Ruler.  Pencil.  Globe.  Peach schnapps.

Every once and a while (read: whenever you really want to look close enough) you can find a state law or loophole that makes so little sense you could spend the rest of the day scratching the top of your head.  No one ever said laws and their loopholes had to be logical and far too often they just plain aren't.

Big ups this morning, though, to Representative Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy), who just found a whopper and has introduced legislation to fix it.

Under Public Act 451 of 1976, MCL 380.1814 as added by PA 417 of 2004 (*deep breath*), Michigan school districts are permitted to spend tax dollars on booze, jewelry, gifts and to pay golf fees for teachers, administrators and anyone else under the sun.  

That sort of rubbed Knollenberg the wrong way.

"The use of public funds - your tax dollars - should not be taken lightly," he said. "Your hard-earned money should not be spent on items that don't improve education."

And then after he said it he did something about it.  The Representative yesterday announced the creation of House Bill 4666, a fix designed to preserve the right of schools to offer rewards like plaques and trophies but making sure nobody's passing out bottles of hard liquor.  

Intermediate school districts have been living by these common sense rules for years but other public districts were loop-holed out of mandatory compliance.  And while one would assume that the vast majority of districts have never even considered giving their teachers a Christmas gift of Jack and Coke, I've got a sneaking suspicion that these folks are just as human as every run-of-the-mill businessman and that there are a few educators running around out there with lower golf handicaps than they had in the past, courtesy of your tax dollars.  

"If we are serious about reforming government and improving education, every measure we take must center on getting more dollars into the classroom," Knollenberg said. "It's no wonder Michigan schools are failing when we allow them to spend our money on jewelry, golf or gifts."

House Bill 4666 has been referred to the House Education Committee for their consideration.  I've got a sneaking suspicion House Democrats are going to make sure it dies there.  But props, in the meantime, to Representative Knollenberg and his twenty cosponsors, each of them Republicans.