Texas schools are above average

I didn't type that with a straight face.

However, one of Texas AG Greg Abbott's minions witness-stand did say that, reportedly with a straight face, during the Texas school finance lawsuit.

Oh, and the fact that George Whitehurst, an ex-Bushie from the Bush-era Department of Education now works for Brookings is yet more proof it's not a "liberal" think tank. (Its neocon bloodthirstiness over Iraq should have dispelled that long ago, anyway.)

Here's a key statement:

Whitehurst also refuted conclusions by school-district witnesses that Texas schools are underfunded by billions of dollars per year. He said that, in general, the study of education and educational outcome has lagged far behind research in other areas and is something of a “backwater.”

Even more scary? If Rick Perry stands behind what Whitehurst says, will he propose whacking even more from the education budget in January?