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| Republican budget writers pose for a group photo |
No kidding. The NC House budget proposal is banking on money it hopes to raise from the NC Education Lottery, the same lottery that conservatives have always claimed to hate. Now they're prepared to stake their futures -- not to mention their political reputations -- on a roll of the dice.
Not every House Republican is prepared to do this particular gambling: “I do feel uncomfortable rolling the dice and betting on money that may not materialize,” said Rep. Debra Conrad of Winston-Salem.
Raleigh Republicans have done what they could to cripple public education, open the state to environmental devastation, and drive us into an economic hole. Now they're willing to throw their esteemed family values out the window and budget with buffalo dust.
9 comments:
The picture you chose describes Tillis and his buddies perfectly!
I mean really, these are people who chose a casino for their convention.
And with all they're doing to trash the environment, education, with all the ripping of the social safety net, they're only interested in gambling with the future of NC.
So, you want teacher pay increased but you apparently want to do it through deficient spending.
N.C. requires a balanced budget. Would you prefer no pay increase?
To Anonymous @7:17.
If NC requires a balanced budget, gambling's not the answer. If NC requires more funding to get NC education out of the bottom of the barrel, in terms of teacher pay, then perhaps the tax cuts to the yacht owners, et al., was a very bad idea.
The idea that education is solely an expense to be slashed over and over until it becomes utterly crippled is a very, very bad idea. Education is an investment in the future. Too bad those gambling with the future of this beautiful state don't understand that.
Education has never been slashed. Its budget stays the same or usually increases. It just doesn't increase as much as some would like.
These are those with a vested interest (teachers) or those that think throwing money at a problem fixes it.
Anon @ 6:22 - $$ to education have been slashed. Please know that there is less money, more students, more $$ funneled to unregulated charter schools (with no evidence that they are doing a better job.)
NC teacher pay has gone from middle of the US ranking to the bottom. In market terms, we are no longer a competitive market for the best teachers. Most teachers have multiple jobs to make ends meet. That's unacceptable. And if not addressed, this will become an insurmountable problem.
Why is it unacceptable for teachers to have multiple jobs? Many people do this, including those with college degrees.
Providing monies for charter schools or vouchers for private schools is not slashing money for education. In fact, it is quite the opposite as it fixes the "insurmountable problem".
"Why is it unacceptable for teachers to have multiple jobs? Many people do this, including those with college degrees."
This is the NCGOP base. Protect the wealthy and make sure everyone else works like slaves. WHY should teachers have multiple jobs to make ends meet? In the market for teacher talent, OTHER STATES DO NOT EXPECT TEACHERS TO WORK MULTIPLE JOBS. They understand that education is an investment that reaps multiple benefits. NCGOP and its base is unaware of such things, to the determinant of NC education.
"Providing monies for charter schools or vouchers for private schools is not slashing money for education. In fact, it is quite the opposite as it fixes the "insurmountable problem."
What is the insurmountable problem? NCGOP is funneling money to private schools - WHY? People can send their children to any school they want. WHY does the state have to fund private, unregulated schools? There is less money going to public schools when money is funneled to private schools. How does this solve the problems in the public schools? Clearly, the goal of the NCGOP is to destroy public education. THAT will leave NC unpalatable for businesses that have execs who like sending their children to quality public schools.
There is absolutely NO evidence that charter and private schools are universally better than public schools. Some are good; some are bad - just like in the public realm. Funneling money to these schools is solving none of the problems in education today.
If you think public schools do a good job, then send you kids to them by all means. This does not mean other people agree with you. These people should be able to use the public monies going toward education that would be spent on their children to send them to the type of school they think best; just as you should.
"Funneling money to these schools is solving none of the problems in education today." This is your opinion. It is not mine.
Nothing is universally the same for any endeavor. That is why the parent should be able to choose that which he thinks best.
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