Texas can't afford (buying influence) their right-wing textbooks

[underpants]

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/06/19/perry-textbooks/

However, the Texas Observer now reports that the state can’t afford to buy the new books:


The state normally replaces textbooks on a rotating basis every 10 years. With Texas facing a budget shortfall of at least $11 billion in 2011, the money isn’t going to be there. Textbooks covering the new science standards would have cost $400 million, and the Legislature is already expecting a bill of $888 million for textbooks already ordered.

To ensure that students can still be exposed to “proof, supposedly, of evolution’s fallibility,” the Board is trying to secure funding for special “supplements for science classes from fifth grade through high school.” Social studies textbooks aren’t up for replacement until 2013 — by then, Texas might have enough money to teach their students about Phyllis Schlafly and the Moral Majority.

The lack of textbook funding underscores Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) constant compulsion to oppose federal funding that could help his state. At the beginning of June, he refused to let Texas compete for Race to the Top funding for education reform because he falsely claimed the program would weaken the state’s school standards. That allegation was even refuted by a fellow Republican governor, Sonny Perdue of Georgia. A Houston Chronicle editorial from earlier this week lamented Perry’s stubborn “grandstanding” while noting why Texas needs additional, federal education funding: “Of the 50 states, we’re No. 49 in the percentage of adults who’ve completed high school; and it’s estimated that a third of our Texas high school freshmen don’t make it to graduation.”

Texas faces a daunting $18 billion shortfall for the next two-year budget cycle, amounting to 20 percent of the total budget, but Perry misguidedly insists he can find enough spending cuts to create balance, and he is even blustering about rejecting supplementary Medicaid funding from Congress that would greatly help address the state’s fiscal woes. Last year, he tried to reject the stimulus money that proved key to balancing Texas’ budget, insisting, “We can take care of ourselves,” before the legislature intervened and secured the relief.

[ShamelessHussy]

1. Almost a BILLION dollars for textbooks?!

that's gotta be a typo, or FRAUD :argh:

[underpants]

2. California (actually) effects the auto industry- Texas (buying their position) effects textbooks

thye pay to have the control over textbooks and the committee is stacked with fundie Dominionist Jesus freaks

[ShamelessHussy]

4. so that's not a typo? Shoot, I would expect them each to get an iPad for that kinda $$$

:argh:

With todays tech, we should be able to bring this cost waaaaaaaay down.

BTW: Thanks for sharing :toast:

[Rex]

3. Well we all know what got us here...RICK FUCKING PERRY

and his master of failure George W Bush! Hey I was floored when I learned that 25% of my class of freshmen thought gravity was a lie and believed that God controlled 'those things' as per their church drilling that into their heads over the years. Texas and poverty are never addressed, just rich insane pricks making money off of textbooks and the system. Makes me sick to my stomach.

[underpants]

5. 20% of Texas high school grads had to take remedial classes freshman year of college

at least that was the story a few years ago

I'm sorry (heard that recently?) it isw 50%

Texas high school grads less prepared for college than others in U.S., panel says
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-college_06tex.ART.State.Edition1.41c303c.html

Data cited by the commission indicated that 50 percent of college freshmen in Texas are enrolled in remedial or developmental classes, compared with 28 percent across the U.S.