flutterby,
Of course I didn't mean it. I thought the context of that statement told that but I'm sorry if it didn't. I was being a bit sarcastic I suppose. I hear people complaining all the time about their property taxes going up to pay for school levies and it tears our communitites apart with the bickering. And the loudest complaints come from those who can well afford it. They blame teachers outrageous (this is kidding too) salaries. My point was until we find a different way to fund our schools this kind of bickering will continue. But as of yet no one has been able to come up with a better way to fund our schools. Do we want more gvt funding? (better not get into that discussion).
We complain about school levies, we turn them down, busing stops, teachers are fired or laid off, art and music programs are discontinued, education begins to fail, our children fail. What is the alternative to property taxes? Should we charge tuition? I don't think so. I believe all children are entitled to a good education. But we don't want to pay what it costs to get a good education. It's not all about teachers salaries. It's also about technology in the classroom, innovative ways of teaching, more relevant curriculum, better facilities. It is becoming that society doesn't want to pay for anything anymore that doesn't directly contribute to their bottom line. We are loosing sight of the focus.
Perhaps we should require all parents to volunteer in the classroom, thus being able to discontinue aids and extra personnel in the school district and save money. But then you have parents who say they don't have time to volunteer. Even here on this board we hear comments about what goes on in school stays in school and the schools should handle it. I'm not pointing fingers, I don't know what the answer is. I do know there are a lot of parents who are not involved in their child's education. That has to change also. It is quite evident that all of us here are very involved. But that is not the case everywhere. In easy child's class there are children who don't even go to school if their parent(s) don't feel like sending them. I could tell you many stories about the difficulties teachers have motivating their students when they don't get the support of parents.
I don't think it's a matter of legislators standing around watching parents and teachers point the fingers at each other. It is a multi pronged problem that no one has the answer to and we don't have the desire or funding to find it.
Where do we think state funding comes from? We just change the cookie jar that the money comes out of.
I'm sorry I got off track. In answer to your question of course I wasn't serious, but that's what it will come down to if we don't find a better way. Our schools will continue to fail and only those who can afford private school tuition will succeed. I'm one who believes everyone is entitled to good quality health care but we see where that has gotten us.
Nancy
Of course I didn't mean it. I thought the context of that statement told that but I'm sorry if it didn't. I was being a bit sarcastic I suppose. I hear people complaining all the time about their property taxes going up to pay for school levies and it tears our communitites apart with the bickering. And the loudest complaints come from those who can well afford it. They blame teachers outrageous (this is kidding too) salaries. My point was until we find a different way to fund our schools this kind of bickering will continue. But as of yet no one has been able to come up with a better way to fund our schools. Do we want more gvt funding? (better not get into that discussion).
We complain about school levies, we turn them down, busing stops, teachers are fired or laid off, art and music programs are discontinued, education begins to fail, our children fail. What is the alternative to property taxes? Should we charge tuition? I don't think so. I believe all children are entitled to a good education. But we don't want to pay what it costs to get a good education. It's not all about teachers salaries. It's also about technology in the classroom, innovative ways of teaching, more relevant curriculum, better facilities. It is becoming that society doesn't want to pay for anything anymore that doesn't directly contribute to their bottom line. We are loosing sight of the focus.
Perhaps we should require all parents to volunteer in the classroom, thus being able to discontinue aids and extra personnel in the school district and save money. But then you have parents who say they don't have time to volunteer. Even here on this board we hear comments about what goes on in school stays in school and the schools should handle it. I'm not pointing fingers, I don't know what the answer is. I do know there are a lot of parents who are not involved in their child's education. That has to change also. It is quite evident that all of us here are very involved. But that is not the case everywhere. In easy child's class there are children who don't even go to school if their parent(s) don't feel like sending them. I could tell you many stories about the difficulties teachers have motivating their students when they don't get the support of parents.
I don't think it's a matter of legislators standing around watching parents and teachers point the fingers at each other. It is a multi pronged problem that no one has the answer to and we don't have the desire or funding to find it.
Where do we think state funding comes from? We just change the cookie jar that the money comes out of.
I'm sorry I got off track. In answer to your question of course I wasn't serious, but that's what it will come down to if we don't find a better way. Our schools will continue to fail and only those who can afford private school tuition will succeed. I'm one who believes everyone is entitled to good quality health care but we see where that has gotten us.
Nancy
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