Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer angers education groups

The education interests that sued the state over school funding may change their legal tune next week, following comments on the issue by Gov. Brian Schweitzer that one official called "atrocious."

School groups are up in arms over comments by Schweitzer that the $71 million funding boost provided by December’s special legislative session put an end to the school finance lawsuit, and that the education community shouldn’t expect a funding "super-highway" in next year’s session.

"The lawsuit did go away," the governor told The Daily Inter Lake. "We have a legally defensible case if they were to take us back to court. I am confident we have addressed the relevant factors in the plaintiffs’ claims."

Education leaders said the governor has told them otherwise, and that the issue is far from over.

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