Conservatives in Texas often talk about how wasteful our government school system can be, yet we rarely find a gem as perfectly flawed as two stories that appeared recently in the Houston Chronicle. On May 1, the Chronicle breathlessly reported “Spring Branch ISD facing insolvency” – you can almost hear the exclamation points. A month and a half later, the paper glowingly reported “Spring Branch ISD; Free summer camp focused on France.” A free French summer camp, while facing insolvency?

Yes, you’re reading that right. Even though Spring Branch ISD is facing a $10 million shortfall, they’re funding “Free French summer camps.”

If you’re wondering whether the camp has a legitimate educational purpose, you need only read the first line: (I couldn’t make this up if I tried)

“A boy’s fashion show was one of the highlights of the Spring Branch school district’s first ever French summer camp designed for students entering sixth and seventh grades in the fall.”

If your jaw just dropped, you’re in good company. Where does the funding for the program come from?

“Smith received a $3,500 dollar grant from the French government … with $500 from the district and $600 from her own foreign language budget…”

Oh, well that’s better. As long as French taxpayers are getting fleeced along with Texans – I guess that makes it okay.

Don’t think the story could get any better (or worse)? Guess again!

“She created a broad curriculum that introduced students tot eh French Language. ‘The grammar is actually closer to Spanish than English, and so it’s a perfect fit for many of our Hispanic students,’ Smith said.”

Apparently, Spring Branch ISD can’t teach their Spanish speaking students English, but they can spend your money to teach them French – or at least how to dress like one.

This is just one example of how the Edu-Crats in charge of our state’s education system have lost touch with reality and simply don’t care how un-wisely your money is spent.

I encourage you to go today to www.TexasTaxpayers.com and sign the petitions there to set strict spending limits and to abolish the School Maintenance and Operation Property Tax. Taxpayers need to show wasteful school administrators that THEY WORK FOR US!