Don McLeroy
Encyclopedia
John Donald "Don" McLeroy (born June 3, 1946) is a dentist
in Bryan, Texas
and a departing Republican
member of the Texas State Board of Education, which establishes policy for the Texas
public school system. Dr. McLeroy, who represents SBOE District 9 (Bryan-College Station
), has been on the board since 1998. McLeroy was appointed Chair of the SBOE by Governor
Rick Perry
in 2007 to a term running to February 2009.
degree in Electrical Engineering
from Texas A&M University
in College Station and his D.D.S. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. McLeroy formerly served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army
. McLeroy married Nancy Fleming in 1976, and they have two sons.
Before being appointed chairman, McLeroy was vice chairman of the Texas State Board of Education. He has been a board member of the Bryan Independent School District and is a board member of Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach, which is a Christian adoption organization for "families who have a love for Jesus Christ." McLeroy volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America
and Gideons International
. He is an Elder and Sunday school teacher at Grace Bible Church in College Station, where he teaches creationism in the biblical perspective. He believes Christians who accept evolution show a "lack of consistency."
, Mary Delk, 145,556 (55 percent) to 119,149 (45 percent). McLeroy's strongest counties were his own Brazos
as well as Montgomery
and Smith
counties. In 2002, McLeroy won his second term by defeating the Democrat Dean W. Woodard, 193,454 (63.4 percent) to 111,909 (36.6 percent). In 2006, he defeated Democrat Maggie Charleton, a retired teacher
from College Station
, 192,218 (59.6 percent) to 130,375 (40.4 percent), who was the choice of the teacher associations. McLeroy's current term on the board extends until January 2011. In a surprise upset on March 2, 2010, McLeroy lost the Republican primary to Thomas Ratliff, the son of former Texas Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff
. Ratliff campaigned on the promise to replace McLeroy with a more alleged "mainstream" voice on the SBOE, but still barely received a majority of the vote.
McLeroy was appointed Chair of the SBOE on July 17, 2007, by Governor
Rick Perry
for a term that expired on February 1, 2009. In February 2009, he was reappointed by Perry to a term ending February 1, 2011. However, during a two hour hearing before the Senate Nomination Committee, McLeroy's reappointment ran into trouble. On May 28, 2009, his appointment failed to receive the necessary 2/3 majority vote of the Senate with only 19 of 31 Senators voting to approve, 11 voting to reject, and one abstaining.
Governor Perry reappointed McLeroy, an advocate of creationism
, as Chairman to a second term to last until February 1, 2011, but on May 28, 2009, the Texas Senate rejected the re-appointment; although the vote was 19-11 in favor with one member abstaining (along party lines; all 19 Senate members voting to reappoint were Republicans, while all 11 Senate members voting to reject and the one abstaining member were Democrats) the reappointment required a 2/3 majority for approval. McLeroy lost re-election to a moderate in the Republican primary in March 2010.
McLeroy was narrowly defeated for renomination to the SBOE in the March 2 Republican primary. He lost to Robert Thomas Ratliff (born ca. 1967) of Kyle
in Hays County
, a son of former State Senator and Lieutenant Governor
Bill Ratliff
of Mount Pleasant
. McLeroy received 57,528 votes (49.6 percent) to Ratliff's 58,388 (50.4 percent).
A creationist, McLeroy is known for his criticism of evolution
and has tried to convince textbook
publishers to demonstrate what he considers the weaknesses of the theory of evolution
. The board can refuse to place materials it disagrees with on the state approved list. If school districts want textbooks not on the list, the districts must purchase such materials entirely from their own funds. The SBOE thus selects the textbooks for the entire state's 4.7 million schoolchildren, where in most other states this selection is made in individual school districts. As a result, it “has outsized influence over the reading material used in classrooms nationwide, since publishers craft their standard textbooks based on the specs of the biggest buyers.”
According to Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network
, since his election, McLeroy had dragged the Texas State Board of Education into a series of "divisive and unnecessary culture-war
battles". This included McLeroy voting in 2001 to reject the only advanced placement environmental science textbook proposed for Texas high schools even though panels of experts – including one panel from Texas A&M – found the textbook free of errors. Baylor University
in Waco
used the same textbook.
In 2003 McLeroy led efforts by proponents of creationism
and intelligent design
to de-emphasize discussion of evolution
in proposed new biology
textbooks. He was one of only four board members who voted against biology textbooks that year that included a full account of evolution.
Over objections by experts in 2004, McLeroy voted to approve health
textbooks that stress "abstinence-only" in regard to instruction about pregnancy
and prevention of sexually transmitted disease
s.
