Long rant... school budget cuts.

[brainman1000]

I always find this subject to be very interesting. First, you have the debate about parents vs. teachers for taking the blame for failing students. Next, you have the debate of sports vs. arts when it comes to budget cuts. Last, you have the debate of money management within the educational system.

When it comes to the academic success of the students, I feel that the blame chain goes parents, students, then teachers. If the student doesn't have proper motivation and support at home, they will not take education seriously. They will look at it as something they don't want to do and will not take it seriously. There is nothing the teacher can do about the students once they leave the classroom.

The education system has become a popularity contest when it comes to budget cuts. Math, science, english, and other core curriculum are viewed as necessary subjects and will never be eliminated. Sports are very popular, so they will be the last to be eliminated. The arts are considered electives, so they are 'logically' the primary choice for making cuts. My argument is that the arts inspire creativity, thought, innovation, and progress. Without those things our society will stagnate and fail to progress.

These issues do not only occur in grade school. There are now similar issues popping up in higher education. Just this week here in Vegas, it was announced that of the top 20 most expensive departments at UNLV, there is a potential that 7 to 10 of those departments could be eliminated. Click here to see the list of departments that could be eliminated. Now, this doesn't mean that a student wouldn't be able to go to another school to get degrees from those areas of study, but just the fact that some people think that the answer to solving educational budget problems is to teach fewer things is quite scary.

The future of our nation and world as a whole depends on the education we provide our kids. That includes the education they receive at home and at school. If we fail to educate our children, then our grandchildren will have no future.

[BPelizabeth]

I totally agree with you Brainman!!! It is really unfortunate that the US school system...at least the public school, is so far behind the power curve with other schools in the world. And we seem to sweep it under the rug and continue to allow our states to cut funding. It boggles my mind why cuts to education even happen. This is our future....these ppl are going to take care of us when we are old... UGH!!!!!! I also agree with the parents being the biggest part of the problem in most cases. I see it all too often with my classes. I had a parent tell me that they think homework is bolonga and it is the teachers responsibility to teach everything. (this was someone that worked in the shool system) You can totally tell which parent helps the kid with homework and which does not. Which parent helps practicing spelling .....and which does not. We have several kids in class that within a 3 week period are missing up to 30 assignments. We always run a missing assignment report...pull the assignments and send a packet home to their parents with their current failing grades. We maybe get 1/2 back. Now we know which kids to send it home to their parents and which to send to study hall to complete as the parents will not supervise and ensure they complete. This is only second grade.... Oye if my child ever pulled that ....he would loose everything and be grounded for oh I dunno....the rest of his life!!!! lol

[dsirkle]

I would assume that laws prevent the cutting of Special education. I doubt that is even an option for them. I would assume that test scores that affect the School budget would come from Math and Science classes. I would assume that the School District is on the hook for pension benefits with this 60+ year old teacher and to retain you, an employee for a mere 4 months would not be cost effective. In a time that Municipalities are struggling to survive with falling revenue from residential Property taxes from homes having dropping reassessments and businesses closing right and left I find your viewpoint rather naive. I doubt that quality education is a serious consideration in any but the most affluent school districts in which private money can subsidize the local school budget. Simple survival is the order of the day.

[Blue Apple Herps]

When it comes to the academic success of the students, I feel that the blame chain goes parents, students, then teachers. If the student doesn't have proper motivation and support at home, they will not take education seriously. They will look at it as something they don't want to do and will not take it seriously. There is nothing the teacher can do about the students once they leave the classroom.

Couldn't agree more!! It was because of my parents that I made it through a couple of classes in high school where I had terrible and lousy teachers.

The education system has become a popularity contest when it comes to budget cuts. Math, science, english, and other core curriculum are viewed as necessary subjects and will never be eliminated. Sports are very popular, so they will be the last to be eliminated. The arts are considered electives, so they are 'logically' the primary choice for making cuts. My argument is that the arts inspire creativity, thought, innovation, and progress. Without those things our society will stagnate and fail to progress.

On the flip side, sports build teamwork, leadership, discipline, hard work, can give a school a sense of pride (don't underestimate that one), and other skills that are necessary for a functional society. But I still think that too much $$$ is thrown at sports and too little at the arts and other programs.

[MustBeSatan]

All I can think is; hey America, how's that TRILLION dollar a year Military budget treating you.

If educating children in your own country was as important as being able to blow up children in other countries, you'd all be so educated that... uh... well it would be much harder to make fun of Americans.

