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| Jim Harbison |
At a recent constituent meeting in Las Cruces State Senator Steve Fischmann stated that the Federal and State funds all the K-12 education at a level of $350,000 per classroom per year. This is a staggering number and would cause any clear thinking individual to wonder why, with that level of funding, we are ranked 49th in education. As someone said at the meeting “Thank God for Mississippi” because without them New Mexico would be last in this embarrassing and shameful ranking.
In order to understand the magnitude of this problem the public needs to know what constitutes a “classroom” and what are all the inherent costs associated with and included in the $350,000 per classroom figure. We know that teacher salaries are not at a level consistent with a $350,000 per class budget. Many of our classrooms are short on textbooks, classroom materials and equipment. So where is all this funding going? Government mandates absorb many of the education dollars to provide a multitude of educational, special needs, bi-lingual and social services. Read rest of column here:
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2 comments:
The problem with most elected people is EGO. Suddenly they way overestimate their capacity to run the world. Most have little experience in the majority of areas about which they legislate. Education is one of the most often fouled up areas that legislators ever touched. Even the so-called experts who come to testify/help the legislators often have little or no real experience in education. There are many problems with education, the primary one being federal intervention in an area in which the federal government has absolutely no authority.
In the 19th century, it was widely recognized that education was left to the states to manage. The entrance of the feds into education has destroyed education from the bottom to the top. Mandates contrary to the Constitution force states to expend monies inappropriately. Teachers are burdened with senseless, useless paperwork and left without resources to perform the job.
Technology is purchased at every turn and truthfully technology should not occur in use in the schools until high school. Computers cannot teach. Computers cannot provide the necessary interaction. Computers do not "think". Computers are a tool that can be used for specific purposes just like a hammer.
Legislators, educators, and many others believe that the answers lie in technology. But most of these folks have no real knowledge of the technology they attempt to use.
Eliminate the crap. Eliminate the bureaucracy. Fire from the top down. Get smart and realize that the companies selling "stuff" to the schools do it out of greed. They do not function honorably when they alter "editions" almost annually.
And recognize that not everyone is capable of being educated to the same level. Variations in intelligence exist. While one can train most folks to do something, one cannot increase native intelligence. Genetics are important in plant breeding. Genetics are important in animal breeding. Genetics are important in human breeding.
The previous comment sounded reasonable right up to the end. Are there racial overtones in that last comment?
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