Should the federal government help school districts that face funding crises?
goverment does not care about the children, teachers or the communities where economy has hit hard. Indiana's Governor and State Superintendant are more about testing, money and not education or saving teachers jobs. Teachers are disgusted with Dr. Bennett's bullying tactics along with the Governor's lies about jobs in the state of Indiana. Politicians are out for only themselves that is very clear in Indiana. Yet our children are paying the price and goverment does not care whom they hurt, step on, abuse to get what they want.
#126 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:07 AM EDTStop the nonsense we have been throwing money at schools for the last 20 years and every year the outcome is worse. We now rank far from the top after spending more money than almost anyone in the world.
Right you are Jerry-we spend more tha the rest of the world combined and rank 20th in the world in education?
Raise the standards children must achieve,not the salaries of teachers who are little more than babysitters.
It is a real issue since our children and the future is one of the same- wait didn't my grand parents say the same thing? The stupidity of the feds holding money back from states because the states are not doing what the feds want, there are two states that have pulled completely away from fed money, Texas and Oklahoma, who's next, and the school grades and test's are improving heck I wonder why?
The schools are only short of funds because they WASTE the tax payer dollar on lots of 'administrative waste and abuse' while the teacher is left to fend for themselves. Califirnia tried several years ago to limit administrative expences to 5%; the liberals there shot it down. Local voters need to get vocal with their school boards and demand less administrative spending and more teachers!
The #2 comment who said it was not up to the Federal is crazy, If the Fed Government does not step in to help our children then there will be no government 15 years down the road..Our children is our future as so many before me have said this..quit bailing out all these large companies and help those that are in dire need!!!!
#128 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:13 AM EDTThe Federal Government never was supposed to be involved in local education and it should stay out of it. Detroit has one of the worst performing school districts in the nation...it has had a union/entitlement mentality that has it lead it to it's present state.
I'm against all bail outs; big banks, auto companies and school districts.
If you are that far AGAINST helping out our kids then you must not have kids. Anyone who would think the feds should not help out the schools should re-avalueate their beliefs in a system that has failed EVERYONE. The government can help out the auto industry but not help the kids get an education? If there is no education then we are only hurting those kids but putting them in the street where they will never get an education nor will they be able to get a job to get out of a situation that hinders them to move forward. The government should be looking at the welfare of the kids and what would be best. Our government is only looking at the one thing: Money and how they propose to get it. Sure helping out hte auto industry was a good idea but it still did not help out the situaton. I have seen the benefits from it yet. Still closed doors and yet I read the government should not help out the kids because " It's throwing money in a hole". Well isn't that what just happened with "helping" the banks and auto industry?
Your schools are your schools, give them more money, when things got bad where we are, we suscribed, held sales what ever we had to do to keep our school.
Step in to help your own children,ask them if they have homework,check their work,demand that the schools teach not just promote kids,demand higher standards from your local schools,back the schools right to enforce rules and turn out a qualified product.
The federal government should not be in the business of education. This is clearly a state responsibility and power. All powers of government not enumerated in the constitution go to the states. I personally believe it is the parent responsibility to raise their children and that they should not outsource that responsibility to anyone, especially the government. That is why we homeschool our children. We know what they are being taught, how they are being treated, who their friend are, etc. The public school experiment has been a huge failure as evidenced by the results. Spending more money does not fix a failed system. I have an incredible respect for teachers who works so hard for their student in such a broken system. I don't know how they do it.
The government could care less about kids and education, the politicians care about garnering union votes from the socialists teachers who care only about their own benefits.
#129 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:35 AM EDTThis is NOT about Detroit, although Detroit is one of MANY school systems that are closing schools. It is about EDUCATION in this country. Many students will now be left without adequate public funded schools, larger classrooms, less teachers, farther distances to travel. It is ridiculous that we bail-out banks, that offer nothing but greedy tactics, and let our school systems fall apart. That is a disgrace. The " let them work it out" strategy is bullcrap, because they NEVER work it out.
#130 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:37 AM EDTThank you! For those who think that they are only paying for extras, they should notice that many schools deal with huge class sizes. Extra teacher's aides? Because there are twice the number of students, and those aides do not really have an education as teachers. Many people out there are un-Patriotic: they do not want American children to succeed. They will say they are anti-immigrant, but they are anti-citizen too, including families such as mine who have been here for 300 years.
Your right, accept the feds have been holding money from states because of things completely unrelated, North West spotted owl, ect.
