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February 23, 2006
A Difference In Perspective
In yesterday's Houston Chronicle, Janet Elliott and Clay Robison presented two very different assessments of the state of Texas' public education system from two very divided elected officials. Governor Rick Perry and State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who plans to challenge Perry as an independent this fall have different perspectives on the situation -- one sunny and optimistic, the other concerned and unsatisfied. Can you guess who's wearing the rose-colored glasses?
Each official used statistics to bolster arguments. Perry touted student improvements in national assessment tests and claimed "no other state in America can measure up to the progress Texas has made in education." Huh?
Strayhorn, on the other hand, decided leveling with the public was the best approach, highlighting Texas' near-bottom ranking on per-pupil spending, teacher pay, graduation rates and college entrance scores. She said it's "a sham to preach excellence and deliver mediocrity." Well said, Madame Comptroller.
She also actually said that "we need more dollars for education", a remarkable utterance from a GOP elected official these days. Governor Perry, we're pretty sure another five-figure check is in the mail from Mr. Leininger. You're gonna need it.
Posted by houtopia at February 23, 2006 09:14 AM