Budget Cuts in Education

Schools aren't struggling because of a lack of money. They have money. They have LOTS of money. We keep giving them more and more and more money and the schools getting the most money are actually getting worse. What we need to do is first off, destroy the Department of Education. It's a money sink and far too much money has been embezzled from it by political appointees. Now, the real problem is how money is being spent in schools. There are schools here in New Jersey that are literally giving students laptops to take home and do their homework. That right there is possibly the biggest waste of money that I personally have witnessed in a school. This costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and god only knows how many of those laptops get damaged, destroyed, or stolen. I love computers, I'm a computer tech. I just built a computer for a friend this week. SCHOOLS DO NOT NEED COMPUTERS. Seriously, they need to quit buying them. Teachers should have computers. Schools should have a computer lab. They don't need them in every classroom and they don't need laptops to take home. Ok, my rant has already gotten too long. I'm just going to summarize by saying that they really do need to cut funding specifically to schools that spend it on fancy landscaping, rock gardens, golf carts, laptops, expensive furniture, and other crap. Schools need to get back to where they were when I was younger. They need to spend on what's important. Teachers, textbooks, and essential supplies.

Lack of money isn't the issue in our school system either. We have top-heavy administrations; new schools being built for architecture-sake, versus functionality; too much money being put in to new sports uniforms and equipment; etc. I'd also like to see the union busted up, so that we could dump some of the ineffective teachers. Believe it or not, that in itself would improve the morale of the teachers who are doing a good job.

The problem with educational funding is that it comes with strings attached. For example schools received a Federal Technology Grant and we purchased computers for each class room. The next year we created a computer lab in each school, the next year we bought over head projectors and flat panel monitors for the computers. Now we have advanced projectors that can be linked with a VCR, DVD, TV and Computers in every classroom. The most often use is to project a VCR or DVD movie which could be shown on a TV for much less cost. We had money to buy technology and that is how it had to be spent. This at the same time we were limited in the amount of paper teachers could use each year. Every year we receive Grants for Career Education, Character Education, Diversity Education,Women in History, Minorities in History or Science. We had to hire a Grant Coordinator, a Secretary, and a bookkeeper to coordinate and track the grants at district expense. We don't need to spend more money on education we need to spend it smarter.

This is a very sad state of affairs indeed. I graduated from high school in 1982. At that time, I think the only part of my school that had a computer was the library and it was this HUGE monstrosity that nobody wanted to touch! lol. My how things have changed. It was interesting to read the comments of those educators, the various monies received and how it has to be spent. It sounds like any government run operation with a lot of unnecessary waste. I believe that having computer technology is important but I believe that it is something that should be utilized and nurtured at home. Get rid of it in the classrooms and get these kids back to actually reading books, doing math equations under their own brain power, developing logic and reason by having to actually research something other than looking it up on the web. Get back to the 3 R's. I truly believe my generation was one of the last that got a decent education at public schools. It's evidenced every day to me by conversations and interactions I have with younger people. Most can't even formulate a sentence properly let alone express themselves. When and if I have children, I plan on homeschooling. I refuse to put my kids minds in the hands of a system that is controlled by the almighty dollar. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't local school board positions locally elected? If so, kick them out! Hold them accountable for wasteful spending and lining their own pockets! That's one of the reasons things have gotten so bad....there's just no accountability. Sad to say it, but there is also the consideration that an uneducated public is easier to control. Maybe that's part of the government's game plan.

I think that the government should do something about it. They are very much cost cutting but I can see them having bigger mansions outside the country. It's very disappointing that those who really want to go study couldn't get quality education. They should focus on education because this will lie what our future will be.