[ummbikes]

I had the best talk with my wife about the state of education. She teaches and feels like the politicos use education as a pawn to force other agendas through legislation.

In Washington State the voters passed an inititive that lowered car tab fees to thirty dollars. The previous tax was sliding, based on the the states assesed value of the vehicle. So in the case of my old Taurus it was a couple hundred dollars every year, for my dad's Corvette it was six hundred.

Ever since then the legislature has been cutting the budget to account for the loss of revenue the car tax provided. Of all the areas of the state budget that could be trimmed the legislature has cut public transportation, education, and healthcare the most.

My wife feels this is a way for the legislature to punish the voters. It is governments way of getting back at the voter for limiting the car tax.

Stay with me here I know this getting long.

So if my beloved is correct, and the legislature is punishing the voters, can the legislature then claim to be supporting education? If they are willing to play games with the budget of the schools, and as a result of the political games, children are getting an inferior education, does that illustrate a lack of care for education?
So my question is, should we scrap the current system and start over, or simply vote the incumbants out and hope the new blood can get something better done?

I say throw the bums out!

 

[splat]

I say throw the bums OUT!

Health care , education and socil Security are the biggest paws al the politicians use. But god forbid you look at cutting any of there Pet programs !

In this lovely state ( MA ) several years ago the Legislature Passed a Temporary Income Tax Hike. then of course it became permanant , well we ( the voters ) Passed a BINDING referendum to force the tax rollback. Our legislatures decided we ( the voters ) were not well informed so have decided to ignore this ! They did the same thing with a clean elections law too. We voted it in , they are ignoring it because they don't like it.

I say vote the bums out, Fat chance here in Taxachussettes

 

[laura]

in tennesee the first day of summer courses for all state funded colleges were cancelled because they couldnt decide what they wanted to do with the sales tax. they threatened to keep them closed until they "solved" the problem. it only lasted a day.


this country could care less about eduaction. this is something that has really bothered me lately as i learn more and more about it. inner city school funding is much lower than county school funding for obvious reasons so, they have social passing. if you show up for enough days of class they send you on to the next grade just to get you out. not enough teachers too many students. no books or suplies for anyone. buildings that ae faling apart and are beyod repair.


these are places that our children are going everyday to "learn". and i think that it is ridiculous that every child in the public school system is not sublect to equal treatment because of where they live.we our doing ourselves and this country a grave injustice by letting children grow up stupid and its going to come back to haunt us before we know it.

 

[mikec918]

I've been thinking of a word to describ our the people in our government and Whores is the one that I think describs them best. Votes are not what gets them into office it's money from special interest groups. With most groups giving to both sides just to hedge their bets.

Ummbikes: this seem to be a very inportant issue to you. Please do me a favor and checkout the party line vote on this measure. I'm asking you this because I'm sure the democratic party in your state will bring it up as an issue against the republicans in your up comming elects. Just make sure that the democrats voting record matches their rederick.


Laura: Your so right this has reach crisis level. And something must be done now. Now While I am against higher taxes overall I would support a limited increase in the FIC of say 1@ on salories exceeding 50,000 a year.

But only if the money is used to high more qualified teachers and raise the salaries of qualified teachers and to pay for new schools. Mined you I said "Qualified teachers" this money should be used to give our childern better educations not in increase the rolecall of the teachers Unions. Money for construction should go for building new schools not for admistrative office. Hell they can work in old converted schools once the students have been moved to their new schools.

I beleive that 90% of teachers out there are dedicated, hardworking people who should be paid the salories they deserver .
but we should also be able to get rid of the ones who are just half As$ing it. The message should be if your dedicated and hard working we are going to pay the money you deserve. If your here because you couldn't make it in another field and your think you can slide by here don't even think about it because you will be out on your a$$ before you can blink

 

[Serial Midget]

Ummbikes... I have 3 vehicles and have saved over $2000.00 in two years. Sorry if this cuts the area of your future employment but... with he contracts I lost late last year - it sure helps ME out.

As far as education goes... I think educators whine too much. Being in business and dealing with many teachers over the years, to a one they all cry poverty. In your county, as well as mine, anyone pulling the salary of the average teacher (not to mention benefits, insurance, summers off and such) is really doing good. So buck up and study hard. You don't want to work in the woods do ya? The woods are for riding...

