How tough is the state budget crisis?

So tough that two usual allies -- the DFL and Education Minnesota, the teachers’ union --  are at big-time odds.

In a message to some of her Minnesota House colleagues late this afternoon, Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, the chair of the House K-12 education finance committee, blistered Tom Dooher, president of Education Minnesota, for his criticism of the House K-12 funding plan.

Wrote Greilling: “I am just incensed, as I’m sure you are, about the public statements made by ED MN President Tom Dooher about our House DFL education plan. Despite extreme angst about other budget cuts, many of our members, certainly including me, fought mightily to make our budget prioritize education. ... Does he not realize we are facing a $7.5 billion deficit, counting inflation, and that it was an amazing feat for us to still hold education harmless when we put forward a serious budget, unlike the Governor??!!’’

Greiling was referring to comments Dooher made to the media and posted on Education Minnesota’s website.

Dooher was critical of the House plan, which he says calls for “flat education funding’’ for the next four years. In the statement, Education Minnesota noted that the House plan differs from the Senate plan, which calls for a 7 percent reduction in K-12 education funding, and the plan forwarded by Gov. Tim Pawlenty that proposes “a modest K-12 funding increase, but mostly for Q Comp and test score improvement.’’

“Adusting for inflation, this (House) budget could result in kids getting less individual attention and fewer opportunities for learning over the next four years,’’ Dooher was quoted as saying on the website. “Coming on top of the cuts most districts are facing, this proposal is not helpful.”