A Texas state board of education Republican seeking re-election has come out as gay, and immediately lost the endorsement of a Texas political activist known for her homophobic and religious views, and documented lying.
“George Clayton, a Republican member of the State Board of Education from Richardson, sent an email to several news organizations last week that appears to confirm he’s gay,” the Dallas Voice writes.
Clayton sent out his email in response to an apparent whisper campaign about his sexual orientation among Republicans in the district, which covers all of Collin County. Miller is trying to unseat Clayton and recapture her old seat in 2012.
“It has come to my attention that one of my opponents in my bid for reelection to the State Board of Education and certain member(s) of the Golden Corridor Republican Women’s Club are questioning my sexual orientation,†Clayton said in his email. “So as to avoid the tyranny of misinformation and innuendo in this political race, I wish to say that I, in fact, do have a male partner who lives with me in my home in Richardson, Texas. I hope this frank announcement satisfies Tincy Miller and the ladies associate with the Golden Corridor organization. All of us can now move on with discussions concerning education instead of being overly occupied with my personal life.â€
…
Clayton’s email confirming that he’s gay has already prompted one right-winger, Donna Garner of Waco, to withdraw her endorsement of his re-election bid.
“If Clayton is indeed a homosexual, then we as voters must be concerned about re-electing him to the SBOE since the Board will soon begin the process of writing and adopting Health curriculum requirements for all Texas public school students,†Garner wrote.
Donna Garner is well-known in Texas. The retired schoolteacher spends her days apparently, advocating against the teaching of evolution — because serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer believed in evolution — and then there are these reports from the Texas Freedom Network:
“Last week education gadfly Donna Garner, for example, sent State Board of Education members an e-mail criticizing the inclusion of J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye on a new proposed reading list in the ELAR standards. Catcher in the Rye has been a common book in many high school literature classes, but it has also long been a target of conservative censors who object to the book’s profanity and mature themes.” (3.26.2008)
“In e-mails to supporters, Garner suggests that her standards are the solution to a host of ills in public schools. She is particularly critical of the use of “multicultural authors†in classes, contemporary literature she judges as inappropriate, and a perceived promotion of the “gay lifestyle.†Her proposed standards include specific reading lists, an approach curriculum experts last year advised state board members to avoid.” (2.12.2008)
Oh, that lying thing? Donna Garner was given a “Pants On Fire” award by Politifact.
I have no idea what George Clayton’s politics are like but I’m pretty sure he can do without Donna Garner’s endorsement. In fact, not having it will probably help.