Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

California: California's schools to lay off 25,000 staff
The Independent (UK) ^ | 6 April 2003 17:16 | Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles

Posted on 04/06/2003 5:20:16 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach

California may fancy itself as the fifth largest economy in the world, but when it comes to funding its school system it is a calamity.

Across the state, 25,000 primary and secondary school teachers – 20 per cent of the total – have just been notified that they will be out of work from September.

In each of the state's 1,000-odd school districts, administrators are contemplating, reluctantly, the wholesale dismemberment of programmes, from music to art to PE, as well as the dismissal of nurses, librarians and cleaners.

Class sizes, which were successfully reduced in the go-go 1990s to as low as 20 to 1 in the primary grades, look certain to expand again, with some scenarios suggesting 40 or 50 students per teacher in certain classes.

The reason for this is simple: the state is broke. Because of the depressed economy, the bursting of the dot-com bubble and a tax code that makes state revenues excessively reliant on personal incomes rather than property values or corporate profits, California is facing a $35bn (£22bn) budget shortfall this year. Education accounts for roughly half of state spending, so schools are where the pain is being felt first.

It would not be so calamitous if Californian schools were not woefully underfunded already, ranking 41st in spending per pupil out of the 50 states. New York state, for example, spends $4,000 more per child per year. 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.

"Let's cut the rhetoric of 'Leave No Child Behind' [President Bush's campaign slogan on education] and 'fess up to the reality that all children will be left behind," said John Deasy, superintendent of the relatively successful Santa Monica-Malibu school district in southern California, which now faces the loss of more than 200 teachers.

States across the country are suffering their worst budget crisis for half a century, and few are receiving help from the federal government, which is pouring funds instead into counter-terrorism, the military and tax cuts for the wealthy. Anti-war activists like to call the education crisis in California an instance of "domestic collateral damage", holding the White House at least indirectly responsible.

But California's own political leadership is also to blame. Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, is infuriating even his own party by refusing to contemplate substantial tax increases and handing out favours to campaign contributors, notably the prison guards' union. While the schools sink into oblivion, Governor Davis is insisting on building a new death row unit at San Quentin prison. The price tag: $220m.

 

6 April 2003 17:16

Search this site:

 Printable Story
independent portfolio
AMEX Fashion Comp 2


TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: calgov2002; california
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last
To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
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.

21 posted on 04/06/2003 5:41:31 PM PDT by Bullish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
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.
22 posted on 04/06/2003 5:44:12 PM PDT by Kuksool
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KneelBeforeZod
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.

23 posted on 04/06/2003 5:45:10 PM PDT by Mister Baredog ((They wanted to kill 50,000 of us on 9/11, we will never forget!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
"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.

24 posted on 04/06/2003 5:45:20 PM PDT by ScottinSacto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ItisaReligionofPeace
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"
25 posted on 04/06/2003 5:46:43 PM PDT by KneelBeforeZod (Deus Lo Volt!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Gopher Broke; Dog Gone
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.
26 posted on 04/06/2003 5:47:23 PM PDT by visualops
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
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.

27 posted on 04/06/2003 5:47:31 PM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
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.
28 posted on 04/06/2003 5:49:29 PM PDT by BRL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 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...
29 posted on 04/06/2003 5:49:32 PM PDT by thunders (proud fiance of a USMC Reservist, who, thankfully, is at home with me...for now....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: marsh2
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
30 posted on 04/06/2003 5:50:09 PM PDT by knews_hound (Anyone else play Day of Defeat?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

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

the california ship is taking water fast,real fast!

31 posted on 04/06/2003 5:53:51 PM PDT by green team 1999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bullish
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).
32 posted on 04/06/2003 5:54:32 PM PDT by thunders (proud fiance of a USMC Reservist, who, thankfully, is at home with me...for now....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: mvpel
$140 an hour for paralegals? Holy cow. I frequently hire extremely competent attorneys in Oklahoma to represent my company for less than that.
33 posted on 04/06/2003 5:55:04 PM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: mvpel
That should be posted as a separate thread!
34 posted on 04/06/2003 5:56:06 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Where is Saddam? and where is Tom Daschle?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: marsh2
Parents are going to put up with their kids being bussed for hours that's for sure.

35 posted on 04/06/2003 5:56:26 PM PDT by ladylib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Tsk tsk tsk . . .
36 posted on 04/06/2003 5:56:33 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (HOLLYWOOD:Ask not what U can do for your country, ask what U can do for Iraq!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
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)!

37 posted on 04/06/2003 5:57:45 PM PDT by Gritty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marsh2
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.

38 posted on 04/06/2003 5:58:14 PM PDT by green team 1999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: ladylib
aren't not are
39 posted on 04/06/2003 5:58:56 PM PDT by ladylib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone
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).

40 posted on 04/06/2003 6:04:36 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (Because there are people in power who are truly evil.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson