Taken straight from Haley Barbour's website:

Fund Teachers/Education
My budget eliminates the proposed additional cuts to Universities and Community Colleges – which have been slashed over one hundred million dollars in recent years while their student population has increased. This proposal was the largest spending increase in my budget. As for kindergarten through 12th grade, I accepted the funding level unanimously recommended by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. It specifically included money for next year's teacher pay raise, as did my budget. I believe funding for education must continue to be the top funding priority of state government. That is why I am committed to working with the Legislature to find more money for K-12 education.

Contact your legislature!

Call Your Legislator at 601-359-3770
Mississippians have to make responsible choices when they budget around their kitchen tables. It’s time state government learned to do that, too. I hope you'll support me on no new taxes, on controlling spending, on using honest budgeting and on setting priorities like education. If we do these things, Mississippi will do better for years to come.

Oh Mr. Barbour.....

Mr. Barbour,

I am requesting an explanation; an explanation concerning the serious cutbacks in the amount of teachers in my area.  I live in the Lamar/Forrest county area and my wife will graduate college with an elementary education degree in May.  I have worked my butt off so she didn't have to and could put all of her energy into finishing school.  We have a 13 month little boy that she takes care of and is my inspiration for wanting to finish school.  We planned on her working as a teacher in August so I could go to school full time and work part time.  Now, thanks to your cutbacks, that cannot happen.  She will have put 5 years into college, only to be told that she can't get a job in her field because education isn't as important as you claim it to be.

Here's what you can do for me.  You can do exactly what your proclamations say.  You can "believe funding education must continue to be the top funding priority of state government."  How can you justify cutting back over 300 teaching positions in my area?  On one hand you claim to "work hard to find money for K-12 education" and then on the other cut a huge number of teaching positions.  This sounds like something John Kerry would do, not Haley Barbour.  I read and hear constantly about the abhorrent pay raises that our Legislature is passing for judges and other administrators and I can't help but become outraged when I see these very well paid officials getting MY wife's salary!  Come on!  Let's be reasonable!  The money is there Mr. Barbour.  If you REALLY are dedicated to "finding money" take a look around; the money is just being used for the wrong purpose. 

It should come as no surprise to you to learn that, the mostly Republican, teachers that help vote you into office are regretting their vote. I have spoken with several of them and they keep coming back to how much Ronnie Musgrove valued education.  I want to defend you because I believe you can be a great governor and take our state to entirely new levels, but you are making it very difficult to be honest.  Please take all of this into consideration and re-evaluate your educational budget.  Thank you for your time.