>>Clinton (or Wm. Riley) just said something about it yesterday after
>>the announcement of the national reading scores. Here in Texas, Gov.
>>Shrub made it a campaign promise that was just passed in the Leg.
>
>Molly Ivins may overdo the stupidity of the Texas Leg for us Yankees, but
>how many members of that august body could get promoted out of 8th grade?
Sadly enough, Ivins does not exagerrate the stupidity of the Tx. lege. Some of the most gut-busting moments of my life occurred while working the last two Texas legistlative sessions. My favorite was when Senator Drew Nixon was pulled over by the police in downtown Dallas. He had like three semi-automatic weapons in his car, as well as two prostitutes. He told the cops, in his best Gumpian voice, that he and the ladies were just "driving around looking at the pretty lights." He really couldn't seem to fathom what he had done wrong.
Texas is also home to the poster boy for what inspiring things can happen when teachers refuse to pass unworthy students. This young boy took three tries to get out of sixth grade. Finally he did, and went on to become an economics professor at Texas A&M. Still later he became a US Senator. That boys name was...Phil Gramm.
And now you know,,,the rest of the story.
Eric