 

[Skookum]

I do think midget brings up a good point, I'm interested in knowing how much it takes for a teacher to be happy. It seems that locally it's an ongoing issue of underfunding education here. I will not defend the govt though since their mismanagement is driving a lot of business out of this area. And also there is a state lotto here that was passed solely on the grounds that the profit from the legalized gambling would be used for education. Is it years later? Apparently not, since teachers here seem to strike every time their contract comes up.

 

[ummbikes]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
As far as education goes... I think educators whine too much.

Edward I challange you to volunteer for one week at Aberdeen High School.

The fact of the matter is those alleged great benefits are paid for by my wife. She spends almost $800 a month on medical for our family. Plus this year she will make LESS than last due to a 12% hike in insurance rates.

She graduated with highest honors and was the writing major of the year, she has 10 years experience teaching, and has 40K a year to show for it. Plus she has no overhead projecter (don't even dream of a digital projector and power point). She teaches an art class with a $600 ANNUAL budget!

Whine! People are lucky to have anyone do the job at all.

Someday you might have little Midgets running around, most likely they will have great teachers, but don't be too suprised if they don't. Kim and I are seriously considering moving to California, something about double the pay, and mandated small class sizes...I'll miss the rain.

I hear NORCAL has some great riding.

 

[ummbikes]

Originally posted by Skookum
I'm interested in knowing how much it takes for a teacher to be happy.

Based on what my wife and the other teachers I know tell me, it is more a question of having class size reduced, having more paid planning time, having some of the billions of dollars end up in the class room (new computers, projectors, teaching aids, supplies).

Plus the salarys need to rise. Most of the teachers have Masters degrees and top out at 55K a year. How much should they make? How much does a state senator make? Pay them that!

 

[laura]

when people are getting paid millions of dollars to make TV shows and sing ****ty music tht they dont even write, then i think teachers deserve more than that for assisting the country in raising its children.

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by ummbikes
Edward I challange you to volunteer for one week at Aberdeen High School.

CHALLENGE DENIED!

But only because you didn't use your spell checker! Seriously though... I have been self employed for most of my adult life. I pay for everything and have zero benefits, no medical, no vacation and no guarantee of income. Don't think the entire working world has it better than teachers...

Besides, without me who would be making all those tiny little images for on-line catalogs? Did you ever stop to think about that? I didn't think so!

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by ummbikes
She graduated with highest honors and was the writing major of the year, she has 10 years experience teaching, and has 40K a year to show for it.

The average household income in Grays Harbor County is UNDER $25K and the average home costs around 75 or 80. While I may make a tiny bit more than that, I have no guarantee of income from month to month or year to year. But you are right. I would not choose education formy area of employment as it does tend to limit your lifetime earning potential. But... most people know this before they enter the field, I know you did before you went back to the books.

Don't think it'sjust education. It's ANYTHING that costs money and raises taxes, especially in a down economy where everyone has to cut back. As I have spoken with you before, my income has been sliding for 2 solid years. I am going towork for Steeve the Tree as an arborist if thinks do not turn around soon.

Don't take my views too much to heart just because you know me, I'm still a decent guy.

 

[mrsdove]

If you throw the bums out then new bums will come in. The education our children our getting is seriously going downhill and it is not the fault of the teachers, it is the fault of the crumudgeons they have to deal with.

Because of this I am seriously considering homeschooling my children.

 

[ummbikes]

Originally posted by Serial Midget



Don't take my views too much to heart just because you know me, I'm still a decent guy.

I have nothing but love for you! The macara, and Y-bike fetish concern me a little, but besides that you are all right with me.

As far as the Grays Harbor stats, c'mon, thats the third world! The average price of a new 3 bedoom house in Chehalis is a 135K!

The people who really suffer are the teachers in King and Snohomish counties. My buddy Matt was paying $1100 for RENT on a 3br house in Monroe.

If a teacher can't afford to own a home, then the pay isn't good enough!

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by ummbikes

As far as the Grays Harbor stats, c'mon, thats the third world! The average price of a new 3 bedoom house in Chehalis is a 135K!

Homes in Chehalis have bedrooms? WOW. Next you'll be saying that the average home has multiple outhouses.

 

[ummbikes]

Originally posted by Serial Midget


Homes in Chehalis have bedrooms? WOW. Next you'll be saying that the average home has multiple outhouses.

We even have home with out 3-4 junk cars parked out front...We keep 'em in the back! Ha Ha I just kill myself!