latest victim of California's budget mess
By CraftyCorner
@CraftyCorner (5600)
United States
June 25, 2010 2:26am CST
The latest victim of California's budget mess is the school library.
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First, California’s Folsom Cordova Unified Schools got rid of all its certified media specialists. Now the district axed its support staff and closed its doors. As of today, all 28 K-12 libraries in California’s will shut up tight. That means 19,000 students will have only limited access to media centers. Teachers can take buckets of books to class, teachers can take students to the libraries, that's it. There will be no checking out of books or any other materials.
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During this mess, local public libraries will try to help pick up the slack. The Internet will also help students obtain media for education as well. That is provided if the student has access to a computer either at school or at home.
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There are fund drives being set up to get those libraries back open.
2 responses
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
25 Jun 10
That really stinks, doesn't it? These budget cuts are really bad. My 5 year old will be in kindergarten in the fall . . . so now we'll really see how badly budget cuts will affect "us". We were in a parent education class that was part of LAUSD, and each semester part of the program was axed - the infant classes and the summer classes. I am told that teachers are the ones who have to fork out for many of the class supplies - and with their salary, what is left for them? Libraries are such a needed resource for kids - it's ashame that they are being closed down. I hate that "education" suffers greatly when it comes to budget cuts.
1 person likes this
@CraftyCorner (5600)
• United States
26 Jun 10
I agree. Of course, there is always plenty of money for war and pork projects. Kids though can't vote, and the vulnerable are always the easiest targets.
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You can though set up a digital library on the relative cheap using used computers and freeware for software. Home schoolers are a good resource for setting up such a network, even if you aren't a home schooler yourself. Digital libraries are probably not ideal, but they are better than no libraries at all.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_library
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Setting up second hand, low cost, free computers for children can bring a library into the home. Old desktops can work very well and be had for a song. Same for printers, which can print off a kindergarten PDF on an $80 laser printer. The Linux operating system is free and can be simplified for the young child's use. Don't be afraid of the hand-me-down. Be sure to wipe the hard drive to protect little eyes.
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http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7586_102-0.html?threadID=90049
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Parents can network too to lay hands on a network of second hand low cost PC's, their own PC's, and older student's PC's and set up a digital library network.
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Information on the One Laptop Per Child Hardware & Software. You can install the software on your own bargain second hand desktop PC.
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http://www.olpcnews.com/software/operating_system/
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Jun 10
That's some great info and resources, CraftyCorner! For now, I think our particular school is keeping their library, and we have many public libraries around us that we can utilize. My daughter can use this computer if she needs to (but we also have a laptop that's just hanging around). But you never know what the next budget cut can bring on - OY!!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
28 Jun 10
I'm glad that I don't live there. I know that my daughter wouldn't be happy at all if she didn't have access to the library books. She is a voracious reader and the fact that she is able to check out books from the school library is a huge help to us. It doesn't seem fair at all that the children are being punished for the mistakes of their parents and elders. There simply must be something that could be done to remedy this situation.
1 person likes this
@CraftyCorner (5600)
• United States
29 Jun 10
I agree. It is always the most vulnerable and innocent that pay for the crimes. California's been stinking for some time, hence why I left the state in 1992 as an economic refugee, I just couldn't afford to live there anymore. It would seem I got out just in time.