As a public school teacher of Government, bailing out every failing institution will only bankrupt the entire system. My students are motivated to learn because I teach them the truth that only they can be responsible for their education. They must take ownership and I am here to help them acquire the learning skills but it is up to them to apply these skills to excel.
#131 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:47 AM EDTI congratulate you!! That's the way I went through school in the rural California system. As far as size - We had five rows of eight desks- That in my sub-standard education equals forty seats - all were full and we LEARNED. Our teachers cared for our education! The state is responsable for school funding but the feds hold back the states money so the "dumbing down of America" can continue.
Why and where does it say that schools are to be run by the Federal government, The Feds have their hands full with other stuff (and doing poorly). Should be the Locals problem. Of course the schools would not be in so much trouble if they worried about teaching the children not entertaining them. Classrooms are for learning, and classrooms are part of the school so use them as such. Not a place for kids to hang out. End some of the sports programs and that would save lots of money, all sports programs do is cause problems, corruption, and fights....Lets get back to the basics and start over.
And there are many good Teachers out there but, few want to teach. Get rid of some of the Aides. Some class rooms have 3 or 4 plus the Teacher. If they do not want to teach, then time to look for something else to do.....only one getting hurt is the Kids........
#132 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:52 AM EDTI'm part of the generation that brough this country to preeminence in the world, lead the way into the new sciences .
We at no time ever had a teachers aide,
Stop the bs, we continue to throw money at education and it continues to get worse.
@Jerry - I didn't realize there were WWI vets still alive. Or perhaps you just have a severe and embarrassing case of history fail.
Yes, education is very important for the future of our country but I think many are missing the point as to why these schools are closing. The article was written to raise emotions. Sure, the schools are closing for lack of funds but that also comes from lack of tax payers. Cooley at one time had a student body over 3,000 and now is barely over 1,000. That is 2/3 less then at it's peak and if all the schools in the district are like that, it is time to consolidate. If 1/3 of the city is vacant then the population is not there to support the need for all the schools.
For those who think the federal government should bail out schools in places like Detroit, please explain to someone in Maryland why they are paying state taxes for educating Maryland students and Federal taxes for education children in another state? I promise all we would see is our state and local taxes remain the same and our federal taxes go up...and the majority of our country is not happy with how the federal government is spending our tax money now!
#133 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:03 AM EDTAbsolutely not. Schools have lived beyond their means for years, fancy stadiums, auditoriums and school administrators are paid way beyond their worth. Tax payers have had enough and it's time to put education in prospective. Teach math, English, science and history. Screw the fine arts, glee clubs etc. Schools have become day care centers, no discipline and a lot of teachers aren't worth the powder to blow them away but because they are unionized they're protected species, tax payers are now taking back control and it's about time.
#134 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:16 AM EDTI'm terrified if you are in control. In my old age I would hope that doctors and nurses have enough of an education to actually treat patients. I would hope that others would be educated enough to do their jobs. I guess you want to take that money and build another jacuzzi in your back yard.
Pertinent to the comment left to "screw the fine arts" there is a reason that such studies are designated fine arts. They teach people to appreciate how things operate visually, aurally, they instruct people about history, their own and foreign cultures and they provide inspiration to achieve success in abstract disciplines such as math, science, physics. The two streams of learning flow into each other, and it takes maturity to understand that--that is why youngsters should be taught it. In their futures, as adults, they'll understand what fueled their imaginations to excel. To cut the arts as non-essential reveals that critic to have a lack of imagination, be guilty of shortsightedness, and to exhibit a propensity for jingoistic garbage-talk--in short, a dumb person.
You are living in a place I have never seen. The schools I have walked the halls in are mostly falling down around thier ears.
Last year in our school district a levy for Astro-Turf and new lockers for the football team was passed... INSANITY...
This year, the system will go broke and all the usual bells were rung, no bus transportation, layoff of teachers (never does administration get a cut) etc.
That Levy failed big... the only time I can remember in the last 18 years that I have lived in this district that a Levy FAILED... I say woo hoo..
Yes, It is up to the people to see that children are educated, but little Johnny still can't read. You should see some of the job applications I look at.
BTW: We never had children so we never used the system but still feel that it is our civic duty to help pay for schooling and schools. For what we pay, the return is lousy. That is what really gets under my finger nails.
#135 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:29 AM EDTThank you to OhioEd who thinks that it is their civic duty to pay taxes that cover public education. I have read many posts on other sites where ppl complain they shouldn't have to pay because they don't have children. BUT, well educated children benefit the entire area. If the children aren't educated and fail to become productive members of society, the alternative will effect every citizen.
