Last week employees of Rock Hill School District 3 received an email from Superintendent Lynn Moody explaining the effects that the stimulus package or the lack thereof would have on the York County school districts. "Governor Mark Sanford wants to use part of the money to pay down state debt, while the White House says the money is intended to create or save jobs. In response, the governor says he will not seek stimulus funds. Now the state legislature is debating whether it can override the governor's refusal to accept the money . . . Without the funds, the four school districts in York County predict a devastating impact on the quality of education for all students."
Earlier this semester we read about Amy Gutmann's theories for distributing funds for education. One theory was maximization in which everyone would receive an education at the expense of funding for other things such as police protection, libraries, parks etc.
As I read the email from Superintendent Moody it made me think that maybe we are experiencing the reverse effect of maximization. At the expense of paying down the state debt, which is a worthy cause, "thousands of educators will be laid off"; class size will increase; no new teachers will be hired (that's us!!!); college tuition will increase (that's us!!!!). On the senate floor Senator Hugh Leatherman, Finance Committee Chairman, "describes the potential impacts as 'horrific'."
Only time will tell how education will be impacted by the decisions of the White House, Governor Sanford, the Senate and local school districts.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment