Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

AUSTIN – Senate Democrats say they have more than enough votes to remove Don McLeroy as chairman of the State Board of Education Tuesday when McLeroy’s confirmation reaches the Senate floor.

The Bryan dentist has presided over a contentious 15-member State Board of Education that fought over curriculum standards for science earlier this year and English language arts and reading last year. Critics faulted McLeroy for applying his strong religious beliefs in shaping new science standards. McLeroy believes in creationism and that the Earth is about 6,000 years old.

“This particular State Board of Education under the leadership of Dr. McLeroy has been divisive. It’s been dysfunctional, and it has been embarrassing to the point of having commentary on this in the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal,” said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

McLeroy’s leadership, she said, had made Texas “the laughing stock of the nation.”

It takes 11 votes to block a gubernatorial nomination. Van de Putte said all 12 Senate Democrats plan to vote against McLeroy

McLeroy declined to comment Monday. He would continue to sit on the State Board of Education if the Senate blocks his nomination as chairman.

At a confirmation hearing last month, McLeroy said he had no regrets about his leadership and emphasized he has not pushed his religious viewpoints into public education policies.

McLeroy recently fought for new science curriculum standards that require students to analyze and evaluate various scientific theories.

“There’s nothing religious about those standards,” he told senators. “Our children will critically examine the scientific explanations for cells or the origin of life. I think that by being honest with our kids, we will get really good scientists.”

Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, has been a strong critic of McLeroy.

“He has used his position to push extreme beliefs on 4.7 million school children. He has rejected solid science in favor of ideology,” Shapleigh said. “He has ignored input from experts on what works best for reading.”

The Senate rarely blocks a governor’s appointment.

There is speculation in the Capitol and within the Texas Education Agency that Gov. Rick Perry might elevate Cynthia Dunbar, R-Richmond, to lead the board. Like McLeroy, Dunbar also holds strong Christian beliefs and recently authored a book that advocates more religion in the public square.

“We believe that Texans deserve better than divisive, destructive, extreme leadership,” Shapleigh said. “If the governor chooses to appoint someone more extreme and more divisive, we’ll have to deal with that at the appropriate time.”