So Tell Me How You Really Feel, Sharon

Let me say point blank before I go forth with this post: In my personal opinion, cuts to educational funding should be considered a criminal act. No, I am not kidding, and yes, I feel that strongly about it.

The children of today are the future leaders of tomorrow. To be perfectly honest, even with adequate funding and available resources, there are still academic concerns surrounding such things as AYP and The No Child Left Behind Act. Cutting funds is certainly not the answer to this, or any other existing problems. How can a teacher be held responsible for a child's progress when they aren't provided with the tools to do so? I don't pretend to know the answer when it comes to resolving these and other concerns. What I do know is that if there is any hope of this ever being resolved, the money needs to be there. The feds have one heck of a nerve, if you ask me requiring such things anyway, unless they are willing to back it up with some cold, hard cash.

For anyone to even accuse the higher-ups at a school of being wasteful is not only ignorant, it's plain and simple not true. I not only have students in the school system, but am an active volunteer who actually sees, with my own two eyes how resourceful and creative school administrators and teachers can be, and in some cases have to be, in order to provide an appropriate education with the materials they have. Honestly? People who make accusations like that need only to go to the schools and see how wrong they are.

Yes, an override is needed. I think that the cutting of 36 positions, resulting in large class sizes and limited supplies more than justifies it. Does anyone really think the superintendent is making this up? If the override doesn't pass, you go to the schools next year and see for yourself. Maybe it is a form of theft, but, it's a legal one and I don't see anyone coming up with any better ideas. I'm sorry, but I think it is pathetically sad that someone wouldn't be willing to spend an extra $260 a year to support the future of the world. Further, we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with if someone, somewhere didn't screw up to begin with. I seriously doubt jeopardizing the education of the children will prevent this from happening again. No, I am not pointing fingers. Mistakes though, were undoubtedly made and even if those who made them are long gone, the children of today shouldn't suffer the consequences. It's just wrong.

If my landlord decided to raise the rent to cover the cost of the tax increase, I would gladly pay it. There is nothing more important than educating the children of today to provide for a better tomorrow. Nothing.

On a related note, it pisses me off to no end that people can make all kinds of judgements and accusations without having actually stepped foot in the school building to see what really goes on, not just what they think goes on. I assure you, what they think and what really is are two totally different things.

By the way, I too have serious doubts that the override will pass. So why bother, you might say? Well, because some one has to show the kids that can have a voice too, even if it is through their parents for now.