Perry Gets To Misuse More Education Money

Rick Perry and the Republican legislature here in Texas have a history of misusing federal funds. Right after President Obama took office, the federal government appropriated a few billion dollars in education stimulus money. The money was supposed to be used as a supplement to state funds so the schools across the nation wouldn't have to lay-off any teachers. Forty-nine states used the money as it was intended, but one didn't -- Texas.

Instead of using the money for education, as the federal government intended, Governor Perry stuck the money in the state's "rainy day fund" (to be used for whatever he wanted at some time in the future). This did not make the U.S. Congress happy. When they appropriated more money for schools in 2010 they attached a provision to the money -- that the state of Texas would not get the money until it agreed to use the money as Congress intended (as a supplement to and not a replacement for state education funds).

Perry refused to abide by the new condition to the funds, so the Education Department refused to give Texas its share of the education money -- about $830 million. Perry wanted the federal money, but he also wanted to cut state education funds (even though Texas ranks last in per-student funding for education among all the states). In other words, he wanted to misuse the new funds like he did the previous money, and for the last 9 months has been engaged in a stand-off with the Education Department.

Now Perry has got his wish -- and the $830 million. When the Democrats agreed to the $39 billion in cuts to get the 2011 budget approved, they also had to agree to one other thing. They removed the condition that Texas had to use the federal education dollars for education. Perry's Republican buddies in Washington covered his crooked butt. Now Texas will get the $830 million, but its a safe bet that not a penny of that money will be spent for education.

In fact, it now looks like the state government is going to cut the state's contribution to schools by between $5 and $9 billion dollars (depending on whether the Senate or House version of the budget is approved). Frankly with what Texas is doing to education, it doesn't deserve the federal money.

(NOTE -- The picture above is from the March education demonstrations in Austin and comes from the excellent blog of the great Juanita Jean.)