I Guess It Does Grow On Trees

As the Texas Legislature struggles to fund our public schools there appears to be no shortage of money at the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. Saturday, voters went to the polls and passed a $108,000,000.00 bond package for the Northeast Tarrant County school district. Among the items approved:

• $13,700,000.00 for a new elementary school.
• $3,100,000.00 to renovate another elementary school and build a library.
• $10,000,000.00 for technology upgrades throughout the district.
• $2,100,000.00 for synthetic field turf at the district's three football stadiums.
  

Lest you think that's a typo, let me assure you it's not. That's right, while every politician that can find the limelight bemoans the pitiful funding of public schools. The school board trustees that are supposed looking out for, the childlin' are spending two million dollars on astroturf. The Star-Telegram quotes Sue Harry, a member of the district's bond steering committee as saying, "We broke it down to the bare bones, it had no frills. And it was for safety, for education and to save the district money." Presumably the spokeslady said this with a straight face, though it's hard to imagine how.