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On the Board now is Thomas Ratliff. Mr. Ratliff is a lobbyist for Microsoft and has been for many years. The SBOE often pushes electronic devices for public schools. Recently, Microsoft has been given the contract to put their product in the Houston ISD schools. They will make millions of dollars. Does anyone else see this as a conflict of interest?

Donna Garner has courageously waged a campaign to remove Mr. Ratliff from his position. The AG has determined that he is on the Board illegally, and yet, there he still sits!

Here is a comment I made in response to Mr. Ratliff's article in the Houston Chronicle:

marymcgarr

1:49 PM on June 16, 2011

Thomas! I'm not buying your plea for more money for "education." Your part time job as a lobbyist tells me that you'd like to get more money for your clients!

As for returning our schools, I believe it was your father, Senator Bill Ratliff, who sold out our schools in 1995 in Senate Bill 1 and took away "local control."

Not everyone has forgotten yet.

You don't belong on the SBOE, and you sure shouldn't be writing editorials like you know anything at all about education!

Go peddle your wares in some other state.

Thomas_Ratliff

2:44 PM on June 16, 2011

Mary,

First, I have no clients in the education industry. I have no financial interest in public education, period.

Second, my father and Governor Bush worked together to RETURN local control by eliminating many requirements in the Education Code. You're just flat wrong. Oh, by the way, I'm not my father.

Third, 260,000+ voters in my district decided I do belong on the SBOE.

[Mr. Ratliff is a registered lobbyist for Microsoft.]