Democratic Texas State Representative James Talarico, a former middle school teacher, issued a call to arms on Twitter demanding the board of education rescind the appointment of right-wing extremist Stephen Balch. (You may recall Talarico from a viral Fox News appearance):
This is Stephen Balch.
He’s a conspiracy theorist who called Biden’s election a “literal coup” and pushes White Replacement Theory.
The Texas State Board of Education just picked him to revise our social studies standards. The Big Lie is coming to a textbook near you.@TXSBOE pic.twitter.com/Appr29XDIl— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) January 27, 2022
The Austin American-Statesman reveals that Balch is even worse than that. He has urged officials to disregard the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing same-sex marriages, calling it an "attack on our constitutional system of government.” He also seems to be an insurrectionist:
President Trump and his allies have rightly taken their case into the courts. But more needs to be accomplished. ... So damn the COVID, the president must now lead his followers into America’s streets and squares. They must especially flock to the capitol complexes of all the critical states and register indignant protest," he wrote Nov. 30, 2020, for the conservative website American Greatness.
Balch suggested departing from "politics as usual" and argued for "a willingness to stretch institutional bonds."
"At this late stage in our political degeneration nothing less will suffice," he added.
In a Twitter thread about Balch’s unfitness, Talarico also noted Balch has accused President Biden of having “thrown open” the border as part of “a larger project to transform our civic order through demographic change.”
Balch has already gotten to work:
Balch has already recommended changing our standards to:
-Erase Mexican-Americans deported during the Great Depression
-Replace “mass incarceration” with “high incarceration rates.”
Putting a positive spin on mass incarceration & racist deportations is historical whitewashing.— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) January 27, 2022
Talarico also points out that Texas has previously passed a “critical race theory” bill that limited discussions of race in schools before Balch was appointed. And one Republican, who is primarying Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has “initiated an inquiry” demanding that schools report on whether they have any books from a 16-page list of books on race and sexuality and, if so, how many and how much was spent acquiring them.
As if schools aren’t already overburdened and struggling to educate students as COVID-19 surges throughout the state.
Talarico concluded by urging folks to contact the state board of education and demand Balch’s removal. He and 24 other legislators have done so, too.
Take action by contacting the State Board of Education and demanding the removal of Stephen Balch:https://t.co/UCU35Mt2vS
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) January 27, 2022
