Kinky: Hardly Fact, Mostly Fiction

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman on Mon Sep 25, 2006 at 00:05:47 AM CDT

Mr. Friedman: "We're 50th in education, with Guam and Samoa sneaking up on us."

Fact: Texas is not last in any of the 10 categories ranked by the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers group.

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Mr. Friedman: "[I] want to create new revenue and not by jacking up everybody's electric bill 80 percent."

Fact: The state does not derive any direct benefit from utilities, which are owned by private companies or municipalities. The state does charge a fee – used for energy efficiency and other programs – based on kilowatt hours.

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Mr. Friedman: "We've got to appoint people to the system who have seen the inside of a classroom sometime in their lifetime."

Fact: Four of the last five state commissioners for education – including the current chief, Shirley Neeley – began their careers as teachers.

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Mr. Friedman: He would send 10,000 troops to the border with law enforcement power. "I would put teeth into this program," he said.

Fact: National Guardsmen are not trained in law enforcement, and federal mandates prohibit their being used in that capacity unless a governor has declared martial law and places communities under military authority.

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Mr. Friedman: "We discovered that [his rivals in the governor's race] have 89 years of politics. ... I don't think they've done anything outside of politics their whole damn lives."

Fact: The three other candidates have held political office for a combined 48 years: Rick Perry for 22 years; Carole Keeton Strayhorn for 19 years; and Chris Bell for seven. Before running for office, Mr. Perry was a rancher; Mrs. Strayhorn has been a teacher and business consultant; Mr. Bell was a lawyer and journalist.

SOURCE: Dallas Morning News research