North Carolina government continues to debate the budget. Even as the state’s deficit grows, the governor refuses to step back from spending. And the number 1 line item in the budget?
Education.
This is governor Purdue’s explanation:
“We cannot go backward on education. It’s part of who we are as a people in this state and it’s what has differentiated us as a leader in the South,” Perdue said, according to her staff. “We are North Carolina, and we have chosen to become that because of our generational legacy of education.”
We cannot go backward. Backward.
In what way and manner is she thinking we’ll go backward?
Spending?
Sure, but more spending doesn’t equate to better education.
She is preaching the old Democrat canard; Defend the defined solution – Don’t debate the problem.
See, the Democrats feel that the only way to improve education is to spend more. Therefore they feel that as long as they are able to defend the fact that we want to improve education, and who doesn’t, we should only continue to spend more and more.
Yet not one once of study goes into the fact that education outcomes don’t always depend on money.
spending doesn’t equal improved education by default. But cutting spending doesn’t equal improved education by default either.
I’m fine with talking about improving the efficiency of each dollar spent on education. I’m not ok with blanket cuts to education.
Public education is what has differentiated America over time and it is one of our greatest gifts to the rest of the world. We are being copied by many other countries now and they are finding ways to educate that are better than ours. We should be looking at systems that work, at home and abroad and working to ensure that every dollar spent on education is well spent.
spending doesn’t equal improved education by default.
That’s a great point. And one that is missed by many.
cutting spending doesn’t equal improved education by default either.
No. But if the last round of spending didn’t help, this round of cutting won’t hurt.
Public education is what has differentiated America over time and it is one of our greatest gifts to the rest of the world.
In this I agree with you. Though going through my renaissance these last few years, I am begging to take a different view of public education.
We should be looking at systems that work, at home and abroad and working to ensure that every dollar spent on education is well spent.
Couldn’t have said it better!
Simply spending money on education is not the same things as actually educating.
As a school employee, I am often criticized for my views on educational spending. Michigan’s governor wants to cut spending to my school district. I understand his goal is to cut costs. I may not like the fact that I will need to start paying a portion of my health insurance, but I understand the governor’s mission to reduce spending. I see the waste all around me everyday. Surely schools should be able to cut costs without reducing services to our students? Do we really need artificial turf on our football field? Really, what is so wrong with real grass? We have new text books in cases because nobody wants to switch. Why buy the books if they are not going to be used? Each month the school mails out a building newsletter. Why not have the students carry it home and save the money spent on postage? This is why our schools always need more money. No excuse can justify this waste.
I may not like the fact that I will need to start paying a portion of my health insurance, but I understand the governor’s mission to reduce spending.
Well said. I know that I don’t like to see my premiums go up either. But they do. And I don’t find that the quality of my works suffers as a result.
Surely schools should be able to cut costs without reducing services to our students?
They can. Each of your examples below are great illustrations of the point. We just need to learn to do better at being better.
If only this could all be solved by getting rid of artificial turf fields (which I agree are a waste). More often I hear about schools cutting their entire arts program, or their music program, or school libraries. That children could go through twelve years of school without having the opportunity to paint or play an instrument is a crime.
That children could go through twelve years of school without having the opportunity to paint or play an instrument is a crime.
I agree. However, what I’d like to see is innovation. Adding new technology and focusing more and more on the core. Further, I understand that parents share the blame.
There is so much that needs to be done it’s a shame.