Schools need to wake up! Astro-turf?? Are you kidding? sports, music, art, drama all of the extra curricular activities are essential to help minds grow. I believe there have been studies of children that learn music, like piano and such, do better in math. The extras are sometimes what drives kids to want to do well in school so they can participate. If it motivates them, then great! You can't take away the extra programs. But they do need to figure out where the waste is and cut it.
I am sorry that you don't feel you are getting your $$ worth in your school system. Our elementary school is pretty good (thank goodness-didn't know where to check when we bought our house 3 yrs ago) and it operates the lowest of the surrounding counties. The test scores are good. The only problem I have is the math they teach. Math Investigations is horrible and isn't serving our children well. All I can do is voice my opinion and hope that one day the administration wakes up. And make sure that my kid's math is supplemented with additional information I think she needs. Our Middle School is awful. They have been on academic probation for the last 2-3 yrs, maybe longer. I don't understand that at all. The only plus is that they let you apply to other surrounding middle schools which different academic programs like foreign language or better math programs. We'll have to keep our fingers crossed.
My father had a simpler , but vert effective way of motivating me.
Do well or you stay at home, forever.
You never used the school system? You mean you never went to a doctor who had an elementary, middle, high school, college, and graduate school education? Your business used no employees who knew arithmetic? And if you have no children, who is going to nurse you in old age? Education of others benefits YOU directly. Most schools do not use "astro-turf;" and new buildings are more efficient in use of energy. "Extras" build character. Do you expect rocket scientists when you have given students an education preparing them to be Amish farmers (or less... they at least pass on cultural traditions)? Do you want America to fail in world competition? If you do arithmetic, notice that Americans pay most of their taxes to the Federal government; the Feds can kick something in towards education. Please do not make Ohioans look so ignorant. Educational curriculum was invented in Akron, Ohio, where the harverter was invented, synthetic rubber was invented. (For a history of Detroit's miseries, look at the financial industry, which attacked that city first in the country with "home equity loans" promoted by Ford Credit and others.)
And you are so right, the schools get levies passed, spend the money on things that are stupid, than wonder why, for the next 10 years no levies pass.
We throw millions of tax dollars in to the school system everytime a president is put into office. where does it go???? The problem is NO accountability..............Seems to me the schools bad areas are getting all the funds and the schools that are not in bad areas get nothing henceforth no improvement.......Vacations should be cut for students, longer class hours if not we are so far behind we will never catch up. Please if people ca'nt read they should not be aloud to graduate.....It happens. Look at the people in government today.
I agree that it is the local/state government that needs to find the money thru taxes to pay for the public education. Perhaps they need to start checking ID of the children they enroll to ensure that they are indeed legal US citizens. I have read several articles recently where the child was 5 or 6 came to the US with their illegal parents and educated in our public school system. HOW?? If the parents aren't paying taxes, they their children's education is paid for by someone else. If you get enough of these type of ppl, then you can understand how the system would not be able to sustain itself. I further agree that there are other mismanagement of funds going on - those particular things I can't see - so it is easier to complain about the things I can see.
I also agree that it is sad that many bad teachers are protected by their union. The schools know which teachers are non-performers but don't do anything about it. My daughter's 2nd grade teacher was horrible. She was behind the 2 other 2nd teachers and supposedly "no one" knew. The children had been in school for 3 months and she couldn't manage to get them started in reading groups. Who knows what else she was behind in. She wasn't a new teacher either, she had been teaching for 14 years. I contacted the principal and demanded a new teacher. I felt bad for the other parents that had no idea. States need to clean house and get rid of the dead weight. Keep the ones that do a great job and reward them with better pay. Further, it is crazy the type of compensation these educators receive in their retirement. I have heard 90%, plus insurance. Tax payers cannot afford to cover this type of benefit package. No one else has this type of golden parachute, except perhaps other state workers. When a teacher isn't doing their job, they certainly shouldn't be sliding thru the system until retirement.
I feel bad for the students of the schools that are closing, however, you cannot maintain a school that was built for 3000 students when enrollment is down to 1000. The school is too large, costs too much to run and apparently needs major repairs.
#136 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:43 AM EDTBail out the school districts with what? Have you not noticed, the federal government is broke! You cannot keep bailing public & private sectors out with money we do not have.
