Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Georgia > Atlanta
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 01-24-2010, 05:38 AM
 
3,972 posts, read 12,630,861 times
Reputation: 1470

Advertisements

For the last few months, generally when anyone asks about a teaching position, I have often tried to warn the original poster about how grim things are here. The funding situation is horrible.

Many of us will face higher property taxes next year (though if your house has decreased significantly in value, you won't really notice it) for less services in our public schools. The Governor and most state legislators on the other hand, refuse to look at the revenue side as part of the problem. They focus only on spending and have the nerve to suggest even cutting taxes/fees in some areas which will further decrease revenue.

This blog sort of summarizes well the grave situation here...

Education 2010: No money. Zip. Nada. None. Go fish. | Get Schooled
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 01-24-2010, 09:10 AM
 
Location: Marietta, GA
7,887 posts, read 17,158,369 times
Reputation: 3706
Quote:
Originally Posted by lastminutemom View Post
For the last few months, generally when anyone asks about a teaching position, I have often tried to warn the original poster about how grim things are here. The funding situation is horrible.

Many of us will face higher property taxes next year (though if your house has decreased significantly in value, you won't really notice it) for less services in our public schools. The Governor and most state legislators on the other hand, refuse to look at the revenue side as part of the problem. They focus only on spending and have the nerve to suggest even cutting taxes/fees in some areas which will further decrease revenue.

This blog sort of summarizes well the grave situation here...

Education 2010: No money. Zip. Nada. None. Go fish. | Get Schooled
First, this notion that per pupil spending must always increase and that it has a direct correllation to success is not correct. So the implication that we must continue to spend more and more in order to reach greater results is fundamentally flawed. The implication that state spending is also a large part of the budget for most local school systems is also incorrect.

Many counties such as Cobb have SPLOST's in place to provide for capital funding, and while sales taxes are subject to fluctuations based on the economy as well, they do allow many projects to be funded independently from any state involvement. Property taxes are what most counties and cities rely upon for school funding. The fluctuation in property values and the impacts of the recession are more important to local schools than anything the state can or will do.

As for raising taxes, that is the wrong approach for many reasons, and I won't start a political debate on why you don't increase taxes on people during a recession, but smart people know that you don't. If you want examples of states that continue to run huge deficits despite high taxes, you can look to states such as California, Illinois, and many of the northeastern states.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 09:48 AM
 
705 posts, read 1,108,030 times
Reputation: 321
I've been in public safety fior 32 years, my wife and daughter both teach in the same elementary school, my son is a fire fighter in the same jurusdiction I'm in. I can tell you that there is so much pork in our budgets that it would make a layman's head spin. I have to laugh every time I hear about these cuts. You should see al the wasteful spending, everything from private bathrooms to trips and "retreats." Now the teachers have been told they have to take 3 more furlough days. They have no choice as they all have signed the most rediculous contract I've ever seen.

Public employees need to stop acting like sheep and wake up the taxpayers. Everyone thinks they cant form a union because GA is a right to work state. Thats true, all that means is the you have a right to work without belonging to a union and making union membership a condition of employment. Employees can still form assiciations and wake folks up. This is just one more reason for these tea parties, the poor management or our tax dollars needs to cease but it's not going to unless hard questions are asked and those responsible are held accountable.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 09:54 AM
 
Location: Silver Spring, MD
153 posts, read 380,173 times
Reputation: 128
Not just 3 more days this year, but 7 more next year (that's what they want). I teach in Gwinnett County and they are refusing to issue a calendar until the General Assembly makes all of their decisions. Our principal acknowledged that there will be some "serious" changes.

I know things are bad all over, but this sickens me. I am currently seeking employment elsewhere out of this state. I know the competition is there, but I owe it to myself and my child (soon to be school age) to be in a place where our community workers and teachers are valued. So what if it means higher taxes. I just finished speaking with a former coworker who has escaped to Boston. She said that their gov announced cuts, but education was left untouched.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 10:06 AM
 
Location: Marietta, GA
7,887 posts, read 17,158,369 times
Reputation: 3706
Quote:
Originally Posted by ambersmom722 View Post
I just finished speaking with a former coworker who has escaped to Boston. She said that their gov announced cuts, but education was left untouched.
Correct, but that was after huge cuts last year and a 25% increase in the state sales tax and increases in other taxes. Just putting facts in perspective.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 10:32 AM
 
6,326 posts, read 6,565,618 times
Reputation: 7457
From 5 y.o. to 18-19 y.o. -babysitting-public schooling, needles, pointless, brain numbing, spirit killing, youth robbing schooling + indoctrination, obedience&boredom tolerance training to "break in" a wage unit for employers.

Maybe, teachers could think how to transform education into something more common sense, something that educates not breaks in & babysits. Public education monster is never satiated with $. Maybe, just maybe the time will come when teacher would say, "We have enough $".
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 11:48 AM
 
705 posts, read 1,108,030 times
Reputation: 321
Quote:
Originally Posted by ambersmom722 View Post
Not just 3 more days this year, but 7 more next year (that's what they want). I teach in Gwinnett County and they are refusing to issue a calendar until the General Assembly makes all of their decisions. Our principal acknowledged that there will be some "serious" changes.

