Our brilliant state leaders are at it again, trying to get their ya-yas out against local educators who dared to challenge the brain-dead Republican ideas of school "reform" during the last legislative session in Austin.
As the "education lobby" came under scrutiny Wednesday by a House investigating committee, a research group reported that Texas school districts spent as much as $6.3 million on 161 lobby contracts this year.Through their collective voices, school districts and teacher groups enjoyed exceptional influence at the Capitol this year as they defeated legislation they said provided inadequate new funding and intruded on local control.
That angered state leaders, including House Speaker Tom Craddick, who charged two committees with investigating the use by local governments and school boards of taxpayer money to lobby the Legislature.
The Public Justice Report noted that the education spending fell short of what one corporation spent on lobbyists this year, as much as $6.9 million.
"Yet few state leaders have denounced the SBC lobby (now called AT&T) which persuaded them to swallow a sweetheart special-session communications bill," said the report.
Gov. Rick Perry also has criticized the education community for demanding more money but resisting more accountability. In August he ordered school districts to disclose funds provided to any person or organization for lobbying or consulting.
Alief ISD does not hire lobbyists but does pay dues to the Texas Association of School Boards, which employs lobbyists. The association spent up to $650,000 on eight lobby contracts, according to the Public Justice report.
Sarah Winkler, a board member who often testifies at the Capitol and is reimbursed only for her travel expenses, said she is offended by the investigation.
"The whole reason they're looking into this is they do not want school boards and superintendents to go to Austin and advocate for their school districts," she said. "That's part of my job, to get the resources students in our district need to be successful."
It wouldn't be necessary to expend district resources on lobbyists if so-called "conservatives" hanging around their own trough in Austin would stop pursuing absurd notions of "reform" that wrest control of education out of the hands of local (and more accountable) officials.
If the Texas Democrats can find some decent candidates, they might get my vote next year, for the first time in recent memory. These drugstore cowboy conservatives are blowing it.
Related:
• 65 Percent Non-Solution
• Go Sit in the Corner
• Texans for Public Justice