Assemblymember Misses the Mark...Big!

Recently, California Assemblymember Martin Garrick, (Rep.) sent me a letter. Well, myself and all other constituents of the 74th Assembly District. Normally I would have passed this off as the simple act of of a state legislator using his franking privilege and letting constituents know what he is doing up in Sacramento; casting himself as the defender good and slayer of evil. But this one was difficult to dismiss.

You see, the letter was dated March 14. It was the weekend that thousands of teachers up and down the state received layoff notices. It was the week in which the Oceanside School District announced it would close two schools and the Vista Unified School District sent 133 layoff notices. Both of these districts within the Mr. Garrick's district. However, there was no mention of these catastrophes in his letter, no mention of the Governor's proposed $4.8 billion budget cut to education for next year, and no mention of the irresponsible stance by Republicans in the State legislature that they would not pursue any sort of revenue enhancements.

Assemblymember Garrick, Vice-Chair of the Education Committee, however, does address his stance regarding the high school exit exam. He states that the exam is a vital part of setting and meeting high standards in California schools. Yet he goes on to say that the exam is "not unfair, nor is it too difficult. In fact, the exam may be too easy." Even so he expresses pride in joining "fellow Republicans in voting against legislation that would allow students to graduate even if they fail the exam."

I'm left asking who is working on avoiding the proposed devastating budget cuts? Who is working on ensuring that students who must pass the exit exam aren't sitting in croweded classrooms and overburdened teachers? Who going to explain to the students of the state why they must endure the consequences of a fiscal blunder that they had no part in? I'm sure that while schools are closing, programs are being cut, and teachers are being laid off, parents will be happy to know their kids must pass the exit exam in order to get a diploma.

I suppose that while the Titanc was sinking it was important to polish the brass handrails.

Implications of $4.8 billion in education cuts

Budget Crisis Insanity

State Democrats determined to raise taxes

Legislative leaders, saying school cuts under the governor's proposed budget are unacceptable, are prepared to dig in for a long fight to get about $5 billion in tax increases. (Los Angeles Times)

It's about time some sanity was brought into the debate over the California budget crisis. How does a rational leader possibly come to the conclusion that cutting $4.8 billion to the education budget is the right thing to do? When Governor Schwarzenegger took over one of the first things he did is eliminate over $6 billion in California taxes by cutting vehicle registration fees. It was a hugely popular decision in a state that has had a long love affair with cars. However, it suggests that this fiscal crisis was created by the current administration's reckless desire to cement it's popularity after coming to power in such an irregular fashion.

Two years later, the state faces a fiscal crisis and the Republican governor wants to kowtow to leaders by repeating the mantra of "no new taxes." I suppose the governor believes we are spending too much on the children of California.

NCLB Update

Last night at the State of the Union Address, President Bush called for re-authorization of the No Child Left Behind Law. However given the previous draft of the bill and the fierce opposition that it engendered among various quarters of the education community, including teacher unions and parents, it looks like the bill is very unlikely to be passed this year. The Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) was battered along with other members of the committee, with complaints from teachers, parents and others who oppose the bill last year. At the same time the president gave them little support.Because of that Congressional Quarterly reports that...

"President Bush’s passionate call for reauthorization of his signature domestic policy achievement — the 2002 education overhaul known as No Child Left Behind — may ring hollow to lawmakers badly divided over how to proceed." CQ

Education and the American Dream

The American dream is alive and well, as long as, in Oz-like fashion, we pay no attention to the life support machines preventing it’s demise. For the first time in our history we have a generation of high school and college students who don’t expect their lives to be better than their parents’. The phenomenon of coming home from college isn’t something students do during breaks and holidays, it’s what many do after graduation because housing is unaffordable. College graduates in recent years have found themselves competing for jobs not only with their peers in the US, but with well educated graduates from places like India, China and Latin America. As the world gets smaller and flatter, education takes on a critical role for the nation’s future. At the same time, teachers face a mountain of challenges.

When teachers step into the classroom they face students of varying abilities, skills and preparedness. There are students of various language backgrounds and at various stages of language acquisition. Teachers face students with special needs and those that require special accommodations. We face a culture of entitlement and a push-button instant gratification mentality. And as if the challenges inside the classroom walls weren’t enough, those from outside are particularly daunting. Underfunded mandates from Washington, budget cuts, legislation, litigation and political obfuscation. How we deal with these challenges will determine the future of education both in our state and the rest of the nation.

It’s important to remember that in public education, nobody is turned away. No matter their abilities, their previous education or their socio-econoimc background, there is a desk in every classroom for any child that comes through the schoolhouse doors. And as a former principal of mine was fond of saying “Parent’s don’t keep the good one’s home.” For teachers, that is an awesome responsibility. It’s the ultimate trust. In twenty years of teaching I have yet to meet a teacher that takes that lightly.

As a matter of full disclosure I’ll say that as I mentioned above, I’m a 20 year high school teacher. I’ve taught Spanish and most of the Social Sciences. Recently I’ve taught AP Macroeconomics, AP Government and World Religions. Yes, I am an active member of the California Teacher’s Association (CTA) however in this blog I do not speak for that organization. All ideas and opinions expressed here are my own. Join the conversation!