Gubernatorial independent candidate Kinky Friedman encouraged about 200 students, faculty and community members to vote early in a speech Thursday in Smith Entrepreneurs Hall, where he said being politically correct is not his focus.”There’s something more important than being politically correct,” he said. “It’s being morally correct.”

Friedman talked about his education policy, which he said includes increasing teachers’ salaries and having corporations sponsor high school sports programs. He also said he wants to legalize gambling and invest the money earned into public schools.

“Day one, I’m opening up the two Indian casinos,” he said, “and I’m closing the two horse slaughtering plants that are shipping meat over to India.”

He also said he wants to get rid of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test because it is limiting education and sending away teachers.

“No great teacher can teach the TAKS test,” Friedman said. “People need someone to tell people that you have a booger on your nose, and TAKS is a booger on Perry’s nose.”

Friedman said he wants to allow prayer back in school.

“What’s wrong with a kid believing in something?” he said.

As for healthcare, Friedman said he wants to restore funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which was cut in 2003.

By 2020, Friedman said he wants 20 percent of Texas’ electricity derived from renewable sources.

“Farmers need to set up biodiesel stations all over the state,” he said. “Willie Nelson’s bus runs on vegetable oil and the prices never go up on that.”

Andrea Vasilo, a senior radio-TV-film major, was one of the students who crowded into the room to hear Friedman speak.

“I wanted to educate myself on his platform because I don’t know much,” she said.