Robert Morrow: The Jester Making a Joke of Republican Voters in Texas

By ROSS MAJEK

Central Texas has become a hotbed of controversy and both Democrats and Republicans are scratching their collective heads trying to figure out how Robert Morrow managed to make the runoff in the hotly contested bid to replace Ken Mercer for Texas State Board of Education, Place 5 member seat. Meanwhile, the very controversial Morrow, often seen in a Jester hat, who according to a voter guide prepared by the League of Women Voters earlier this year, stated high school senior girls should have classes on pole dancing and twerking.

“He has a good ballot name,” said Mercer of Morrow, “but everything after that is downhill as far as what he has to offer.”

Mercer went on to state, “there is no way anyone from either political party would ever intentionally give Morrow a seat on a board that decides the curriculum for the children in this state if they knew who he really was. He didn’t campaign or spend any money in advertising, so nobody really knew who this guy was, except that he had a name that obviously looks good on a ballot. I would venture to guess if voters who chose him had done any research on who Morrow really is, they would have steered as far away from him as possible.”

In a world where schools across the country have been hosting Drag Queen Story Hours for young children at public school libraries and parents in Austin are having to fight to remove anal sex from public school sex education curriculum, the presence of Morrow on the Texas SBOE appears to be even more of a daily agitation and challenge to board members and parents. Morrow does not seem to provide any useful purpose contributing to a board that directly affects the education of Texas youth from early childhood through their teenage years in Texas. His opponent in this race is Lani Popp, a long-time public-school speech pathologist from Bexar County, has been endorsed by Mercer, who is stepping down this year as the Texas SBOE PL5 member.

“Unlike Robert Morrow, Lani has actual experience in education and a platform for improving education and the State Board of Education for the benefit of all students,” said Lani Popp’s campaign consultant Matt Mackowiak. “She (Lani) has a very strong professional reputation. She is a highly qualified candidate for State Board of Education. Our state must not elect an embarrassment like Robert Morrow who will only create chaos.”

This is a sentiment that is echoed among every Republican currently serving on the Texas SBOE who all endorsed Lani Popp, something that has never happened before. Lani has even been endorsed by Inga Cotton, who many believed would be Popp’s opponent in the run-off but instead finished third in the Republican Party Primary. Cotton not only immediately endorsed Popp, but she also contributed to her campaign. This race has certainly created a buzz in the education community as well as the Republican party.

“I fully support and endorse Lani Popp,” the board’s chairman, Keven Ellis, said as part of an announcement of the endorsements first shared with The Texas Tribune. “I strongly believe she is unequivocally the best and only choice in the Republican primary race for District 5. This run-off election is critical for the future success of the board.”

The best summation of the importance of this race and keeping Morrow from crossing the finish line in the Republican Primary Run-off Election came from Mercer, whose concern comes down to the character of Morrow, whose provocative language and questionable antics would be enough to dissuade any parent from wanting him near children, much less making decisions on their educational materials among other things.

“I hope people google Morrow, read up on him and what he stands for and spread the news with their friends. I hope they share this article and any other information that points to who Morrow is and the mess he would create if God forbid, he was to win.” said Mercer.

“This should never happen in Texas of all places, by the Republican Party, through votes cast, unknowingly by the parents of these children who would be effected by his actions.” Mercer continued, “especially now in this season, that The State Board of Education is addressing health and sex education curriculum, there are certain individuals, with their agendas, that should be nowhere near the precious children of Texas.”

No truer statement has been made. To date, the Jester has already made a joke of the Republican Party and the voters in the counties that form SBOE-PL5 by making it this far; but, if the voters elect Morrow, this joke will become a nightmare for the teachers, students, and their parents in the entire state of Texas. This joke is not funny, and nobody is laughing, except maybe the Jester.

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