In 1993, I was in a unique position to observe and report on a revitalization initiative called #JointVentureSiliconValley (#JVSV), then in its inaugural year. (It continues today.) Based on what I learned, I advised a client to move to Austin, and I moved there with it.

At the time, the Texas governor was a Democrat female former teacher, and gender equality and education seemed high priorities for Texas. I lived there when Texans replaced her with GW Bush, when in 2006 when the Texas Republican Party published a platform statement opposing the teaching of critical thinking skills, and circa 2008 when UT Austin cut professors' pay while raising the football coach's annual pay from $2-million to $5-million, signalling that the school did not prioritize academics.

Now, Texas is openly hostile to pretty much anyone who isn't a truck-driving straight white Christian male.

I moved to #Austin twice. Now, I prefer to avoid even visiting #Texas .

techcrunch.com/2023/12/07/is-t

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@johnlogic what was the platform statement opposing the teaching of critical thinking skills?

@volkris

Though I recall seeing it already circa 2006, this article is from 2012:

"Texas GOP rejects ‘critical thinking’ skills. Really."

By Valerie Strauss
July 9, 2012 at 6:00 a.m. EDT

washingtonpost.com/blogs/answe

#TexasGOP

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