Texas Sues Feds Over $830 Million In Education Aid

[sonias]

Huffington Post 9/23/10
Texas Sues Feds Over $830 Million In Education Aid

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas officials filed a lawsuit Thursday against the U.S. Department of Education, seeking to overturn the federal agency's rejection of the state's application for more than $830 million in aid that has been tied up in political wrangling.

A state-specific provision inserted into a federal law by a Democratic Texas congressman requires that Republican Gov. Rick Perry promise Texas will maintain certain education spending levels through 2013 in order to get the funds. Perry has called the requirement unconstitutional because the Texas Constitution prohibits him from committing future state spending.

Texas applied for the money anyway, but was rejected because its application included a caveat saying the state would not violate its own constitution. Federal officials urged the state to reapply without the caveat.

Whiner Perry lying about what is constitutional in Texas just so he can look good for his base. Never mind that he steals from school children and teachers to do it.

It's a fact that Perry and the whole Texas Republican crew in the Lege just use the federal government to bail them out every time they fail to show any leadership. And this is the perfect example. They whine about their hands being tied, but the truth is they're already trying to plug holes in the Texas budget with it, and it won't be going towards education. That is all the Doggett amendment mandating they do - spend it on education.

Bill White is right:

"We need a governor who's putting Texas students above his own political interests," White said

Yes we do! :kick:

[sonias]

1. Texas sues to protect $830 million in federal education aid

AAS 8/23/10
Texas sues to protect $830 million in federal education aid

(snip)
There was a concern that the U.S. Education Department could divert Texas’ share of the emergency aid as of Friday. The filing protects that money as the case proceeds.

Update: Doggett offered the following response tho the lawsuit:

"This is another act of political theatre, reflected in a press release longer than the accompanying legal petition," Doggett said in a statement.

"This struggle is about seeing that the State does not deny aid to education to local schools solely because they have received additional federal aid," Doggett continued. "The bottom line is this: Federal aid to education should actually aid education in our local Texas schools. It is almost as if the Governor felt he was entitled to his own blank check federal bailout and now he has the lawsuit to prove it."

:applause: for Congressman Doggett! He is absolutely right!

Dictator Perry thinks all the fed's money for Texas belongs to him, he's Boss Hogg. :mad:

[Beststash]

2. I am lucky

to live in Lloyd Doggett's district. He is one of the few statesmen from Texas in Congress. Doggett actually tries to represent people above the monied interests.

Perry is an embarrassment to Texas. Bill White will win in November.

[sonias]

3. Me too

LLoyd is my Congressman. And I love him. He's not going to back down from this fight.

By the way Beststash, Lloyd really needs help this fall. Some of his district is crazy red and angry right now. We need all our D voters to turn out and back Lloyd up. Please make sure you talk with your neighbors/friends and tell them not to ignore the election this fall. Lloyd needs all the votes he can get.

I'm sure you have seen some of the crazy Donna Campbell signs - she the tea party candidate running against Lloyd. :scared:

:hi:

[sonias]

4. Two Central Texas school districts awarded $85 million in U.S. grants

Just to show you that the Education Dept and Obama administration is not out to punish Texas like cry baby, rubber chicken Perry lies it is.

AAS 9/24/10
Two Central Texas school districts awarded $85 million in U.S. grants
Austin lands $62 million to expand teacher merit pay program; Round Rock gets $23 million.

Plans to give Austin' best teachers merit bonuses received a $62 million boost Thursday .

The five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education is the largest award to any school district nationwide. In Austin, it will help pay bonuses to teachers who agree to work in the most challenging school environments or who lead students to large gains on state assessment tests.

(snip)
In addition, the Round Rock district will get $23 million for seven high-needs schools where the number of students in low-income families has grown dramatically in the past decade.

In its promotion of teacher merit pay programs, the Obama administration is pumping $1.2 billion into the so-called Teacher Incentive Fund during the next five years. About $442 million in awards were announced Thursday. Sixty-two agencies from 27 states won grants.

The Texas Education Agency also is receiving more than $53 million during the next five years for merit pay programs in 40 schools in 11 districts — including the Pflugerville district — to improve student achievement in populations with high poverty levels and low student achievement. The agency's plan includes paying for consistent staff development and for one-on-one mentors for educators.

The Fort Worth, Houston and Galveston districts also won grants.

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

[white cloud]

5. FWST article

Voter and comments show the truth about lying Rick the Brick.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/09/23/2491686_p2/texas-challenges-rejection-of.html

[sonias]

6. LOL

That was fun!

:rofl: