Dear Arnold Schwarzenegger

[gypsywitch]

After 9.8 Billion in cuts to publice schools and after our Govenor absolutely promised that he would not cut the state school budget...

another 2.3 Billion in cuts is on the way.

We're not talking hundreds of thousands or even millions. TWO BILLION !

The Govenor is content and ready to break his promise to six million students.

So here I amd writing letters and e-mails to Arnie, the State Assembly, and the State Capitol. Like I have nothing better to do !

fuckers

 

[landslider]

But is money the answer?

D.C. spends about as much per student as any location. And test scores are miserable.

Any kid can go to a public library and read Plato free.

 

[gypsywitch]

Keeping promises that get you voted into office is more of my concern at this point.

We've been dealing with school issues and state government since at least 1980.

I'm one of those who finds music departments, art departments, and sports programs to be just as important as other parts of education.

My Kindergartener is reading at a second grade level due to the support I provide at home. There are not many parents that can afford to work with their children due to the importance of trying to just financially survive at all.

If it is written and voted upon that the schools provide a quality education, then they must. Especially since a portion of real estate prices are based on the grades of the surrounding schools. We choose to live in an area because of the great schools like so many people do. We are also just sick of all the fundraisers and donations we have to make on top of the taxes we pay.

 

[Raimondin]

I'm one of those who finds music departments, art departments, and sports programs to be just as important as other parts of education.

My Kindergartener is reading at a second grade level due to the support I provide at home. There are not many parents that can afford to work with their children due to the importance of trying to just financially survive at all.

If it is written and voted upon that the schools provide a quality education, then they must. Especially since a portion of real estate prices are based on the grades of the surrounding schools. We choose to live in an area because of the great schools like so many people do. We are also just sick of all the fundraisers and donations we have to make on top of the taxes we pay.

Thank You! Exactly. Believe me, as a teacher/music teacher myself I didn't vote for the TERMINATOR! We're (teachers) always the last priority in any government's list. We're also the bottom of the totem pole in salary! You don't see lawyers and doctors taking paycuts or benefit reductions. We need all the funding and support possible if schools and education are to survive. This is why so many school districts have had to become more "business oriented" rather than educational institutions. The school system today has become the "Enron" of education! Then, again what do you expect from a Republican/movie actor Governor?

 

[linuxgeek]

it blows to see public education get hamstringed in any state. My question for the CA case is where is the money going instead?

 

[krastner]

And on top of that Gumby goes and campaignes for bush when it took a ,lot of democrats to get him the mansion...

 

[NonSexWithHer]

As a non-Californian I'm not familiar with the budget.

What programs would you have the governor cut that would amount to the same number?

Or did he cut the state across the board to try and get the situation under control?

 

[gypsywitch]

California voters approved proposition 98 back in 1988 to protect schools and students from harmful budget cuts and to set a minimum level of education funding.

The reductions this time for my specific area will prevent us from bringing back programs already cut which are ~

*Instructional Material Funds
*K-4 Reading Intervention for students not meeting standards
*Aid for ESL - English as a second language

We've given up on GRIP Gang Risk Intervention Project, Transportation, and School Improvement Programs.

There are areas outside of mine that really need those programs. The children have to get to school and many miss school if parents can not get them there.

 

[linuxgeek]

It is sad, when government wants to make cuts, it seems education funding is the first thing slashed.

 

[BlueEyesInLevis]

Keeping promises that get you voted into office is more of my concern at this point.

We've been dealing with school issues and state government since at least 1980.

I'm one of those who finds music departments, art departments, and sports programs to be just as important as other parts of education.

My Kindergartener is reading at a second grade level due to the support I provide at home. There are not many parents that can afford to work with their children due to the importance of trying to just financially survive at all.

If it is written and voted upon that the schools provide a quality education, then they must. Especially since a portion of real estate prices are based on the grades of the surrounding schools. We choose to live in an area because of the great schools like so many people do. We are also just sick of all the fundraisers and donations we have to make on top of the taxes we pay.

As you mentioned above you worked with your child at home, as do I. THIS and THIS ALONE is the single most critical factor in a child's success. School districts such as those in DC have historically poor parental input in their child's education, and look at the results. We all know about about SE Asian immigrant families who came to the US with NOTHING, worked 2 or more jobs, but STILL made their kids education a PRIORITY. And look at the results. Both my ex-wife and I work, so dont give that crap about a parent being too busy. All the money in world cant provide MOTIVATION to a child who isnt interested in learning, only his/her parents can.


As education in the US gets worse and worse, Republicans blame the teachers and administrators and Democrats blame a lack of money and BOTH ignore the problem, which is parents who are too lazy to take the time to make their child's education a priority in their OWN lives.

 

[gypsywitch]

In essence ~ the real estate is more valuable as something else besides a school in San Francisco and Oakland. The closed school properties are being leased out or sold. This makes children have to use schools farther away and families have to pay for the school bus rides with tickets. Many families can not afford the bus tickets and don't have cars. These families are being forced to move out of the inner city areas and out into the burbs where their children do not meet the eduacational standards and need extra help. Part of the reason for declining enrollment is that people have just lost faith and are home-schooling or using private schools if they can afford it.

I am personally very lucky to be where I live, but I still have compassion for those who are in other areas of the state.

 

[krastner]

In essence ~ the real estate is more valuable as something else besides a school in San Francisco and Oakland. The closed school properties are being leased out or sold. This makes children have to use schools farther away and families have to pay for the school bus rides with tickets. Many families can not afford the bus tickets and don't have cars. These families are being forced to move out of the inner city areas and out into the burbs where their children do not meet the eduacational standards and need extra help. Part of the reason for declining enrollment is that people have just lost faith and are home-schooling or using private schools if they can afford it.

I am personally very lucky to be where I live, but I still have compassion for those who are in other areas of the state.

If you've been paying attention to the news lately you should know that ole Arnie is on the hot seat..The latest is that he threatned to kick the teachers asses...Seems that every time he turns around he screws up and makes someone mad...Just a matter of time...

 

[Ishmael]

After 9.8 Billion in cuts to publice schools and after our Govenor absolutely promised that he would not cut the state school budget...

another 2.3 Billion in cuts is on the way.

We're not talking hundreds of thousands or even millions. TWO BILLION !

The Govenor is content and ready to break his promise to six million students.

So here I amd writing letters and e-mails to Arnie, the State Assembly, and the State Capitol. Like I have nothing better to do !

fuckers

Kick the fucking illegals out and the budget will balance. You'd be surprised how your health care will benefit too. Oh, and auto insurance. The list is endless.

Ishmael

 

[WhiteCheech]

After 9.8 Billion in cuts to publice schools and after our Govenor absolutely promised that he would not cut the state school budget...

another 2.3 Billion in cuts is on the way.

We're not talking hundreds of thousands or even millions. TWO BILLION !

The Govenor is content and ready to break his promise to six million students.

So here I amd writing letters and e-mails to Arnie, the State Assembly, and the State Capitol. Like I have nothing better to do !

fuckers

Let me guess . . . you were one of the idiots that believed his bullshit and voted for him.

 

[WhiteCheech]

And on top of that Gumby goes and campaignes for bush when it took a ,lot of democrats to get him the mansion...

and what did you think a Republican governor would do?

 

[RoryN]

Every move Arnold does comes straight from the Book Of Reagan (I think it's a picture book).

He was even on TV this week using a big prop - a giantic faucet spewing red ink - to illustrate a point. Reagan did that all the time. The "budget cutter" was a gigantic pair of scissors (or a Stanley saw with the words on it), the "justice mallet" was a gigantic gavel, and so on.

"Surround yourself with intelligent people, delegate authority, and don't interfere" (Reagan, circa 1984) is just another way of saying you're a puppet.

 

[landslider]

Wonder what it costs CA taxpayers to hire teachers to teach English to the kids of illegal aliens?

Jimmy Carter was involved in every detail. He even managed schedules on the tennis court. Yet his tenure featured double digit inflation and Americans held hostage for more than a year.

 

[gypsywitch]

eh hem... no I did not vote for Arnie

I vote Green Party whenever its most wise

Camejo would have been a great govenor

illegal's children's education is guaranteed by law, that's more than half the reason they come here

once they reach college age though they must be citizens ~ they are fighting that this is a form of prejudice ~ I highly disagree and think that students receieving grants and such should be citzens

 

[Le Jacquelope]

I voted for McClintock knowing full well that this shit was all coming.

Dear Schwarzy voters: Remember, I TOLD YOU SO? I said right here on Lit that Arnie was a fraggin LIAR and that this would come to pass, and no one listened...

 

[Guest]

Keeping promises that get you voted into office is more of my concern at this point.

name a pol that has kept promises.

 

[linuxgeek]

there is a part of me that wonders if things would been run differently if one of the porn hustlers had gotten voted in.

 

[gypsywitch]

name a pol that has kept promises.

sad eh?

RECALL ~ I say RECALL !!! Wonder how much that wouold cost us this time?

 

[linuxgeek]

It's Arnold ... has to be a Total Recall.

 

[Desert Amazon]

<snip>

My Kindergartener is reading at a second grade level due to the support I provide at home. There are not many parents that can afford to work with their children due to the importance of trying to just financially survive at all.

<snip>

I agree with you too--at least for the most part. I am a single mother with virtually no support and raising a soon to be seven year old. It's hard and time is prescious, so I read with my child ever day so and go through his homework with him. I cannot leave it up to the school system solely to ensure his education and establish morals. He needs my help at home and it's my responsibility as a parent to ensure that he gets it.

Too often parents don't take the time to work with their child. They don't really want to and would rather veg out on the sofa watching telivision and then blame the school system for failing to educate their child.

 

[Fuzzywumpus]

Thank You! Exactly. Believe me, as a teacher/music teacher myself I didn't vote for the TERMINATOR! We're (teachers) always the last priority in any government's list. We're also the bottom of the totem pole in salary! You don't see lawyers and doctors taking paycuts or benefit reductions. We need all the funding and support possible if schools and education are to survive. This is why so many school districts have had to become more "business oriented" rather than educational institutions. The school system today has become the "Enron" of education! Then, again what do you expect from a Republican/movie actor Governor?

I shudder to think the someone with such a lack of perspective actually teaches our children. Lets do the math. The Democrats have had control of California government for how many decades and YOU blame Arnie for the failure of the school system. Another math question for you is if the funding for schools have increased by 2 Billion from last years budget, how is that a cut. Maybe it is not such a big surprise that our educational system is as bad as it is.

With attitudes like "We need all the funding and support possible if schools and education are to survive.", the system will continue to fail because your interest is not in fixing the problem, you just want to throw more money at it.

One has to ask themselves, when education is the singlemost largest item in the budget and the Teachers Union are constantly complaining that they dont have enough money, and the academic level is at an alltime low, What have they done with all the money that had? How much money are you willing to flush down the toilet before you figure out that that wont fix the hole in the pipe?