The Texas Board of Education is going to be loaded with seven new faces when it convenes next year.

One of them will represent District 15, which comprises a huge swath of West Texas, including the Panhandle. His name is Marty Rowley, who – although I don’t know him well – I consider to be a good man.

But there might be some alarms worth heeding as Rowley and other new SBOE members take their seats. It involves mixing religion with public education.

Rowley brings a unique perspective to the 15-member board. He is a lawyer who specializes in mediation. He also is a clergyman who served briefly as pastor of a huge evangelical church in Amarillo. Rowley is a man of deep religious faith, and it is his background in the pulpit that ought to concern those who frustrated with the head-butting that’s occurred on the board between the so-called “social conservative” wing of the SBOE with the more moderate wing.

Count me as one of those who is concerned about the ongoing ideological battle.

The man Rowley is replacing, fellow Republican Bob Craig of Lubbock, belonged to the moderate wing of the SBOE. Over the years, Craig expressed at times his own concern that religious-based ideology was dominating public education policy. Craig, a lawyer, decided to step down this year. My guess is that he’s had enough fun in public life.

The SBOE is charged with setting curriculum policy for public education in Texas. But as the two sides have dickered – and bickered – over curriculum, ideological differences too often have gotten in the way of what all board members insist is their first priority, which is to educate the state’s 5 million public education students.

My hope is that Rowley avoids the ideological fight and serves as a moderate voice. He is, after all, a mediator.