Texas Gov. Perry refuses $700m for education from the Fed. (Houston: buying, high school)

[mlassoff]

Ummm.. If they are providing $700 million dollars (which I agree-- sorely needed) aren't they FUNDING the mandates?

Let's face it there are two groups who oppose this-- whose votes Governor Goodhair greatly needs-- the anti-Federal governent zealots who believe anything from Washington is automatically bad... and the religious nutjobs who want a Christian based school curriculum.

I think what some people are really afraid of are that the Federal Money comes with strings attached like:

1) You can't pretend theology is science.
2) You can't teach the History of Jeez-US as history in a public school.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Explain exactly how Texas would lose control of its education?
or are you just guessing that it's going to happen?

The American Federation of Teachers opposes this as well and states their concerns in a letter that can be found at the link below.

Texas AFT - Texas AFT Opposes Race to the Top Grant Application

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Ummm.. If they are providing $700 million dollars (which I agree-- sorely needed) aren't they FUNDING the mandates?

Let's face it there are two groups who oppose this-- whose votes Governor Goodhair greatly needs-- the anti-Federal governent zealots who believe anything from Washington is automatically bad... and the religious nutjobs who want a Christian based school curriculum.

I think what some people are really afraid of are that the Federal Money comes with strings attached like:

1) You can't pretend theology is science.
2) You can't teach the History of Jeez-US as history in a public school.

Where did you go to school? Connecticut?

Where I went to school, here in Texas, we were taught about evolution and all that good stuff. No kidding. If I wanted to learn about Jeez-US, that's what Sunday School is for. Now I don't deny that there are people who'd want to change that. They're misguided. I think that phrase of "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" should come into play for them. There is a place for religion, and it's called church. Let people pray on their own if they want. That's their prerogative. I'm not the only one here who rolls like this either.

I'd hate for Washington to fall back into the hands of the religious right, which although I don't necessarily agree with Democrats on a good number of things I'm thinking could very well happen some day. Not good when we have only two gangs of thieves and liars to realistically choose from.

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by jfre81

Where did you go to school? Connecticut?

Where I went to school, here in Texas, we were taught about evolution and all that good stuff. No kidding. If I wanted to learn about Jeez-US, that's what Sunday School is for. Now I don't deny that there are people who'd want to change that. They're misguided. I think that phrase of "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" should come into play for them. There is a place for religion, and it's called church. Let people pray on their own if they want. That's their prerogative. I'm not the only one here who rolls like this either.

I'd hate for Washington to fall back into the hands of the religious right, which although I don't necessarily agree with Democrats on a good number of things I'm thinking could very well happen some day. Not good when we have only two gangs of thieves and liars to realistically choose from.

Texas-Ex here who spent 17 years total in Austin before moving back to CT. I enjoyed my time in Texas quite a bit. I'm glad you had a contemporary education while you were in high school. My impression is, however, that evolution is still "up for debate" in many communities and that theology and science are intermixed pretty regularly....

I had the opportunity to familiarize myself with Austin and then the small town mentality that was only 20 miles away and experienced both worlds.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by mark311

The American Federation of Teachers opposes this as well and states their concerns in a letter that can be found at the link below.

Texas AFT - Texas AFT Opposes Race to the Top Grant Application

Thanks for giving some actual points of disagreement
instead of the ignorant: "Well, nothing good comes from the Washington"

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by richb

Loss of local control and future unfunded mandates. Too many strings attached. I can see why they are taking a pass on it.

I agree. Glad he is turning it down.
Just like the unemployment part of the stimulus last year.

Do you realize those states that took it are into year 2 of subsidy and that ends in 2011 and then states must fund unemployment for part time workers themselves ? Do you think states will recover in 11 months ?

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Ummm.. If they are providing $700 million dollars (which I agree-- sorely needed) aren't they FUNDING the mandates?

Let's face it there are two groups who oppose this-- whose votes Governor Goodhair greatly needs-- the anti-Federal governent zealots who believe anything from Washington is automatically bad... and the religious nutjobs who want a Christian based school curriculum.

I think what some people are really afraid of are that the Federal Money comes with strings attached like:

1) You can't pretend theology is science.
2) You can't teach the History of Jeez-US as history in a public school.

Go read up on it. It's not about "religion" in the schools..that seems to be your personal beef.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

I agree. Glad he is turning it down.
Just like the unemployment part of the stimulus last year.

Do you realize those states that took it are into year 2 of subsidy and that ends in 2011 and then states must fund unemployment for part time workers themselves ? Do you think states will recover in 11 months ?

Now,
I'm completely sure that that unemployment money that Perry refused is federal tax money that we had already paid. So he sent our money to other states.

[Poltracker]

For the folks getting upset over $700,000 million (dispersed over a few years), you really need to understand what the typical budget budget is for a larger school district. 700,000 milion sounds like alot of money and it is but it is really just a drop in the bucket when spread out state wide and over a couple of years. It plays like a windfall to the general public and effects public opinion (see above posts) because of that perception but is not really the big windfall it sounds. Take a look at the annual operating budget of a large school district...say Houston ISD and try to figure how a share of that would really effect a district: http://www.houstonisd.org/BudgetingF...ry_Section.pdf remember there are approx 1030 school districts in Texas.
All it would basically do is make the district add requirements to change the curricula and practices that the districts would have to dredge up additional money to support in excess of the "gift" both current and in the future because they make an agreement to do so. I'm not diasagreeing that the districts should no endeavor to improve but this is not a good way to do it.

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Now,
I'm completely sure that that unemployment money that Perry refused is federal tax money that we had already paid. So he sent our money to other states.

No unemployment is not for part time workers. Whatever the Fed sent to the states was part of the stimulus..not from the unemployment taxes we pay. That was new money..from Uncle Ben's printing press.