In 2005, McLeroy conducted a sermon in his church, talking about the Board of Education, saying naturalism
is "the enemy" and he said: "Why is Intelligent Design the big tent? Because we’re all lined up against the fact that naturalism, that nature is all there is. Whether you’re a progressive creationist
, recent creationist, young earth, old earth, it’s all in the tent of Intelligent Design." An mp3
of the sermon remains online as well as McLeroy's powerpoint and notes.
According to a 2008 article in The New York Times
, "Dr. McLeroy believes that Earth’s appearance is a recent geologic event — thousands of years old, not 4.5 billion. 'I believe a lot of incredible things,' he said, 'The most incredible thing I believe is the Christmas story. That little baby born in the manger
was the god that created the universe.'” McLeroy's statements regarding science have been criticized. McLeroy and other Board members who want to challenge evolution have received criticism from more than fifty scientific organizations over an attempt to weaken the currently-accepted science standards on evolution
. In particular, biologist Kenneth R. Miller
called McLeroy's statements on science "breathtakingly" incorrect.
In March 2008, McLeroy was criticized for racially and culturally insensitive remarks saying: "What good does it do to put a Chinese
story in an English
book?" he said. "So you really don't want Chinese books
with a bunch of crazy Chinese words
in them." He later apologized.
In 2009, McLeroy spoke at a board meeting using several quotes from scientists in an attempt to discredit evolution. A biology teacher later found the quotes to be incomplete, out of context, and/or incorrectly taken from a creationist website. McLeroy said that while "some of the material was taken from the creationist site […] a lot of the quotes I did get on my own.”
On May 28, 2009, McLeroy's nomination as Chair of the Board of Education failed to gain Senate approval since only 19 of 31 Senators voted for him, falling one vote short of the 2/3 majority needed for approval. Gail Lowe became the new Chair, but McLeroy remained dominating board meetings in what Russell Shorto
described as "a single-handed display of arch-conservative political strong-arming."
In an interview in October 2009 he explained his approach to public school history textbook evaluation: ". . . .we are a Christian nation founded on Christian principles. The way I evaluate history textbooks is first I see how they cover Christianity and Israel. Then I see how they treat Ronald Reagan
—he needs to get credit for saving the world from communism
and for the good economy over the last twenty years because he lowered taxes
."
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
in Bryan, Texas
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
and a departing Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Texas State Board of Education, which establishes policy for the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
public school system. Dr. McLeroy, who represents SBOE District 9 (Bryan-College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
), has been on the board since 1998. McLeroy was appointed Chair of the SBOE by Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
in 2007 to a term running to February 2009.
Education and personal life
McLeroy received a Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College Station and his D.D.S. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. McLeroy formerly served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. McLeroy married Nancy Fleming in 1976, and they have two sons.
Before being appointed chairman, McLeroy was vice chairman of the Texas State Board of Education. He has been a board member of the Bryan Independent School District and is a board member of Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach, which is a Christian adoption organization for "families who have a love for Jesus Christ." McLeroy volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and Gideons International
Gideons International
Gideons International is an evangelical Christian organization dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible in over 94 languages and 194 countries of the world, most famously in hotel and motel rooms. The organization was founded in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin, as an early American parachurch...
. He is an Elder and Sunday school teacher at Grace Bible Church in College Station, where he teaches creationism in the biblical perspective. He believes Christians who accept evolution show a "lack of consistency."
Public service
When McLeroy ran for Texas State Board of Education in 1998, he defeated a DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Mary Delk, 145,556 (55 percent) to 119,149 (45 percent). McLeroy's strongest counties were his own Brazos
Brazos County, Texas
Brazos County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas in the Central Texas region. In 2010, its population was 194,851. The county seat is Bryan and it is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area. Brazos is named for the Brazos River, along with Brazoria...
as well as Montgomery
Montgomery County, Texas
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837. The county was named for the town of Montgomery, Texas. In 2000, its...
and Smith
Smith County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 174,706 people, 65,692 households, and 46,904 families residing in the county. The population density was 188 people per square mile . There were 71,701 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
counties. In 2002, McLeroy won his second term by defeating the Democrat Dean W. Woodard, 193,454 (63.4 percent) to 111,909 (36.6 percent). In 2006, he defeated Democrat Maggie Charleton, a retired teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
from College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
, 192,218 (59.6 percent) to 130,375 (40.4 percent), who was the choice of the teacher associations. McLeroy's current term on the board extends until January 2011. In a surprise upset on March 2, 2010, McLeroy lost the Republican primary to Thomas Ratliff, the son of former Texas Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff
Bill Ratliff
William Roark Ratliff, known as Bill Ratliff , is a Texas politician who served as a member of the Texas State Senate from 1988 to 2004. Between 2000 and 2003 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, after former lieutenant governor Rick Perry succeeded to the governorship to replace George W...
