From: John Cuccia 

Her action was the equivalent of you telling United Way that you'll
contribute, but only if they spend your contribution on products your wife
sells.

On Thu, 23 Mar 2006 21:51:11 -0500, "Mark"
 wrote:

>I'm not familiar with "Ignite" is it a bad program or
something, or does it
>work well to help students learn?
>
>"Rich Gauszka"  wrote in message
news:44235d63{at}w3....
>> Propping up Neil Bush while calling it charity
>>
>> http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/14170174.htm
>>
>> Barbara Bush earmarked Katrina donation for son's company
>> HOUSTON - Former first lady Barbara Bush gave relief money to the
>> Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund on the condition that it be spent to buy
>> educational software from her son Neil's company.
>>
>> A spokesman for former president George H.W. Bush would not disclose the
>> amount earmarked for purchases from Ignite Learning.
>>
>> Since Barbara Bush's gift, the Ignite Learning program has been given to
>> eight public schools with high numbers of Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
>>
>> "Mrs. Bush wanted to do something specifically for education and
>> specifically for the thousands of students flooding into the Houston
>> schools," said Jean Becker, the former president's chief of staff.
>>
>> Barbara Bush chose to promote Ignite because she supports her son and has
>> genuine enthusiasm for his company's program, Becker said.
>>
>> Former presidents Bush and Clinton founded the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund
>> to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina, which slammed the Gulf
>> Coast in August.
>>
>> Becker would not say the total amount of money the Bushes have given to
>> the fund, but said only the Ignite portion is specifically earmarked.
>>
>> Two years ago, the Houston school district board wrestled with conflict of
>> interest concerns over the Ignite program. Neil Bush had helped raise
>> $115,000 for the district's philanthropic fund from donors who insisted
>> the money be spent on his company's software.
>>
>> The district accepted the donations and used them to pay half the costs of
>> new Ignite software, which cost $10,000 per school.
>>
>> Currently, Houston public schools use 15 Ignite programs and the Houston
>> area has 40 programs, said company president Ken Leonard.
>>
>> Neil Bush founded the Austin-based company in 1999.
>>
>>
>

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