Schools shouldn't challenge students' "fixed beliefs"

From the 2012 platform of the Texas Republican Party:

Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

And: "Education Spending – Since data is clear that additional money does not translate into educational achievement, and higher education costs are out of control, we support reducing taxpayer funding to all levels of education institutions."

And: "We pledge our influence toward a return to the original intent of the First Amendment and toward dispelling the myth of separation of church and state."

And: "We support the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations and the removal of U.N. headquarters from U.S. soil."

And: "We oppose any sex education other than abstinence until marriage."

Via The Twilight Zone BoingBoing.

Addendum (July 2012): The Republican Party of Texas now says that including the "critical thinking skills" phrase was "a mistake."