The religious fanatics on the Texas State Board of Education are gearing up for another fundamentalist hoedown, as Chairwoman Gail Lowe tries to stack the panel that will review the state’s science curriculum with creationist loons.

Lowe has nominated more potential panelists than any other board member. And a number of Lowe’s nominees have publicly supported teaching “intelligent design”/creationist arguments in science classrooms.

Among them:

• Pierre G. Velasquez, a teacher at Cornerstone Christian School in San Antonio, who testified before the state board during the 2009 science curriculum debate, urging that science students be taught creationist-fabricated “weaknesses” of evolution
• Richard White, occupation unknown, who also testified in 2009 in support of teaching students creationist-fabricated “weaknesses” of evolution
• Cherry A. Moore, a “consultant” who testified in 2009 in support of teaching creationist-fabricated “weaknesses” of evolution
• Daniel Romo, a Texas A&M University chemistry professor who is listed as a “Darwin Doubter” on a creationist website.
• Walter L. Bradley, a professor of engineering at Baylor University, believes that there is scientific evidence for the existence of God and a “designed universe.” A 1993 article Bradley co-wrote for The American Biology Teacher journal, “Origins of Life & Evolution in Biology Textbooks — A Critique,” suggests that students in science classrooms should learn about supernatural explanations.

If Lowe wants to persuade senators that she won’t turn the adoption of science instructional materials into another “culture war” battle in her anti-science crusade, she’ll clearly have to try a lot harder.