Educational Media Reviews Online

The documentary film, The Revisionaries, provides an inside view of the proceedings of the Austin based Texas Board of Education as the members work to revise the teaching and textbook standards for science and social studies for approximately 5 million children attending the Texas public schools. This massive volume of textbooks purchased in Texas has a ripple effect in many other states in the U.S. and influences similar purchases in other states. As described in the container notes, “fifteen people influence what is taught to the next generation of American children.” This occurs every decade and continues to be a highly politicized process that brings together staunch rivals from the Religious Right with passionate advocates for young-earth creationism theory, and the President of the Texas Freedom Network, originally established to counter the Religious Right, advocating for the inclusion of evolutionism and scientific thought in the standards. This advocacy coupled with the removal of strengths and weaknesses about scientific thought since science is not based on any student perception of strength or weakness for the discipline provides the backdrop for the hearings and the subsequent debate.

Viewers listen to the opposing viewpoints for the science standards and accompanying intensive discussion for the rationale for the revisions. There are comments from science secondary school teachers, an anthropology Professor from Southern Methodist University, and publishers based in Austin. There is also an in-depth look at Board Chair, Don McLeroy, a local dentist and advocate for creationism, as he leads the Board hearings and scenes from his dental office as he talks to patients about his views to validate his conservative viewpoint. As a result of the extreme conflict that the Board Chair engenders, Texas Gov. Perry, eventually appoints another conservative to chair the Board.

While the debate on the social studies standard is not as lengthy, viewers still see the conservative influence. Comments from selected Board members further solidify this viewpoint and as a result, another less conservative citizen, Thomas Ratliff, decides to run for the McLeroy seat and wins the election. The film includes a bonus trailer with interviews on talk shows and additional comments from other persons interested in the debate.

The documentary is engrossing and informative. It challenges viewpoints on both sides of the debate and allows a realistic yet disturbing view of the effect that state school boards may have in their rewriting of standards and selection of materials. Recommended for university and public library collections that emphasize education and school curriculum planning.