school funds going down

[AniamL]

Wrong person again. That was AlbinoLime.

[The_Q]

Y'know, I'm starting to get seriously confused at you crazy people.

Q

[The_Q]

I know, I know...don't bump old thread. I just want to see if someone else cares. I certainly do. That's why I'm bumping...but you probably already knew that...dammit.

Q

[themanwithsauce]

ok, my pervious post was more of a vent but im seriously upset at the cutting of school funds. Where my district's cut funds are going, I dont care. I'm in the most advanced program for the gifted/talented academically my district offers. When I first signed up for this program, we were told that our funds would never get cut, we'd always have plenty of supplies, and the program would remain in operation for many years. Most of the above statements are false or will be false in the near future. We have to cut back on paper use at the building we go to for half the day, the other half of the day is spent at our home high schools, id expect paper conservation there but there's only about 130 people in the building at any given time using paper so it seems kind of pointless to me. Not to mention the omany fun things our class wont experience because of the budget cuts- biology used to do this big class project where the whole class made a skeleton with organs and muscles of a human out of colored rice krispies treats. We wont get to due to budget cuts. And if the budget cut plan continues, there will be nothing special about the program and thus, it will die. A pity really, its a great program and there should be at least one for every district. Even if its hosted in the home high school, these programs and other extra curricular activities are what makes school...bearable. With how little our district is spending on teachers and rennovations, the brand new building with some of the best trained teachers is a real nice incentive to go. Im still venting a bit and probably going on a bit too long about this but still, if our mostly quiet community needed to cut funds from somewhere, why the schools? We have plenty of cops, probably too many, their cracking down hard on the most trivial of crimes (its not a bad thing, its just that there's a cop on every corner)we have too many of them so a reduction of the police force would be better

[rtt7]

At least in my district the problem is never been funding, it's allocation.

Schools are government run, which naturally implies that they are inefficient. They throw monies into areas that will not benefit society and then don't have enough left over to help students that really could have a large impact upon there world.

Take for example, special education.

Disclaimer:
It is not my intent to in any way shape or form degrade those whose physical or mental capabilities label them as "special ed." They are, for the most part, great people. I've been privilaged to call many of them friends and suprised that most of them agree with this theory.

It cost the state many times more to put a special education child through the public education system than a "mainstream" student. The fact that we throw so much money at children that have no real academic future is a hinderance to the education of many. We have choosen to educate everyone, even those who cannot comprehend it, as opposed to giving those who will grasp it the best education possible.

I do not call for an elitest public education system where only the top 5% are given the opportunity to better themselves, I am mearly suggesting that a Freshman should be able to read.

This is just one example.

Everywhere you look there are inspirational bannners and signs that cost hundreds of dollars to print, and yet art and music are cut again and again.

In short, as this is entirely too long and I am sure you all grow tired of the rant, it is not a lack of money, but dire mismanagement of resources that cripple our schools today.

[themanwithsauce]

Speaking of mismanagement and special education students, a few years ago in my junior high, we had the special ed students cleaning the lunchroom everyday before the rest of us ate. Yet cleaning the luchroom is considered a form of punishment if you break a lunchroom rule.

while I do think that children with mental disabilities should have a seperate learning environment, what they are making them do seems almost degrading. Seriously, are we that strapped for cash that the sepcial ed kids are forced to do what a janitor won't? And our janitor probably could too, the funds were just taken from the cleaning budget and put into some other program like the school spirit parties that no one wants to go to. Or better still, we have student run video announcements every morning, however it has become more like sportscenter in the fact that they barely report on anything school related and just focus on sporting events around the globe. What a waste if you ask me.

Ah, the public school system- free learning for all...what a grand plan. Unfortunately, government greed and knowledge (or lack thereof) has made such a perfect solution to education needs seem like hell to those of us in it. Not all are this bad and most are pretty good but still, if one district can make it work why won't the rest make at least an effort before giving up and cutting the budget.

[The_Q]

Yes it could have. It isn't the government's fault that the people aspire towards 100% literacy (although I don't see why). Why should we blame them for giving us our money back? My only concern is spending money on those "school spirit" things that no one goes to. There's logic behind spending more on them, but I don't see why it's all necessary.

If you ask me, I think we should make education fees, instead of the average tax on everyone. It'll work kind of like a tax on the smart people and it works specifically for them. What happens is at the end of each academic year, all the kids get their scores (grades) assesed by the school. The school gives kids with the highest 20% of scores a chance for the "honors" program, but it costs extra. Don't worry about other people paying for it, it's only for those who wish to learn (or their parents wish them to learn.) and everyone's taxes will be lowered by it. Again, only the smart ones get the education fee for the better classes. This is not a garunteed method of doing things, though. I'm sure there will be more slackers that manage to make it in, but at least they're failing the classes at their own expense, not others. What happens if a family can't afford the fee? Naturally, the price would be lowered, maybe halved, but there shouldn't be too much slack given to these people or eventually the program will have too many people that shouldn't be in it at all.

All this really does is get rid of the redistribution and benefit the smart kids more. How does it benefit to the dumber ones? They'll get jobs from the smart ones later on in life.

Remember, this is only a basic outline, and I'm not to sure it'll work all that well. I had another far fetched idea earlier in this thread (volunteer teachers only) but this seems slightly more, shall we say, sane?

And about the special ed kids doing the janitor's work. I honestly don't see a reason not to do it, as long as the other kids don't see. If they are helping the school out and helping themselves at the same time, I don't see why not. It does sound wrong, but only because they are treated differently. What you were asking is that they be treated the same, even though they work in a different place with different people in a different way. That makes little sense to me. But then again, it's me.

Q