Perry is WAY down the list of folks that could get me interested in voting for a Republican...
According to family and some teacher friends I have in Texas (on BOTH sides of the political spectrum), Perry is dividing the state in some very destructive ways.
One particular area of serious concern - his method of supposedly reforming the educational system - dramatic cuts to funding (not necessarily a bad thing), but the methods of cutting are actually violating state law, and is resulting in very odd and damaging flushing of some of the best teachers in state (while some very bad and sometimes inexperienced teachers are getting to keep their jobs). I know personally of one teacher that has been in the classroom over 20 years, has been recognized not only in her district, but statewide as a candidate for teacher of the year, many many honors and awards for quality of teaching... but the district she was happily working in (spotless record and evaluations) had to cut her. And from what I am hearing through the pipe - this is nowhere near an isolated cases.
And this is just one of several areas where I have been hearing frustration with Perry.
I don’t live in Texas, so I cannot speak from my own experience.
This has more to do with TX being a right to work state and a state where there is no state income tax (we are taxed on property). The teachers are beholden to the districts for their jobs. Perhaps their district didn't budget well. Many don't. Some do, and their reward? Their "reward" is having their school district budget raided through the "Robin Hood" method of taking from "wealthy districts" and giving it to "poor districts." Of course, then the "wealthy districts" have to go to their local voters and ask them for more just to stay current on their expenditures (which includes teachers).
Let's face it, public schools have rotted from union influence (this effects all states -- the federal input is onerous too), inner city blight and corruption from LIBERALS running them into the ground, bloated administration costs and personnel, flood of illegal's children, TOO MUCH money w/o accountability and lower standards. It's become a political tool and money sink, just as every government run entity does over time.
"For the children" has run its course.
Oh, and by the way, Texas increased funding for education (you know the trick) but it wasn't what the schools wanted (property values are down so their increase was smaller) so they call it a CUT.
Texas also just waged a "war" against LIBERAL history in textbooks -- and "won" by denying the Leftists all that they had wanted to cut and to add in their ceaseless march to advance their agenda.