With all of the discussion regarding the budget deals which may or may not be on the horizon, the question of education cuts now seems to be something of an inevitability. Sen. Steinberg seems somewhat resigned to it, while Asm. Republican leader Blakeslee is somewhat less reticent about the cuts:
State Senate leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said he expected education cuts would be among the issues to be addressed by the leaders.
“We’ve always said it’s a bad idea, and we want to look for any and every alternative, but in the end we’re going to have to get a budget,” Steinberg said.
“The biggest and hardest decisions are yet before us,” said State Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo. “Until we grapple with the question of (education funding) and the ultimate overall size of the cuts, I think it’s premature to declare a victory.” (SF Chronicle 7/13/09)
Clearly the Republicans have been successful, and likely will be successful in using the system as it stands to make cuts that are wildly unpopular in poll after poll. To be clear, victory in this episode was made harder by Arnold’s refusal to agree to over $3 Billion in budget solutions at the end of June. But the question of how deal with education is among the most debated questions in the public. Of all the cuts, the cuts to education have been among the least popular.
The further cuts to education are a result of a systematic attack on public education from a right-wing cabal of free-marketers. Instead, they seek to end subsidies of public education in favor of private schooling for all. The inequities of a system controlled by how much children or their parents can pay be damned. Public education has made the United States the envy of the world with a workforce that perfectly suited the 20th century. And under Pat Brown, California built an education and higher education system that led the nation.
The shock doctrining of the California is seen in stark review as we look at education policy. As we fall further behind education programs in countries like Japan and the European Union, will we be able to respond to the call of the next generations? Will we be able to provide an educated workforce when only a priviliged few can attain a quality education? Or will we just leave it to prayer that California will succeed in the future?
see Tarnished Jewel
Hi, I’m new to the site. I used to work in the office of Asm. Bass, before she was speaker. It’s nice to have found a place to get back into the discussion a bit.
If I have the numbers right, the Democrats are really, really close to having a 2/3 majority in the Senate and Assembly.
Obviously, budget negotiations would be incalculably easier with a 2/3.
Is there an effort to get the Democratic clubs working together to elect a few more Dems to the legislature, to reach the 2/3? If so, who’s leading the effort and how can I get involved?
Let’s also look at how the various Districts and schools are being operated.
California was once a leader in Education, yet is it today?
It is difficult to claim that our children are receiving a great education when your State ranks in the lower 50 compared to other States.
A stronger educational system is needed in California from K-12 to the Universities. Yet much of the dollars spent are on up-keep of administration, not the curriculm and buildings.
Universities take a large part of the education budget for Adminstration. Why not provide less money to the Universities and allow our K – 12 schools develop a stronger curriculm for the youth of our State? If it that important every gets a BA/BS Degree when most of the training to do a job comes from experience?
are forfeiting ~25% in pay, and a huge number of part-time instructors will be fired.
It’s really dire; no one has any clue how to cover this massive budget shortfall without losing huge numbers of students.