Ed Schultz once again just can’t get the facts right, using selective editing to paint a blatantly false picture.
#1 “Rick Perry has created an absolute mess for public education in the Lone Star State,” says Ed. This was of course based on the recent comments of Obama Education Secretary Arnie Duncan who said “You have seen massive increases in class size,” adding he feels “very, very badly for the children there.”
FACT: Let’s go to the Dallas Morning News editorial page (let’s not forget they endorsed the Democrat Bill White over Rick Perry, so it’s safe to assume they are no fan of the governor)
The pity is misplaced. Texas can tolerate constructive criticism of its education record — we do have a lot to work on, and budgets will be painfully tight this year — but that should be balanced with credit where it’s due. And students have made some real gains in this state.
Contrary to Duncan’s remarks, the record on class sizes does not reflect sharp changes, owing in part to a 22-1 cap on student-teacher ratios in primary grades. In all five subjects that the state tracks at the secondary level, average class sizes dropped in recent years.
Duncan also ignored achievements in standardized measures such as the ACT. Texas students have had a falloff in ACT English scores, but they have made steady gains in math and now outperform the nation in that subject.
Texas’ fourth- and eighth-graders also outperformed the nation in math scores in the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress and have a narrower gap in reading and writing on that test.
We agree with Duncan that “too few” Texas high school graduates are college ready. Recently released ACT indexes put that figure at 24 percent of Texas test-takers, a disturbing figure. That’s not too far off from the equally disturbing national college-ready index of 25 percent, an important bit of perspective.
As for Perry, we see plusses and minuses in his record on education. He has been a strong supporter of using standardized measures to keep schools accountable, a good thing. He also signed a budget this year that made deeper cuts than necessary in public education, a disappointment.
What happens in the classroom is what’s important, though. Public education in Texas is a work in progress, but don’t overlook the progress.
#2 “Perry violated the trust of the school teachers in Texas and ultimately it will damage the next generation,” and “Cuts will hit every kitchen table in the Lone Star State. The Texas Observer reports ‘to cope some districts are implementing fees for riding the bus or attending pre-K. Many are considering tax increases.” More “Rick Perry’s refusal to raise taxes on the rich oil-boys in Texas has made once again middle class Texans shell out more money to put Johnny and Sally on the school bus. The Texas Tribune reports in the Keller ISD just north of Fort Worth, students will ride the bus – they’re going to have to pay $185 each per semester. Let’s do some math here folks, a family with three school aged children will have to pay over $1,100 to put them on the bus to ride to school. This kind of money is devastating to poor, lower income. It’s hard to come up with a $185 a semester per kid when you work for $7.25 an hour. Those facts mean nothing to Perry.”
A lot to get to hear from Ed. Let’s tackle them. He brings up the Keller ISD and their decision to charge $185 per person to ride bus. What he doesn’t tell you (something Ed Schultz has down to a science apparently) is the district has a $6 million dollar rainy day fund. That’s 32,432 bus rides parents wouldn’t have to pay for. I think Ed should have Trustee Lara Lee Hogg on his show explaining why she said “I do not believe busing is something I would support to be added back in. I’d like to see that money spent in the classroom.”
Governor Perry agrees there. He has fought hard to see the level of spending be increased in the classroom vs. general expenses with a goal of 65% going to actual instruction. Which brings us to a side issue: School District budgets don’t necessarily mean money is being spent wisely. There is dirty little secret in education: waste. Did you hear about the sweet ride Clifton Guillory got to drive around in by the Beaumont ISD? “The district-owned truck has leather seats, a premium stereo system, the Ford SYNC Communications and Entertainment System that makes the entire vehicle Bluetooth compatible, a power moon roof and 9-1-1 assist capability. A new, 2010 F-350 Super Duty King Ranch Edition retailed for $61,000 to $62,000, according to Philpott Motors (who sold them the car.)
Why did Mr. Guillory drive this fancy truck? “That was one of the replacement vehicles for the old vehicles we had that were not environmentally friendly," said Beaumont ISD spokesman Jessie Haynes. Just a quick note, we’re replaced an unfriendly environmental vehicle with one who (Ford F-350) averages between 14 and 17 miles per gallon on the highway. Hmmm, thank goodness we have these people watching over our tax dollars.
Back to rainy day funds here, Ed likes to attack Perry for not dipping into the state’s fund – how are going to educate these kids, why won’t he tax the hell out of his rich oil buddies? Well, Ed, many of these school districts HAVE THEIR OWN RAINY DAY FUND YOU IDIOT. Perhaps that’s why these evil taxpayers are rejecting higher taxes and telling elected representatives to stop spending the money.
According to the Texas Watchdog,
The Houston public schools, the state’s largest school system, has laid off more than 700 teachers to solve its budget crunch while having $279 million in reserves. The Dallas schools are considering laying off more than 1,110 employees and expect to have $85 million to $95 million in reserves at the end of the fiscal year. And the San Antonio public schools have more than $63 million in reserves, though they have found other jobs for teachers who faced threats of layoffs.”
Shhhh, don’t tell anyone. School districts across the state are hording money but those evil republicans won’t tap into the state fund when, say, a hurricane might come through and we’ll need money for a “rainy day.” It’s the terrorist taxpayers that are so evil, right Ed?
He says “cuts will hit every kitchen table in the Lone Star State,” boy this guy is a piece of work. Since we’re talking about Keller – it’s interesting to find out that only 5.23% have children under the age of 18…your typical school aged. The median income for a family is $114,542, gee think that’s a lot of $7.25 an hour jobs in Keller Ed seems to thinks there are? Or is that a sign that the residents are prosperous, something liberals hope families will not be so they can rely on the government.
Don’t forget his logic here, he is basing everything on the low income family with a ton of children. Just don’t expect him to get his facts right. Under the plan, students who get free or reduced lunch don’t pay $185 – they pay $100, or nearly half that amount. A second child pays only $135. His $1,100 a year figure for a low income family is just a lie, that's all. He knows he could tell the truth but it wouldn't fit his Perry-attacking narrative.
As someone who rode the bus, I make no argument for a school district charging anything for a student to ride. It should be part of their overall budget. Keller says it costs them around $360 per person per year to get them transported on a bus – that $6 million rainy day fund should pretty much cover that cost shouldn’t it? Ed Schultz would of course say that it’s Rick Perry’s fault – only because he can’t blame it on George W. Bush…even though I know he’s trying to figure out a way. And for the low income families, the district is working with the Keller ISD Education Foundation and other non-profits to help out.
The Moral of the story is Ed Schultz is just a habitual liar. He gets called on it and apologizes. He knows what he is doing, he plays to a looney left audience that doesn’t care about the facts or the truth. He says facts mean nothing to Rick Perry, I wonder if he ever wanders near a mirror to see his pitiful reflection in such mirror?
Let’s just recognize this guy for what he really is, he’s a hack. Plain and simple, and anyone who listens or watches him are hacks too. There are so many lies, so little time to call him on it. That’s what hacks do, they lie.
