California isn't the only state that is facing budget cuts in education. When I came home with my pink slip this year, I told my wife I was one of 55 teachers in my school corp. that got one. I misquoted my department head though, actually, 55% of us were pink slipped and any program with less than 28 students was cut to make up for a budget shortfall.

Notable program cuts included a majority of AP (advanced placement where HS students can earn college credit) classes, art, German, level 4 foreign language classes (which traditionally only have 6-12 students enrolled,and journalism (newspaper not yearbook)(of course it's the section I teach [I only have a staff of 12 now]) - oh and special education, those students are being placed in regular classrooms without aids.

Total layoffs amounted to about 135 teachers, most of the janitorial staff, and nearly all teacher aids. If that seems like a lot it's partially because they actually are closing schools in the corporation. Two middle schools, four elementary schools, and one high school (mine) are closing. The two middle schools are being combined into the closing high school building, the elementary schools are being crammed into the middle school buildings, the closing high school is being merged with the open one and the leftover buildings are being used for storage and administrative offices.

Ever wonder why half of all new teachers quit in the first five years?

>if you are wincing waiting for the shoe to drop, you can exhale now.

I may consider a class action lawsuit if these budget cuts continue and more plans and proposals are cut. I believe the terms I signed up for explicitly guaranteed a variety of entertainment offerings here.

Stewart - like most of the Democrats - completely missed what Brown was all about. Brown himself was just a lucky schmoe who happened to 'be there'. You could have put a potted plant against Croakley and the result would have been similar. Croakley - like the bulk of the Democrat party today - was drunk on a sense of priveledge, power, and arrogance. For the past year they've been strutting around thinking that the wave of anger against GWB was going to let them do whatever they wanted. They also thought that the man-child Barak Obama really was all that and a bag of chips and whatever he wanted was what the people wanted and what was best for the country. This combination of arrogance and the illusion that Obama was 'more' than just a twit in a suit gave them the mental security blanket they have been DREAMING of having for years.

They're liberals. They are far-left leaning radicals. And they've had to HIDE it for soooo long. Then along comes a supermajority and a popular leftist president and they thought they could finally - FINALLY - take the mask off and let it all hang out. So they did. They started trying to pass crap that nobody liked. The people started rejecting it, and in their arrogance and hubris they ignored popular opinion (just like Bush did on Iraq). The tea parties were not the grumbling of a few puppet malcontents (like Pelosi, Obama, Stewert, et al wished they were). They were the tip of a very angry iceberg.

People elected Obama because he sold himself as a guy who was 'post-partisan' and would help correct the financial crisis caused by government over-spending and debt. Instead the people were dismayed with Obama's radical leftist agenda. They protested, but the left-wing liberals were in NO MOOD to let their leftist agenda get interrupted by such piddling trifles as the PEOPLE. So they mocked the protests. They ignored the voters. They pretty much spit in the face of the people, and now it has come back to bite them in the @$$ (just like Bush).

So Kennedy's seat is gone because they ran an arrogant, disconnected liberal lapdog who thought the seat was her's just because she showed up. Seen the news today? Health Care Reform is DEAD! This is a GREAT day for America because a radical, left-wing assault on freedom has been killed dead. Democrats rats are jumping the SS HealthCareReform in droves. Even Pelosi is giving up on it. Huzzah! Let's hope the GOP takes both houses of Congress this fall and throw government into total deadlock.

I never underestimate the GOP's ability to shoot itself in the foot. But things are looking promising. Brown won because he was unapologetically CONSERVATIVE. He said, "I'll stop health care because it is stupid policy..." He was totally right. The people responded. The GOP path is clear. If you want to skunk the "Progressive" liberals in the mid-terms then run on a CONSERVATIVE ticket where you promise to balance the budget, CUT SPENDING, pay down the debt, and reduce government to its proper scope & function. Do it GOP and you'll have the people behind you. If you just run RINOs like McCain again then you're screwed.

After budget cuts the military turns to new methods to keep hair length down.

Thanks, from a fellow Canadian for the intelligent and insightful comment, I agree 100%.

In reply to this comment by geo321:
Basically what happened with health care in Canada is that the last two liberal governments were corporate liberals that slashed corporate taxes and to balance the budget cut health care funding to the provinces. And the present conservative government did the same thing. From the 1950s to the early 1990s there wasn't a problem with health care in Canada. But there is a problem now in that we don't train enough doctors by a huge factor. It's the result of systemic cuts over almost two decades.
The truth is that Canadian politicians from both major parties have bought into Thatcherism, Reaganism, whatever you want to call it. The two main political parties in Canada, like the US are dislocated from the people in that they are ideologically bent on serving those that control our resources. For Canada it's oil locally and mining internationally. Popular social programs like a universal child care program in Canada, which had overwhelming support, is relatively cheap, and the program it was based on in Quebec cut child poverty in half in under a decade, will never be considered by our modern liberal or conservative leaderships. They don't listen to the population.
Alright I'll stop ranting.

