order to push the narrative that there has been some kind of Republican purge of U of H’s sacred body of knowledge,” says TPPF’s Sherry Sylvester. “No media outlet mentioned that the cuts also included Homer to Hollywood, the Bible and Modern Pop Culture and a History of Jewish Food. Keep in mind that these are courses anyone could take and get credit toward a degree.”
For more on higher ed, click here.
It’s All French to Me
What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced last week that he wants to prohibit Texas public schools from employing teachers on H-1B visas.
The TPPF take: Texas students should be able to learn from fluent, primarily English-speaking, professors.
“The reality is when universities allow foreign academics to teach Texas students, they inevitably establish foreign influence within the classroom,” says TPPF’s Madison Evans. “American students deserve American perspective. More important than perspective, preserving liberty requires educating students to understand what liberty requires of them. This starts with American influence in the classroom.”
For more on K-12 education policy, click here.
Whoopsie
What to know: During last week’s Wisconsin primary, five of nine USB drives used to transfer Milwaukee’s absentee results had audit logs downloaded instead of election results.
The TPPF take: Liberal strongholds have developed a habit of treating election administration failures as isolated technical problems instead of examining the process that allowed them to happen.
“Blaming software is convenient. It is also an admission that New Jersey’s election process lacked the safeguards necessary to catch the error before thousands of ineligible registrations made it onto the voter rolls,” says TPPF’s Josh Findlay. “Software does not absolve the officials responsible for the system using it.”
For more on election integrity, click here.