Agosto will not run again for SBOE - Dist 3 - Michael Soto will

[sonias]

AAS 11/5/09
Agosto will not run again for SBOE

State Board of Education member Rick Agosto will not seek re-election next year, he said.

Trinity University literature professor Michael Soto, 39, announced Thursday that he will seek the Democratic Party nomination for District 3, which stretches from San Antonio south to the border.

And several top Democratic Party leaders from San Antonio, including state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and former State Board of Education member Joe Bernal, are backing Soto.

(snip)

Agosto has been the subject of several recent newspaper stories about business relationships with companies vying for contracts with the board.

San Antonio we have a candidate! Agosto was not one of the crazies, but looks like it was time for him to go. Hopefully Michael Soto will be a good champion for the kids of Texas. And vocal too. I hope he's not just going to sit quietly while Don McLeroy continues to swing the board to the hard right.

Interesting new story on Don at Texas Tribune:

The world according to Don
(snip)
But he remains fervent in his beliefs. His self-certainty may stem from his intense brand of Christianity; McLeroy is a self-proclaimed creationist who takes a literal approach to the bible. He writes and talks frequently about his shift to Christianity and the need for abstinence on sex-education. He says it’s his belief that all children are created in the image of God that pushes him to pursue educational equity. In discussing his work teaching fourth grade Sunday school, he breaks off.

“Am I a religious fanatic? Absolutely,” he says laughing. “You’d have to be to do what I do.”

Luckily he has a challenger in the primary.

Sonia