Me
#137 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:00 AM EDTWow, such anger. Yes children need to be taught the basics (Reading, Writing, English, Science, History, etc) because these lessons will help them function in the "real" world when they graduate. But we need well rounded individuals capable of competing on the world stage and for that they will need art, music, and sports (and they can have these things without the fancy stadiums and auditoriums). These "extras" or "waste of money" as people have put it, push children to think instead of recite, take charge and stand by their decisions. They learn leadership, compassion, and that they can have an impact on others outside of their normal realm of influence. Yes, many students do not feel compelled to learn (how can you, when you've never really been taught the importance of education). Yes, many teachers no longer feel compelled to give their all (why would they when it's all about testing, quotas, and hitting a number that has been deemed appropriate instead of about educating the students). And yes, many schools have turned into a form of daycare. But there are still students that want to learn, teachers that want to teach, and schools that care about their community. Do I think the Federal government should bail out the schools, no. However the comments on this board seemed to be leaning towards blaming the problems facing schools on the fact that they do more than teach the basics. We as a country should be trying to raise the leaders of tomorrow that can compete with the rest of the world. Because if you cannot lead, then you are consigned to always follow. We all know there are teachers that only want a paycheck, schools that are unbeilievable poor performing, and students that couldn't care less about going to school. But what about those that do care, that do want to learn, that do want to make a difference, what about them? These are just my thoughts, and only my thoughts.
#138 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:02 AM EDTTeacherofTruth, you are so right, the students do need to take ownership of their education. The real world is coming for them. They need to be ready. You sound like you know what teaching is all about.
#139 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:08 AM EDTAs a teacher, the more money my district has lost, the harder it becomes to properly educate my students. When I have 30 + kids packed into my room, I can't give the students the optimum education I could otherwise! It's time educators make the decisions in D.C. for educators. Not legislators!
#140 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:30 AM EDTMoney is not the issue. Poor school administrations, illegals and the teachers unions are the problem. We spend a lot more money than necessary and continue to get terrible results.
What ever happened to school vouchers?
#141 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:38 AM EDTSpoken like a true jackass from CFISD, or Katy, or some other nice majority-white school district with no tangible issues.. You have zero clue what goes on in HISD, nor what educators are having to deal with. Teachers are completely screwed and cannot make decisions about pretty much ANYTHING in HISD. We're not allowed to break up fights or call parents without administrative approval. Before sticking your foot in your mouth and spouting off about things you clearly don't understand, think. Comprehend. And don't even try and pretend this isn't about money. In your area? It is.
So, the government can bail out PRIVATE industries, but will not bail out the SCHOOL SYSTEM, which may not be directly funded by the federal government, but is at least actually intended to be a GOVERNMENT supported institution!
We should not be bailing out private industries!! Govt. money should be used for public works projects and other things the government is ACTUALLY responsible for!
#142 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:39 AM EDTWhen the government actually starts caring for our youth then we could rest easier but until then we are in some big trouble. As I said the government only wants the money, not helping those who could use the money. put the kids first because without them we have failed as a system, government or not.
OUR Country needs to get it's priorities straight.
There need be "more" full time CPA's hired by the city to manage the books. This should not happen if their job was being done correctly. Enough positions to be held responsible so there is no lack of funds at the end of the year. Dont blame the City or punish the people for a job not done right...
Less schools...less education...less control of our dreams...easier for man to be controlled. not be in control.
#143 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:53 AM EDTDetroit's enrollment has plummeted in the last several decades, essentially forcing realignment of the district's student base to fewer schools. What was not discussed in this article is the initiative in community planning that the City's leaders are undertaking to possibly aggregate population and prosperity groupings into vital communities within the city. There are vast tracts of open land, with isolated pockets of homes - which used to be vibrant neighborhoods. They're gone and won't return. The world is changing and those anchored in the past will not survive.
#144 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:57 AM EDTShould the federal government help school districts that face funding crises?
I get so annoyed at these headlines.
It should read
Should the citizens of other states help school districts that face funding crises?
Because the Federal Government doesn't have any money except for what it takes from American citizens or borrows which then has to be paid back by what it takes from American citizens.
Stop saying "paid for by the Federal Government".
#145 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:04 AM EDTTo customer1 & david382118 (and anyone else thinks like them): You blame the Liberals. Ok, got it. But it was the conservative administration that led our country into this situation, and rest of you right-wing extremists followed blindly. If you were personally in charge of the state, how would handle the school closure situation, especially if you had to find another school for your child? Anyone?
#146 - Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:07 AM EDTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
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Some day we will realize the correlation between our children and our future.