From: "Rich Gauszka" 

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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