. Ratliff campaigned on the promise to replace McLeroy with a more alleged "mainstream" voice on the SBOE, but still barely received a majority of the vote.
McLeroy was appointed Chair of the SBOE on July 17, 2007, by Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
for a term that expired on February 1, 2009. In February 2009, he was reappointed by Perry to a term ending February 1, 2011. However, during a two hour hearing before the Senate Nomination Committee, McLeroy's reappointment ran into trouble. On May 28, 2009, his appointment failed to receive the necessary 2/3 majority vote of the Senate with only 19 of 31 Senators voting to approve, 11 voting to reject, and one abstaining.
Texas State Board of Education
McLeroy has been criticized by liberals and lauded by conservatives for his actions on the Texas Board of Education.Governor Perry reappointed McLeroy, an advocate of creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
, as Chairman to a second term to last until February 1, 2011, but on May 28, 2009, the Texas Senate rejected the re-appointment; although the vote was 19-11 in favor with one member abstaining (along party lines; all 19 Senate members voting to reappoint were Republicans, while all 11 Senate members voting to reject and the one abstaining member were Democrats) the reappointment required a 2/3 majority for approval. McLeroy lost re-election to a moderate in the Republican primary in March 2010.
McLeroy was narrowly defeated for renomination to the SBOE in the March 2 Republican primary. He lost to Robert Thomas Ratliff (born ca. 1967) of Kyle
Kyle, Texas
Kyle is a town in Hays County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,314 at the 2000 census; it was 26,103 in the 2008 census estimate, making Kyle one of the fastest growing cities in Texas.-Geography:...
in Hays County
Hays County, Texas
Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its official population had reached 157,107. It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican-American War officer. The seat of the county is San Marcos....
, a son of former State Senator and Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
Bill Ratliff
Bill Ratliff
William Roark Ratliff, known as Bill Ratliff , is a Texas politician who served as a member of the Texas State Senate from 1988 to 2004. Between 2000 and 2003 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, after former lieutenant governor Rick Perry succeeded to the governorship to replace George W...
of Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Texas
Mount Pleasant is the county seat and largest city of Titus County in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2000 census, Mount Pleasant's population was 13,935. It is the county seat of Titus County, and is situated in Northeast Texas. This town, by city ordinance, is dry to sell alcoholic beverages....
. McLeroy received 57,528 votes (49.6 percent) to Ratliff's 58,388 (50.4 percent).
A creationist, McLeroy is known for his criticism of evolution
Evolution as theory and fact
"Evolution is both fact and theory" is a statement that appears in numerous publications on biological evolution. The statement is framed to clarify misconceptions about the philosophy of evolution primarily in response to creationist statements that "evolution is only a theory"...
and has tried to convince textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
publishers to demonstrate what he considers the weaknesses of the theory of evolution
Strengths and weaknesses of evolution
"Strengths and weaknesses of evolution" is a controversial phrase that has been proposed for public school science curricula...
. The board can refuse to place materials it disagrees with on the state approved list. If school districts want textbooks not on the list, the districts must purchase such materials entirely from their own funds. The SBOE thus selects the textbooks for the entire state's 4.7 million schoolchildren, where in most other states this selection is made in individual school districts. As a result, it “has outsized influence over the reading material used in classrooms nationwide, since publishers craft their standard textbooks based on the specs of the biggest buyers.”
According to Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network
Texas Freedom Network
The Texas Freedom Network is a Texas organization formed to protect religious freedom, defend civil liberties, and strengthen public schools in the State of Texas...
, since his election, McLeroy had dragged the Texas State Board of Education into a series of "divisive and unnecessary culture-war
Culture war
The culture war in American usage is a metaphor used to claim that political conflict is based on sets of conflicting cultural values. The term frequently implies a conflict between those values considered traditionalist or conservative and those considered progressive or liberal...
battles". This included McLeroy voting in 2001 to reject the only advanced placement environmental science textbook proposed for Texas high schools even though panels of experts – including one panel from Texas A&M – found the textbook free of errors. Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
in Waco
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
used the same textbook.