Basically what happened with health care in Canada is that the last two liberal governments were corporate liberals that slashed corporate taxes and to balance the budget cut health care funding to the provinces. And the present conservative government did the same thing. From the 1950s to the early 1990s there wasn't a problem with health care in Canada. But there is a problem now in that we don't train enough doctors by a huge factor. It's the result of systemic cuts over almost two decades.
The truth is that Canadian politicians from both major parties have bought into Thatcherism, Reaganism, whatever you want to call it. The two main political parties in Canada, like the US are dislocated from the people in that they are ideologically bent on serving those that control our resources. For Canada it's oil locally and mining internationally. Popular social programs like a universal child care program in Canada, which had overwhelming support, is relatively cheap, and the program it was based on in Quebec cut child poverty in half in under a decade, will never be considered by our modern liberal or conservative leaderships. They don't listen to the population.
Alright I'll stop ranting.

you're an interesting character.
I dont care who calls me a kid. Most people assume I am much older.



In reply to this comment by enoch:
yep,
elective only.
i will not be part of the NCLB indoctrinational dumbing down of american children.
it looks like ill be sitting this year out though due to local budget cuts and the death of my mentor.
i was teaching at TCMS and this year was also going to teach at an alternative school for delinquent teens.
as a teacher i am also a student,many forget that when they find out i teach.
as if by osmosis i have garnered ALL information and context.
i learn as much as i teach...its addictive actually.
i am also a minister but follow no organized or canonized doctrinal faith,hence the "rebel" tag.
so i may not be getting paid to teach this year,i never stop teaching..
cant..its inherent in my personality.
i call everybody kid...even my elders..its endearing in a funny way,except for those in their 20's.they seem to be offended..
what?
ooooooh......26 eh?
yep..still a kid,i could be your dad.
but trust me,in 20 years you will be tickled to be called a "kid".
till next time.
namaste.

yep,
elective only.
i will not be part of the NCLB indoctrinational dumbing down of american children.
it looks like ill be sitting this year out though due to local budget cuts and the death of my mentor.
i was teaching at TCMS and this year was also going to teach at an alternative school for delinquent teens.
as a teacher i am also a student,many forget that when they find out i teach.
as if by osmosis i have garnered ALL information and context.
i learn as much as i teach...its addictive actually.
i am also a minister but follow no organized or canonized doctrinal faith,hence the "rebel" tag.
so i may not be getting paid to teach this year,i never stop teaching..
cant..its inherent in my personality.
i call everybody kid...even my elders..its endearing in a funny way,except for those in their 20's.they seem to be offended..
what?
ooooooh......26 eh?
yep..still a kid,i could be your dad.
but trust me,in 20 years you will be tickled to be called a "kid".
till next time.
namaste.

>> ^deedub81:
^Ha. Sorry. No can do. I DO think that some churches should be removed from their tax exempt status when they've got a wealthy CEO - I mean- preacher/paster/leader paying himself a ridiculous salary.
But, that wouldn't solve the problem. I don't think Gov. Schwarz has many options here. He's already taken other drastic measures up to this point (forced state employees to take unpaid leave) and now it's going to get difficult.
He has to take action NOW before the money disappears completely. Reforming the tax law isn't a feasible short-term solution.
The Government is not immune to this: http://www.videosift.com/video/SNL-Dont-Buy-Stuff-You-Cant-Afford

Being in construction, I feel the effects of the budget cuts on my end. I have from 8am to 11am to drive downtown and turn in permit applications. The city employees go home for the rest of the day. This has part to do with the economy in that with the slowdown of construction, they're seeing less income from permit fees. But a big part of the issue is a blanket budget cut cutting back the employee's hours. Also, pensions are being cut. A lot of employees are retiring because pretty soon the pension laws will be changing, affecting every city employee. Sh*t's a real big mess here. All you can really do his cross your fingers, bury your head, and keep on chuggin.

Tragically, more and more talented school choirs have been forced to sing Journey due to budget cuts.

Congratulations! Your comment has just received enough votes from the community to earn you 1 Power Point. Thank you for your quality contribution to VideoSift.

>> ^Dash:
>> ^jimnms:
18 U.S.C. §331:
Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States... shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage: however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent. (Source U.S. Mint)


Otherwise those penny-crushers at the various landmarks would be illegal.

Your video, How big of a budget cut is $100 million?, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

>> ^jimnms:
18 U.S.C. §331:
Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States... shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.


This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage: however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent. (Source U.S. Mint)

"i can think of another budget cut, NICK!"