Friday, April 7, 2017

Don’t Blame if You’re NOT Going to Fund!



Watching the news the other evening one of the lead stories I saw was about the failing schools in our state in comparison to other states and countries. The story went on to imply that the schools were responsible for our students failing.  Legislators even took a stab at the teachers implying that teachers were not doing their jobs. As an educator this was disturbing knowing the hours teachers put into their planning for their students.

Later in the broadcast these same news anchors were reporting on the state budget and sharing the proposed cuts to the state’s education funding.  Million dollar cuts! As I listen they showed interviews of legislators explaining we are just spending too much money on education and to balance the budget, cuts would have to come in the Department of Education.

What comes first the chicken or the egg? If you are not going to fund education then don’t blame the schools for not doing their job because of low performance scores. There is a reason the ride in the Cadillac is smoother and quieter than the ride in the Chevy Cruz. People who bought the Cadillac paid for the technology and engineering  to make that ride smoother and quieter.  Those who chose the Chevy Cruz received a dependable car that provided them good transportation.

Wake up lawmakers! You can’t pass regulations without support. Educating our youth is expensive if you want all schools to be preforming at high levels. You can’t cut funding and expect high-performing schools. There is a significant difference when the teacher to student ratio is lower. Teachers are able to have more contact with each student and provide specific support for their success. This has been supported through research. Buildings and materials are just as important for schools to be successful.


If you kill the chicken for dinner, don’t expect eggs in the morning.

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