Episode 16: The Superintendent Testifies

Senator Castillo rose. “Superintendent Walter White.”

The superintendent took his seat in the witness stand and was sworn in.

“If Professor Travis will indulge me and refrain from being captious in objecting,” Senator Castillo began, “I may use a few leading questions to get the evidence presented, here.”

“Superintendent White,” Castillo began, “do you know what particular books, or what particular subjects, Dr. Andrews taught in the high school?”

“He was a science teacher,” the superintendent confirmed, “He taught chemistry, biology, and other subjects in the science curriculum.”

“You are in charge of the entire school district,” Senator Castillo pointed out. “How is it you are so familiar with a particular instructor?”

“Dr. Andrews expressed his concerns about the GAIA Act to his principal,” the superintendent explained. “His principal referred Dr. Andrews to me. So, I have a special familiarity with Dr. Andrews’s situation. Also, ours is a relatively small school district and the principals of our high school, middle school, and two elementary schools all report directly to me. I know most every educator in the district by name.”

Senator Castillo held up a textbook. “Did he teach this book, Hunter’s Civic Biology?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the superintendent confirmed.

“Will you file that book as Exhibit 1?” Castillo handed it to the clerk. “What school did he teach in, Mr. White?”

“County Central High School, here in town.”

“Is that school supported by state and county funds?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“How long have you been superintendent of the county school district?”

“A few days more than six and a half years.”

“Has Dr. Andrews been teaching in the high school here for more than a year?”

“No, ma’am; he taught this past school year only.”

“Do you know when this last term of school that he taught was out?

“That would be June 3,” he replied.

“Do you remember when the prosecution in this case was first begun, Mr. White?”

“It was the last full week of May,” the superintendent explained, “right before finals.”

“Did you have any conversation with him concerning this teaching of Hunter’s Civic Biology, after the passage of this law or at any time?”

“Early in May,” Superintendent White confirmed, “I spoke with him about his concerns that the GAIA Act might be in conflict with the state mandated textbook.”

“What was the conversation between you and the defendant, Dr. Andrews, as to the teaching of Hunter’s Civic Biology?”

“He acknowledged that he had taught the material on the biological theory of sex from that textbook,” the superintendent acknowledged. I warned him that the GAIA Act might make that a crime.”

“He said he had taught it here in this county?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And when did he teach it?”

“He said he had reviewed that material sometime in March.”

“The GAIA Act became law on March 21,” Senator Castillo asked the superintendent, “is that right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“So did Dr. Andrews violate the law in March?”

“Objection!” Senator Travis rose. “Calls for a legal determination from the witness.”

“Allow me to rephrase,” Senator Castillo smiled sweetly at Senator Travis. “Do you believe Dr. Andrews taught the biological theory of sex in potential violation of the law in March?”

“The law was passed the same week he taught the material, so it was hard to tell for sure if there was a potential violation,” Superintendent White explained. “But since Dr. Andrews planned on reviewing the material again just before final exams, I decided to wait until then to make an issue of it.”

“And did Dr. Andrews review and present material on the biological theory of sex in class on May 24?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the superintendent confirmed. “He did.”

“Your witness.” Senator Castillo took her seat.

“Superintendent White…” Senator Travis walked over to the table, picked up the textbook, and leafed through the book. “Did you have any complaints about Dr. Andrews’s performance as a teacher?”

“No, sir,” the superintendent smiled, “Dr. Andrews is a fine teacher, beloved of his colleagues and students alike, and our school district is fortunate to have him in our employ.”

The senator paused and handed the open book to the superintendent. “…would you please read the first line of the second paragraph, here?” Travis pointed to the paragraph.

The superintendent took the book and read:

“Sex is defined as ‘either of the two main divisions (male and female) into which many organisms can be placed according to their reproductive function or organs.”

He handed the book back to the senator.

“You told the Profesora that this is the book from which Dr. Andrews taught his biology class, is that right?”

“Yes, sir,” the superintendent agreed.

“Would you tell us how Dr. Andrews came to teach from this book?” the senator asked the superintendent. “Did he select it?”

“No, sir.”

“Did the principal at his high school select it for him?”

“No, sir.”

“Did YOU select it for him?”

“No, sir.”

“Did the school board select it for him?”

“No, sir.”

“Well then,” Senator Travis held up his hands in a calculated gesture of frustration, “how DID that book get into Dr. Andrews’s class, and who selected it?”

“In our state,” the superintendent explained, “The State Textbook Commission adopts the books for all public schools.”

“So, this book,” the senator held it up for all to see, “this book… the book from which Dr. Andrews taught his biology class is the OFFICIAL BOOK selected by the State Textbook Commission?”

“That is correct, sir,” the superintendent confirmed.

“THE official book?” the senator pressed further, “or AN official book? Were there any other choices open to Dr. Andrews?”

“No, sir,” the superintendent clarified. “That is the only book we are allowed to teach biology from in the high school science curriculum in the public schools of this state.”

“But surely, if Dr. Andrews REALLY wanted to teach from another book instead, he could just disregard the State Textbook Commission, and he could pick a different book. Maybe even a better book. Couldn’t he?”

“No, sir. That is not allowed.”

“Now, Mr. Superintendent,” Senator Travis returned the textbook to the clerk’s table, “you also said Dr. Andrews told you he had taught the material on the biological theory of sex from that textbook. And you warned him that the GAIA Act might have made that a crime. Do I have that right?”

“Yes, sir,” the superintendent confirmed.

“Seems you left young Dr. Andrews in something of a pickle, didn’t you? The state said Dr. Andrews had to use THAT book. The state also said if Dr. Andrews actually taught what was in the book – the very book the state demanded he teach from – he might be violating the GAIA Act. That about the size of it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We have an expression in Texas about a certain substance always flowing downhill. It seems this state can’t decide what it wants. On the one hand, the state very clearly wants Dr. Andrews TO teach the facts of biological science, or the state wouldn’t have picked THAT textbook. On the other hand, the state passed the GAIA Act demanding Dr. Andrews NOT teach the facts of biological science if it conflicted with some student’s confused feelings about gender identity.

“And the state and the State Textbook Commission dumped that dilemma on the state’s many school districts. And the school board of this district dumped that problem on you. And you in turn dumped that problem on your principals, one of whom dropped the hot steaming mess of… you know what, right in Dr. Andrews’s lap. Each of you passing the buck until the problem came to rest with Dr. Andrews. Is that right?”

“Well,” the superintendent fidgeted a bit in the witness chair, “I don’t think that’s… that’s not exactly fair. There wasn’t anything else I could do. It was beyond my power to do anything about the unfortunate situation.”

“Did you complain to the school board?” Senator Travis asked. “Did you explain the situation to them and ask THEM to make the decision what to do on behalf of the school district? Did you recommend the school board make a decision which side of this dilemma the district as a whole would take and then bump the problem back up to the state to resolve? Or did you merely pass the buck to Dr. Andrews to let HIM make the call what to do and leave HIM to suffer the potential consequences?”

“The school district and I…” the superintendent replied in obvious discomfort, “we stand behind and support Dr. Andrews.”

“No further questions,” Senator Travis cut him off.

Senator Castillo rose. “A few more questions if I may.”

"Go ahead, Profesora,” the judge consented.

She walked over to the witness stand.

“Superintendent White,” Senator Castillo began as she reached down to pick up the biology textbook. “We’ve all agreed that this is the book the state selected for Dr. Andrews to use, right?”

“Yes ma’am,” he agreed.

“Did the state, or the State Textbook Commission, or the school board, or you, or the principal over at County Central High School, or anyone else to your knowledge ever tell Dr. Andrews that he was NOT allowed to supplement the text? To use additional materials to enrich his students’ educational experience in a more… affirming manner?

“No ma’am,” the superintendent looked relieved.

“Dr. Andrews could have supplemented the text with additional materials that satisfied the requirements of the GAIA Act, and affirmed his students’ gender identities, now couldn’t he?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the superintendent agreed, glad that the responsibility was being pushed back to his subordinate.

“I appreciate the difficult position in which you are placed by Dr. Andrews’s teaching. No further questions,” Senator Castillo took her seat.

The judge looked at Senator Travis. The senator shook his head, no. “You may step down,” the judge released him.

The superintendent stepped down and walked confidently back and took his seat in the audience.