America’s Classrooms: Crowded, Broke, and Run by Poors
__Hamilton Nolan
Remember a few years back how all the people who care about children went on a whole kick about smaller class sizes? They were all, "Smaller class sizes are the key to educational success," blah blah, passing laws.
Yes, well, new strategy: larger class sizes. Packing lots more kids into one classroom fits in better with our nation's current economic strategy, "Not Having Money to Hire More Teachers." After decades of diminishing class sizes, averages are creeping back upwards now, and states across the country are loosening their class size laws. Detroit has a proposal on the table that would allow 60 kids in high school classes! Zany!
And in the midst of all this, America's most American state (Texas, duh)—where class sizes are rising and education budgets are facing a multi-billion dollar shortfall—has an $830 million education funding check from the federal government that it hasn't cashed yet. Why? Because the governor, Rick Perry, wants to take that money and use it elsewhere in the state budget, rather than putting it all towards schools. And Democrats in Congress are like, ummm, no, you have to use this education money for education. Which is, of course, a grievous offense against states' rights:
Here's to hoping Rick Perry sticks to his guns on this issue until the end of September, at which time, the WSJ says, Texas would lose this money entirely. That'll show the bastards not to try to force an economically competitive state to fund its own public schools!
At least we can all celebrate the fact that professors at public universities got zero raises this year. Cut off the head of the educated liberal elite and the body will die! Penalize all teachers, to death!
__Hamilton Nolan
Remember a few years back how all the people who care about children went on a whole kick about smaller class sizes? They were all, "Smaller class sizes are the key to educational success," blah blah, passing laws.
Yes, well, new strategy: larger class sizes. Packing lots more kids into one classroom fits in better with our nation's current economic strategy, "Not Having Money to Hire More Teachers." After decades of diminishing class sizes, averages are creeping back upwards now, and states across the country are loosening their class size laws. Detroit has a proposal on the table that would allow 60 kids in high school classes! Zany!
And in the midst of all this, America's most American state (Texas, duh)—where class sizes are rising and education budgets are facing a multi-billion dollar shortfall—has an $830 million education funding check from the federal government that it hasn't cashed yet. Why? Because the governor, Rick Perry, wants to take that money and use it elsewhere in the state budget, rather than putting it all towards schools. And Democrats in Congress are like, ummm, no, you have to use this education money for education. Which is, of course, a grievous offense against states' rights:
Katherine Cesinger, a spokeswoman for the governor, went further. "It's outrageous that someone from Washington would attempt to dictate how a state, especially one as economically competitive as Texas, should spend money," she said in an email message.
Here's to hoping Rick Perry sticks to his guns on this issue until the end of September, at which time, the WSJ says, Texas would lose this money entirely. That'll show the bastards not to try to force an economically competitive state to fund its own public schools!
At least we can all celebrate the fact that professors at public universities got zero raises this year. Cut off the head of the educated liberal elite and the body will die! Penalize all teachers, to death!
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