I know things are bad all over, but this sickens me. I am currently seeking employment elsewhere out of this state. I know the competition is there, but I owe it to myself and my child (soon to be school age) to be in a place where our community workers and teachers are valued. So what if it means higher taxes. I just finished speaking with a former coworker who has escaped to Boston. She said that their gov announced cuts, but education was left untouched.
Texas is also trying to leave the schools alone.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Silver Spring, MD
153 posts, read 380,173 times
Reputation: 128
@neil, I stand corrected. I don't know their history. I do know that Ga's governor made cuts to education while things were "good". I'm in yr 14 of teaching and I have seen how these cuts have affected us. At the same time, I see money spent on SENSELESS things. (I'm sure we all could name a few). For one, it still baffles me why Gwinnett County feels they must put flat screen tvs in the schools. If the teachers are teaching and the office staff is working..who has time to watch them? (just an observation). When a person can earn over 75k with a job title of "misc. activities"..there is a major problem.

I'm just frustrated. Please do not get me wrong when I become upset with this. I have friends and family that are state workers (officers, etc) and I know they have been dealing with furloughs, etc for a while now. The entire SITUATION is disheartening to me.

**I had to say this** we could EASILY free up funds by not requiring 1st grade ALONE to take the CRCT. 1st grade scores do not count towards making AYP. If you really want to roll with it, don't have 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th grades take it since those aren't the "critical" yrs.

Edited to make corrections to subject/verb agreements...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 12:32 PM
 
Location: Triangle, North Carolina
2,819 posts, read 10,385,686 times
Reputation: 1518
Quote:
Originally Posted by ambersmom722 View Post
@neil, I stand corrected. I don't know their history. I do know that Ga's governor made cuts to education while things were "good". I'm in yr 14 of teaching and I have seen how these cuts have affected us. At the same time, I see money spent on SENSELESS things. (I'm sure we all could name a few). For one, it still baffles me why Gwinnett County feels they must put flat screen tvs in the schools. If the teachers are teaching and the office staff is working..who has time to watch them? (just an observation). When a person can earn over 75k with a job title of "misc. activities"..there is a major problem.
I'm just frustrated. Please do not get me wrong when I become upset with this. I have friends and family that are state workers (officers, etc) and I know they have been dealing with furloughs, etc for a while now. The entire SITUATION is disheartening to me.

**I had to say this** we could EASILY free up funds by not requiring 1st grade ALONE to take the CRCT. 1st grade scores do not count towards making AYP. If you really want to roll with it, don't have 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th grades take it since those aren't the "critical" yrs.

Edited to make corrections to subject/verb agreements...
I think I see where you are going with this and if so,,,, Good for You!

One of the largest items I see here was almost in comparison to when I lived in Jersey. Senseless spending. Jersey has the highest per capita pupil spending in the nation. The average property tax bill for the Jersian is in excess of 8K per year and yet the average pupil testing, though #1 in graduation rates, is much lower than many others.

What I see in both places in not money spent on educating nor the educators in the pits but money spent on nonsense and cronies, in Jersey's case the all powerful union. Johnny can't read but Johnny can play ball. I am still amazed that the Mill Creek district built a "Ball Field" that would make the Falcons training camp look like a little league park. Each time you pick up the paper it is not to read one article about academic accomplishment, well, there are never any posted all ignored, but you can read about "ball" Going back a few decades I remember when schools had Baseball, Football, and Basketball. Some had Girls Softball. All low key, low budget, but fun. Kids had to earn great grades to play or be removed. Today? Geez, we spend thousands per district on "ball" and not only do we have what is listed above but now we have Golf, Tennis, Lacrosse, Girls, Boys, Co-Ed, Top of the line fields, gyms, and the darn uniforms and equipment paid by parents and taxpayers! Enough again to make the NFL look cheap. These are kids for crap sakes!

If public education went back to the 3R's, allowed teachers to teach, and focused on teaching children how to succeed in the world instead of spending untold dollars on feel good crap, and "ball" then we will all be amazed with the total quality of education, educators, and most of all the amount of dollars in surplus.

Sorry for the quick typing, had to run out the door but get this off my chest first.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-24-2010, 12:45 PM
 
Location: Silver Spring, MD
153 posts, read 380,173 times
Reputation: 128
@Georgia..When our school received those flat screens last year, I was BAFFLED..truly!! It made that new building look all nice and purty! The one in the lobby area..I mean..there is no one sitting on the couch watching it...unless a parent is there filling out paperwork for their child to enter. The other two?? CNN or The Weather Channel. At the same time, my colleagues and I needed CONSTRUCTION PAPER..I cracked the joke a few times that we needed to dismount those things and take them to the nearest pawn shop.

For too long, positions were "made" and salaries paid. ( I spent 10 yrs in Dekalb before Gwinnett). Now that it's the crunch no one ever expected to "see" in education, people are making cuts in areas that we truly cannot afford to cut.

Question before I stop..Did anyone know in advance about the rally at the capitol yesterday? I didn't know about it until this morning. I would have been in attendance had I not passed out in my classroom Friday and spent the day in the ER..(tension headaches and elevated BP..lesson learned).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Georgia > Atlanta

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top