Districts Warn of Deeper Teacher Cuts

[groovedaddy]

(I'm sick and tired of all the rhetoric on how important eduction is followed by consistent underfunding - gd)

School districts around the country, forced to resort to drastic money-saving measures, are warning hundreds of thousands of teachers that their jobs may be eliminated in June.

The districts have no choice, they say, because their usual sources of revenue — state money and local property taxes — have been hit hard by the recession. In addition, federal stimulus money earmarked for education has been mostly used up this year.

As a result, the 2010-11 school term is shaping up as one of the most austere in the last half century. In addition to teacher layoffs, districts are planning to close schools, cut programs, enlarge classes and shorten the school day, week or year to save money.

“We are doing things and considering options I never thought I’d have to consider,” said Peter C. Gorman, superintendent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools in North Carolina, who expects to cut 600 of the district’s 9,400 teachers this year, after laying off 120 last year. “This may be our new economic reality.”

Districts in California have given pink slips to 22,000 teachers. Illinois authorities are predicting 17,000 job cuts in the public schools. And New York has warned nearly 15,000 teachers that their jobs could disappear in June.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/education/21teachers.html?th&emc=th

[Newest Reality]

1. There is a telling irony there, I agree.

Another good question revolves around the actual purpose behind modern education, (which centers more on productive work than aquiring knowledge, per se). Just what are we educating them for, in that sense?

Currently we are experiencing a chaotic miasma in the area of employment and industry here. Experienced workers and college graduates are rowing across the ocean of industry in leaky boats with broken paddles and no life preserver. So, what are the far reaching implications of modern-day education, even in its, dumb-them-down, churn-them-out state? Are we simply going to put them on a conveyor belt of basics though the grades and then let college become an afterthought for smaller numbers and, of course, the privileged?

Generally speaking, just what does a career mean in a future based on our current, seismic, economic shift? You really don't need to know much at all to exist merely as a service industry peon for the rest of your life.

[tonysam]

3. Read the Lois Weiner thread about education being in "deep doo-doo"

Your questions will be answered.

[glinda]

2. Think of when every child is dumbed down to T-Party level. Scaaary.

[flyarm]

4. but but but ..I know i just saw a thread on DU saying how lovely the economy is getting!!

I mean people were posting cheers on it practically..

and the 300,000 teachers firings weren't even mentioned..or the re-adjustment that came last month that prove them wrong..

wtf: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug:

up is down and down is up..don'tcha know!!

I stand with teachers!!