No offence meant, of course .

[BPelizabeth]

All I can think is; hey America, how's that TRILLION dollar a year Military budget treating you.

If educating children in your own country was as important as being able to blow up children in other countries, you'd all be so educated that... uh... well it would be much harder to make fun of Americans.

No offence meant, of course .

Ugh.....are you kidding me. Im just gonna leave this one for skiploader or disirkle. But I will leave you with the fact that my husband spent 24 years serving this country and giving you the right to say crap like that. I personally AM very very offended by that remark.

[WingedWolfPsion]

What's to be offended by? The amount we spend on our military is disgusting. It's not that we don't need one, it's just that we spend TOO MUCH on it. There's so much money, people are PLAYING with it--the military has heaps of equipment it does not and never will need. What it does need, it spends more than necessary on. It's bloated, wasteful, and it's a complete disgrace that it receives more money than education. Protecting the country is important--but it's equally as important as educating the country, not MORE so.

You can be in the military and still disagree with the budgeting choices. This country's priorities are SEVERELY broken.
The part that gets me is that virtually any person you ask will tell you they want more money to be put toward education. So why isn't it happening?

[MustBeSatan]

Ugh.....are you kidding me. Im just gonna leave this one for skiploader or disirkle. But I will leave you with the fact that my husband spent 24 years serving this country and giving you the right to say crap like that. I personally AM very very offended by that remark.

I'm not kidding you.

I'm not disrespecting anyone who serves in the military... But I don't see any need to spend $1,000,000,000,000+ dollars a year on a military. Somehow, I have a feeling some budget trimming could be done there without sacrificing anything in the way of national security.

Saying the US spends too much on their military is completely different from saying anything bad about anyone in the military, I hope you don't think I am grouping those two things together, because I'm really not.

My point is, while the US government pumps billions into military research and development, the public education system has to make massive cuts that include CRITICAL skills like English. Not to mention that something like 30 Million Americans live under the poverty line. How much sense does it make to continue spending millions on individual missiles, when children in your own country can't eat three meals a day?

In any case, I hope you see that I wasn't insulting anyone in the military.

[brainman1000]

On the flip side, sports build teamwork, leadership, discipline, hard work, can give a school a sense of pride (don't underestimate that one), and other skills that are necessary for a functional society. But I still think that too much $$$ is thrown at sports and too little at the arts and other programs.

That is very true. Sports do have their educational qualities, but whenever budget cuts are mentioned it is always the arts programs that are targeted first and not the sports programs. It's all about priorities.

All I can think is; hey America, how's that TRILLION dollar a year Military budget treating you.

If educating children in your own country was as important as being able to blow up children in other countries, you'd all be so educated that... uh... well it would be much harder to make fun of Americans.

No offence meant, of course .

I actually have to agree with you. Again, it is all about priorities.

[BPelizabeth]

Really so this isn't offensive to anyone.....and I should go ....oh yea my hubby he does that.

Quote - "If educating children in your own country was as important as being able to blow up children in other countries"
No that should not be offensive at all.

I suppose the military should tell all of the companies that make this over inflated priced stuff that assists in trying to keep our soldiers safe to give them a discount???? Really ....so now the government should step in and mandate prices of other companies. Listen...raytheon and the other companies are not in it for the good of the US. They are in this to make money....and yes..they have competitors. You have NO IDEA what goes into making some of the equipment that the military buys and the endless testing that it has to go through. And just how much that testing costs. Why does the tests cost so much....because it takes so many analysts...and test engineers and etc. to make sure that the millions that the government is going to put into this piece of equipment will actually be worth it.

Are you suggesting they cut corners on testing and spending money that can diffuse an IED that will potentially save a soldiers life. Or better yet...maybe they should just scrap a system that will funnel all of the intel into one place so that it is shared by all agencies instead of having to go to 18 different places to get it. Better yet lets not come up with anything that will stop a nuclear warhead from hitting us when the crazies like Korea shoot them off.

UGh!!

Does the military spend allot...yes they do...but unless you want someone on our shores...we better remain cutting edge. Not to mention many enlisted are still severly underpaid. Would you go to Iraq and risk your life and leave your family for 15 months for 30K? Yea...I probably know the answer to that. So unless you really know what you are talking about and you have experience with what this money is really spent on ....and not just pulling something out of your butt.....I suggest you do your research.