Texas school districts may be laying off teachers and screaming at the state for cutting their cash, but at least one district has no problem coughing up $100,000 for some professional public relations work.

The cheery story from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram calls attention to the Arlington school district’s recent approval of the six-figure deal to BrandEra, a Fort Worth marketing operation.

It also cites a non-profit called Friends of Public Schools, which had revenue of $61,000 in 2010, according to its tax form. Among the leaders of Friends is, naturally, a PR fellow named Scott Milder. The board is composed of flacks of area schools and various professionals.

The pay at Arlington for a starting teacher fresh out of school is $45,876. In spring 2011, the Arlington school board rejected a plan to pay a $2,500 incentive to teachers to retire or resign in lieu of being laid off.

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Contact Steve Miller at 832-303-9420 or stevemiller@texaswatchdog.org.

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