My Take on Public Education
 

There was a very short lived thread on education on AK,and I just wanted to say my peace on the subject.
My wife does accounting for a poor school district here in Phoenix.This district has one person to do each job in the district in their admin office.Several districts here use one person for each school.The head dude was often known as Dr. No because he wouldnt approve funds for anything that didnt directly have to do with the kids.
Its amazing what vendors will try to get away with since they figure its public money,no one will bat an eye:Trying to get money for jobs never done,charging twice for the same job or materials,and claiming its an admin error.My wife found one error tied to a public utility that used an automated system to estimate increased charges for a school based on time,etc.Turned out for one school,for a 2 year period,they owed the district a refund of more than a million dollars.It took several months,but they did get the money back.
One district that a friend of mine teaches for sends several teachers and admin to conferences all over the country several times a year.Normally,I guess it would be cool,but in this economic climate,espescially in this state,thats foolhardy at best.
One of the big expenses for this district is feeding and clothing the homeless kids.They have accounts at WalMart and Target to get shoes and clothes for kids the school bus picks up under overpasses and on busy highways.The school lunch and breakfast program stays open even during the summer months,because there are several children for whom this is their only meal of the day.
One of the most controversial expenses that this district insists on,even if it means cutting elsewhere is all day kindergarten.Many parents in this district are single parent households,or work 2 jobs each.All day K means the kids arent out on the street,and insures that they will be in school everyday.
Our current Govenor decided on day one of office to make the "tough choices".We all knew what that meant immediately.All cuts would be made in the social sectors,espescially education.In some districts,this is definetly justified.But it hurts to see my wifes district do all the right things,and still have to jump through hoops to make things work.
Jimmy
Oh,one other thing.If we are making all these tough choices,why is road construction constant,and even expanding?Who benefits from that,I wonder?

Why the contractors who build roads of course. The same people who insist that soft drink and twinkie machines in schools help support the lunch programs when in truth they lose money and cost the schools. But as long as you support the right folks in politics, you are safe.

When ones vision only reaches into the short term-----Schools don't generate any revenue through the facilitatation of any commerce or contractor kickbacks, freeways do. So screw the kids and their free lunches.......Then twenty years later........"Where did all of the ignoramuses come from? The public school system has failed!!!! These morons can't do any high tech jobs!!!! OMG, the country is failing!!! Quick, more cuts to public education! We need to save more money!"

And around and around we go.

Dipshits.

Dave