In 2003 McLeroy led efforts by proponents of creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
and intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
to de-emphasize discussion of evolution
Creation-evolution controversy
The creation–evolution controversy is a recurring cultural, political, and theological dispute about the origins of the Earth, humanity, life, and the universe....
in proposed new biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
textbooks. He was one of only four board members who voted against biology textbooks that year that included a full account of evolution.
Over objections by experts in 2004, McLeroy voted to approve health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
textbooks that stress "abstinence-only" in regard to instruction about pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
and prevention of sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
s.
In 2005, McLeroy conducted a sermon in his church, talking about the Board of Education, saying naturalism
Naturalism (philosophy)
Naturalism commonly refers to the philosophical viewpoint that the natural universe and its natural laws and forces operate in the universe, and that nothing exists beyond the natural universe or, if it does, it does not affect the natural universe that we know...
is "the enemy" and he said: "Why is Intelligent Design the big tent? Because we’re all lined up against the fact that naturalism, that nature is all there is. Whether you’re a progressive creationist
Progressive creationism
Progressive creationism is the religious belief that God created new forms of life gradually, over a period of hundreds of millions of years. As a form of Old Earth creationism, it accepts mainstream geological and cosmological estimates for the age of the Earth, but posits that the new "kinds" of...
, recent creationist, young earth, old earth, it’s all in the tent of Intelligent Design." An mp3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
of the sermon remains online as well as McLeroy's powerpoint and notes.
According to a 2008 article in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, "Dr. McLeroy believes that Earth’s appearance is a recent geologic event — thousands of years old, not 4.5 billion. 'I believe a lot of incredible things,' he said, 'The most incredible thing I believe is the Christmas story. That little baby born in the manger
Manger
A manger is a trough or box of carved stone or wood construction used to hold food for animals . Mangers are mostly used in livestock raising. They are also used to feed wild animals, e.g., in nature reserves...
was the god that created the universe.'” McLeroy's statements regarding science have been criticized. McLeroy and other Board members who want to challenge evolution have received criticism from more than fifty scientific organizations over an attempt to weaken the currently-accepted science standards on evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
. In particular, biologist Kenneth R. Miller
Kenneth R. Miller
Kenneth Raymond Miller is a biology professor at Brown University. Miller, who is Roman Catholic, is particularly known for his opposition to creationism, including the intelligent design movement...
called McLeroy's statements on science "breathtakingly" incorrect.
In March 2008, McLeroy was criticized for racially and culturally insensitive remarks saying: "What good does it do to put a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
story in an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
book?" he said. "So you really don't want Chinese books
Chinese folklore
Chinese folklore includes songs, dances, puppetry, and tales. It often tells stories of human nature, historical or legendary events, love, and the supernatural, or stories explaining natural phenomena and distinctive landmarks.-Folktales:...
with a bunch of crazy Chinese words
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
in them." He later apologized.
In 2009, McLeroy spoke at a board meeting using several quotes from scientists in an attempt to discredit evolution. A biology teacher later found the quotes to be incomplete, out of context, and/or incorrectly taken from a creationist website. McLeroy said that while "some of the material was taken from the creationist site […] a lot of the quotes I did get on my own.”
On May 28, 2009, McLeroy's nomination as Chair of the Board of Education failed to gain Senate approval since only 19 of 31 Senators voted for him, falling one vote short of the 2/3 majority needed for approval. Gail Lowe became the new Chair, but McLeroy remained dominating board meetings in what Russell Shorto
Russell Shorto
Russell Shorto is an American author, historian and journalist, best known for his book on the Dutch origins of New York City, The Island at the Center of the World...
described as "a single-handed display of arch-conservative political strong-arming."
In an interview in October 2009 he explained his approach to public school history textbook evaluation: ". . . .we are a Christian nation founded on Christian principles. The way I evaluate history textbooks is first I see how they cover Christianity and Israel. Then I see how they treat Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
—he needs to get credit for saving the world from communism
Reagan Doctrine
The Reagan Doctrine was a strategy orchestrated and implemented by the United States under the Reagan Administration to oppose the global influence of the Soviet Union during the final years of the Cold War...
and for the good economy over the last twenty years because he lowered taxes
Reaganomics
Reaganomics refers to the economic policies promoted by the U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s, also known as supply-side economics and called trickle-down economics, particularly by critics...
."
External links
- Videos of Don McLeroy's statements from National Center for Science EducationNational Center for Science EducationThe National Center for Science Education is a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It is the United States' leading anti-creationist organization, and defends the teaching of evolutionary biology and opposes...
- Video of Don McLeroy being interviewed on ABC News from American Broadcasting CompanyAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...