Jackson Free Press

"I'm proud to say classrooms across Mississippi will receive more money this year than ever before in the history of our state. Republicans have made increased education funding, focused on putting more money in the classroom, a priority."

—Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves on the K-12 budget

Why it stinks: That ain't saying much considering that for a good portion of the state's history, a sizable number of people were enslaved and legally could not be educated or subjected to separate and unequal treatment under Jim Crow. Not to mention, the $100 million in "extra" funds Reeves is crowing about is still only about $200 million shy of the bare minimum schools need per the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.

To paraphrase Malcolm X, who said, "You don't stick a knife in a man's back nine inches and then pull it out six inches and say you're making progress," Republicans can't give schools one-third of the money they need and walk around with their chests out. And if that's a point of pride, Reeves and company—and the people who voted for them—need to do some soul searching.