California Forced To Lay Off 25,000 School Employees

goofyfish

goofyfish

Analog By Birth, Digital By Design
Valued Senior Member
Why can this nation find $75 billion for war but continue to cut money for our children’s education.
Across the state, 25,000 primary and secondary school teachers – 20 per cent of the total – have just been notified that they will be out of work from September.

In each of the state's 1,000-odd school districts, administrators are contemplating, reluctantly, the wholesale dismemberment of programs, from music to art to PE, as well as the dismissal of nurses, librarians and cleaners.

Class sizes, which were successfully reduced in the go-go 1990s to as low as 20 to 1 in the primary grades, look certain to expand again, with some scenarios suggesting 40 or 50 students per teacher in certain classes.

The reason for this is simple: the state is broke. Because of the depressed economy, the bursting of the dot-com bubble and a tax code that makes state revenues excessively reliant on personal incomes rather than property values or corporate profits, California is facing a $35bn (£22bn) budget shortfall this year. Education accounts for roughly half of state spending, so schools are where the pain is being felt first. (Full text here)
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I have no children, so perhaps I speak of what I do not know. But I believe more parents need to organize home schools. The can bring together 8-10 students, hire a teacher and pay his/her salary - I believe this form of education is becoming very popular on the Big Island, Hawaii. This country is supposed to be about opportunity, about having educational opportunities, no matter what family or ethnic background, or race, or socio-economic level into which you are born.

Those opportunities are quickly fading away.

:m: Peace.
 
Originally posted by goofyfish
Why can this nation find $75 billion for war but continue to cut money for our children’s education.
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Thats the same state that had a brown out because the govener can't handle money. Its not the federal goverments job to handle state schools.
 
Unfortunately, it is not just just that state. And, as education is provided for by federal mandate, they should absolutely be overseeing it, especially as it is failing at the state level. The fact that we can come up with the cash for a war, but financially ignore the kids puzzles me.

:m: Peace.
 
I don't think you can blame it on any single administration, as the deterioration has been going on for years. The blame has to lie squarely in the lap of a public who allows this to happen.

:m: Peace.
 
gross misallocation of funds is indeed disturbing.. its quite appalling actually considering education is taking the blow... many ppl are resortin to home education... something to think about..
 
It has become apparent to me that the US educational system is a subtle form of brainwashing. The kind of brainwashing that is so institutionalized that nobody really questions it or acknowledges it. How else can you explain that the system doesn’t teach kids about scams to avoid, the importance of avoiding excessive or high-interest debt, how to read between the lines in the news? Or whether the brand name detergent is really any better than the cheaper generic? How come none of my teachers talked about what does liberal mean and what is conservative and politics at all? We know the answer but is the answer really that easy? How come compassion and mercy and tips for a happy marriage are not subjects? Aren’t they important enough topics not be left to parents & religions to botch or manipulate? Are they really less important than the year Lincoln died?

As it relates to this thread, what I’m getting at is that education is under-funded and focuses on pro-business topics for the purpose of keeping kids mostly in the dark, so they’ll work hard and waste their money or fight offensive wars believing they’re doing good and so on. In short, so they’ll happily work or even give their life for the benefit of others who would use them.
 
One more thing: California might not be laying off any teachers now if it weren’t for the Great Energy Giveaway there of the late 1990s. Something between $10 and $20 billion as I recall went to Enron and others who lobbied for years to get energy deregulated so they could rape the state. CA took the bait. It was corruption in the main, and the brownouts were simple extortion. That’s something I’ll hammer into my son: don’t live in a state with excessive graft, since the price will be paid one way or another.
 
goofy to me your idea makes me sad that it would have to go that way, the ultimate private schools:(

where only the VERY ritch get an education worth it

in australia the states look after all primary and secondry education as well as the tafe system (the vic gov keeps trying to give that bit to the fedaral gov every year)

the comonwealth looks after uni, and aprentiships

we feel that its a RIGHT for EVERY person to have an education regardless of wealth

unfortunatly the fed goverment doesnt see it that way and gives every uni student a loan rather than paying for it like they did for my parents

at least you dont have to pay it back till u earn over a certain amount of money a year (then it comes out of your taxs like the medicare levi)

but surly education is the MOST important thing a goverment can spend money on, more education the more they get paid, the more money the goverment can tax, cutting education is a discrace
 
zanket

you poor thing

-issues (as its called here) is required to year 12, its part of the english units
-politics is a unit in year 10 (also offered at VCE)
-consumer infomation is also in year 10 (replaces history and geography) and is continued into VCE along with bussiness management and accounting
-sex education starts in grade 6 and life education (forget its real name, it includes just say no sort of stuff, what to do if ur abused the kids help line ect) is right threw primary school
-health (part of the PE units) which includes info on contreceptives, relationships ect runs right to year 10 and is continuded in a VCE unit on child birth and raising

unfortunatly most of this stuff is droped at year 10 because there are more important things to do in VCE but the options are there
 
Asguard - I'm envious. When I visited Sydney it was soon apparent that Australia is more civilized than the US.
 
Government Logic

Government Logic is:

an oxymoron

Sending the dimmest individual to do the job of an intelligent one

Booting a compitent person so that a chimp can do their work

Taking money used to educate "dumb" kids to build "smart" bombs

Preaching against so called "cults" yet instilling their beliefs through school vouchers and religion owned jails

saying "you're with us or against us" in a free nation

The Patriot act

Making a certain medicinal plant illegal:m:

Saying that said plant is anti-American, while the founding fathers grew it

The whole "One nation under god" crap

Giving more money to rich schools because they "work harder and do better on the CSAP test"

Saying atheists can't be Americans when the entire country was based on religious freedom

The Government is full of shit, your only options are to act lobotomized like everyone else or rebel. The US has become somewhat totalatarian.
 
It's the scool system

When you pay $15K+ per student per year the costs add up.

It may sound stone age, but when I went to school, teachers were not afraid to flunk you, no drug tests, pregnant students were uncommon, no metal detectors, no school psycologists, the Principal's word was THE LAW, and one central superintendant ran the entire school system and he/she was only accountable to the school board.

CA has security officers with metal detectors, 2-3 school psycologists, a legal department, 2-4 assistant principals, dual school curriculum (English and Hispanic - English should be the only one), no student or parent accountability, and mostly SPINELESS administrators (too many to count).

CA need to return to the KISS principal (KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID). Parochial schools work. They do not conform to CalWeenie standards (as you can see, I am not a CA fan, too expensive and too fake). The teachers care about the students (not to say all CA public teachers are self centered and are there to collect a paycheck). The Padre will visit the family if problems arise. If the lawyers butt in, send a couple of the Boys-from-the-Hood to visit and give them a reality check.

I do feel sorry for the people losing their jobs. It's time time to move on and out and find a better living. The education field is wide open.

Stick to the basics. Math, science, English, social studies (NOT LIFESTYLE CHOICES), geography, and accurate history (not the PC crap they peddle in enlightened academian circles). If a kid can't cut the real world, give him a trade. No matter what happens, we still need carpenters, ironworkers, office workers and transporters (loaders, routers, and drivers).
 
to the above

all the rest we DONT have hear but when i was at school we had a wellfare officer (one of the teachers with extra training) and between the 3 schools we had a shrink and a social worker, plus threw the department they had access to heeps more if it was ever needed

in year 9 a girl in the year below me jumped in front of a train
in year 10 a friend of mine was found hanging from a bridge on the way everyone comes to school

needless to say the invesment in the shrink was SO worth it and im not being sarcastic

as soon as that happened they brought in workers from the department, the shrink ect and they were all avalable to anyone, parents, students and staff for as long as they were needed
 
When you pay $15K+ per student per year the costs add up
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**Jaw drops** That's more than double what a "Blue Ribbon" New Jersey school gets per student. But those metal detectors and a legal department (!WoW! another stunner) are some differences.

My school is having a budget "crisis" (nothing compared to California though). We are around 25 students per classroom, and the parents, as well as the BOE [board o' education], are stating the school is overcrowded. The principal recently came to one of my classes to hear and discuss any issues the students had [she does this rarely because unlike most of the staff, she actually does her job and has little time to spare]. The overcrowding issue came up and her worst case scenario was that the school would have to use trailers to house some classes.

The BOE is trying to grab a $30,000 grant from the state's pool of money for schools to build ANOTHER high-tech addition. This school is too worried about not having a computer available for every 2 students, being networked, and representing a shining example of a what a school should be. They are taking $30,000 which should be going to a school that has more than 30 students per class, few computers, and old crappy desks! The principal then said that if they didn't the $30,000...the amount available would decrease because other schools would be grabbing at the pool of State money. Although the situation in New Jersey is caused by a different situation, the overlaying topics are connected.....

.....In California money meant for educating becomes money meant for ensuring security and creating a politically correct environment. In New Jersey a pool of money meant for schools in need becomes a free-4-all-grab-'em-quick game, to uphold the image and integrity of a school and it's district. You can see where the money for educating has gonefdasd.
 
Total scool expenses

The Feds kick in ~$10K per kid, the states vary ~3K+ per kid and the locals, the sky's the limit. Just look at your property taxes... Between all parties involved (i.e. school admin and up - teachers have NO horse in this race) a majority of the money is pissed away on crappy expenses and boondogles for admin types. Common sense goes out the window and too many leaches have attached them selves to the education elephant. Just as lawyers (speaking of leaches - I'm sorry, didn't mean to 'dis the leach species - Seriously there are some good lawyers out there) provide pro bono work for indigents, professionals should do the same for the local schools. It makes good publicity and it makes YOU feel good. Business, engineering, and medical professionals could conduct class in real life experiences. How many times did you ask yourself - What does this crap I'm learning have to do with the real world? Professionals could tell you and possibly make it fun. If they can't teach a class, be a tutor.:cool:
 
Originally posted by Krassos
Dubya's the edumacatiofication(go ahead try to pronounce it) president.
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he doesn't quite understand edumacatiofication so he doesn't know why anyone else needs it.
 
is it that much? it was 10K when i was in school. we paid 5K to my private school and it was infinitely better. i don't get how they can take so much more money and deliver such an inferior education.
 
Originally posted by goofyfish
Why can this nation find $75 billion for war but continue to cut money for our children’s education. I have no children, so perhaps I speak of what I do not know. But I believe more parents need to organize home schools. The can bring together 8-10 students, hire a teacher and pay his/her salary - I believe this form of education is becoming very popular on the Big Island, Hawaii. This country is supposed to be about opportunity, about having educational opportunities, no matter what family or ethnic background, or race, or socio-economic level into which you are born.

Those opportunities are quickly fading away.

:m: Peace.
Click to expand...

How can the state of California lack the funds to keep school employees and still have enough to provide social services for illegal aliens?
 
I belive the average spending in NY on a student ranges from 10,000 to 5,000 in more urban areas. This msy sound stupid but why not let private buisness enter in and spend some money by advertising in schools. That's what they did in my High School but to very little extent though. For example let Mcdonalds do buisness in public schools....sure that fuels the already escalating problem of obeseity in childern but what would you rather take - Stupid fat kids or average educated fat kids or smart fat kids.
 
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