California: California's schools to lay off 25,000 staff

The Independent (UK) ^ | 6 April 2003 17:16 | Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles

[Bullish]

But never do they mention the cost to the state of educating millions of illegal aliens.

If you can't face the real problem, you'll never sove it.

[Kuksool]

As far as I'm concerned, Kalifornica's government school problem is poetic justice. It serves the NEA right for making life difficult for homeschoolers.

[Mister Baredog]

teachers love to complain about the class size thing. yet they can't explain how asian kids come over from classes of 60 kids

The class size argument is just a DEMOCRAT stalking horse for more jobs for Union teachers, as a "baby boomer" I got a fine education in CA in classes of 30 to 40 students. Dems think smaller classes=more jobs=more classrooms needed=more Union construction jobs=more votes for them. If they cared about students they would OUTLAW the Unions.

[ScottinSacto]

"There is simply no fat to cut, largely because of a statewide tax revolt in the 1970s that capped spending for social services, sabotaging America's former leading school system."

WTF???? Sabatage??? How about somebody asking the damn question what the hell they already do with a BOATLOAD of cash? I don't even have kids, but for the pleasure of building a house, I had to pay a school impact fee of more than $10,000....that ain't including the taxes already paid. This reporter can bite me.

[KneelBeforeZod]

it's a mutually parasitic relationship....teachers claim the need more money, and parents who don't want to be hassled with raising their kids when they could just dump them in front of a TV say "yeah, my kids are dumb because schools don't have enough money"

[visualops]

Instead of firing teachers, cut administrative staff and salaries.
Instead of cutting programs, cut on new buildings.

Here they are always crying about money for schools, but administrative costs and pork take a disproportionate amount of the money. While they whine about all sorts of things, my daughter's high school has only a part-time guidance counselor, and meanwhile they build an $8.5 million new elementary school.
There is plenty of money if you are fiscally responsible.
The same goes for California.

[mvpel]

From The LA Weekly:

Instead of working this problem out, the notoriously vindictive Gray Davis actually countersued local school districts, trying to scapegoat them (a strategy thrown out by the judge). Worse, Davis overruled the advice of his own attorney general, who offered to thriftily represent the state, and instead hired his overpaid hack cronies over at O'Melveny & Myers -- a rest home for retired and failed Democrats (from Warren Christopher on down to Kathleen Brown) and a firm that has pumped thousands of bucks over the years into Davis' political campaigns.

Charging $345 an hour for its attorneys and $140 for its paralegals, O'Melveny's crew ran up $6 million in legal fees by the beginning of this year (when Davis' office stopped publicly reporting the scandalous costs of their services). By my calculation, if Davis had spent the $6 million on textbooks alone, he would have reduced the shortage by 50 percent. Some legal experts predict that when this is all over, the state will have spent "tens of millions" of taxpayer funds on these private lawyers to defend itself against the indefensible.

[BRL]

State problems are just starting. Federal Mandates and budgets built around the go go 90's and no ability to print their own money. They are also not going to get a whole lot of tax increases in. The states are going to twist and turn for years to come.

[thunders]

Oh, just a note on the class size thing that you guys are talking about...

Some students need the smaller class sizes and individual attention--I actually think it's best for any child (of any age) to get the more individualized attention, it's just that some students have the drive and ability to do well regardless.

I also feel for the teachers in this situation...I myself possibly have a future as a high school teacher, if I am in the right school district and there is an availability for me. My home state (Oklahoma) is losing a lot of money for their education system. The people within my hometown are suggesting community sponsored fund-raisers for specific projects having to do with the school.

To add on to my last post, I am all for a more involved community within the local school system. I feel that's the only way it can really work...

[knews_hound]

As an FYI, it is not only techers that are getting the ax.

I am a Telecom Professional with a large school district here in Nor Calif and our ranks are being cut drastically as well. I expect my layoff notice on May 1 along with 15% of the entire staff.

Just goes to show you what happens when you elect a complete Democrat slate in a state.

Cheers,

knews hound

[green team 1999]

women and children to the boats,......sorry,no teachers.

the california ship is taking water fast,real fast!

[thunders]

I agree 100% about the cost of educating illegal aliens....that is a major problem in a lot of areas. But not only are they costing extra dollars for simply educating them, but they also cost more money in combating crimes. In northwestern Arkansas, almost every one of the crimes that is commited is done by a hispanic. I remember when there weren't so many crimes...I find it amazing that murders and roberies have become an everyday occurence since there was in influx of illegal mexicans (many of them brought up by Tyson--or so the talk was around the poultry plants-my parents worked at one-for the past 10 years or something like that).

[Dog Gone]

$140 an hour for paralegals? Holy cow. I frequently hire extremely competent attorneys in Oklahoma to represent my company for less than that.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That should be posted as a separate thread!

[ladylib]

Parents are going to put up with their kids being bussed for hours that's for sure.

[Happy2BMe]

Tsk tsk tsk . . .

[Gritty]

There is simply no fat to cut, largely because of a statewide tax revolt in the 1970s that capped spending for social services

This is the first I ever heard California capped spending for social services. I thought they opened that floodgate a few years ago when the dot com boom was in full swing, Davis was in his first term, the judges had thrown out the propositions trying to control spending on illegal aliens and the Legislature was increasing social service spending by 20% a year.

Maybe I missed something?

But, the article says it was the fault of Prop 13 or some such thing under Reagan, so I guess we have to believe them.

*Sigh*! It's the nasty ole tax revolters fault (once again)!

[green team 1999]

the democrats in sacramento are ruining california,it`s going to take years to rebuilt the budget and the state.

i feel bad for your daughter,perhaps a private school for a while.

[ladylib]

aren't not are

[Carry_Okie]

Maybe they'll fire my communist brother who has been polluting the minds of California students for years.

ROTFLMAO!!!

Um... who do I ping to help me keep your secret? :-)

They could fire 25,000 highly-paid educrats in Sacramento alone and never miss a one (which means they'll ax energetic new hires in inner city schools first).