It Will Never Be Enough, Part II

I received an email from one of our state legislators today and thought I'd share my reply to it with you.

Below is one of many paragraphs from his missive,with my response:

"When you look at the new investments being made in K-12 education, the numbers are historic. We are truly prioritizing education. State funding for schools has climbed from $13.6 million in 2012, to more than $22 million in the current 2-year budget. When all the reforms are in place by 2019-21, basic education K-12 funding will be more than $26.2 billion."

... and yet, the performance outcome of students grows worse by the year! I know, I spent 30 years in public school system. The WEA is a political lobby machine designed to perpetuate and grow their influence. How can I say this?

I was involved in the '80s with my local teacher's assoc. and went to several WEA conventions during that decade. I saw this lobby machine in action on the floor of the convention every time I went. I know from this they will NEVER be satisfied with whatever funding the legislature gives them because the school districts have traditionally continued to add more and more middle-administration to their Educational Service Centers and taking the lion's share of that funding in doing so, but the results continue to decline even though they have implemented newer "better" curriculum.

This is my wife's final year before she retires. I hear every day just how ridiculous the education system is for teachers now, not only from her district, but in the one I substitute in as well from other teachers. In my view, caving into the State Supreme Court's demand - under threat of daily fines - was the worst thing the Republican lead Senate could have done for education in this state.

You can't legislate morality when it comes to the predominantly broken/dysfunctional families which dump their children into the classrooms today.