Cuts in our school district- it's depressing

[Tweet]

I went to register DS for Kinder today. First of all, they are not offering full day kinder for next year. I had to write a special note requesting that he not be in Devil Lady's class. If they cannot do that we will be looking into either charter schools or homeschooling. I hope they can get him in the other class. It gets out at 10:20am!! That is just nuts , imo. That is less than preschool (kinder starts at 7:50am)

Other lovely news is that the whole district will not be having ANY PE,Music, or library due to budget issues. I expected music to go and wondered about PE . But library?! That is just horrible, if you ask me. I'm so disenchanted with the whole damn public school system anymore.

I happily pay taxes..I believe in doing so. I've voted yes every single time they've wanted to raise them because of the schools needing the money. Well, no more. I'm done. Someone, somewhere is either screwing up royally or pocketing the money. Instead of things improving, it's just getting worse and worse and worse. Devastatingly so. I don't understand where the money goes! Yes, I know this is a nationwide issue. But it doesn't make sense to me at all that they've asked for more money every year, got it, and then it continues to flail and fail miserably!

[TheLorax]

I am so sorry it's gotten so bad in your district. My son starts voluntary pre K this fall and we're fully preparing to budget for private school for K next year because it is starting to look pretty ugly around these parts too. I totally agree with you on this one.

[Tweet]

Yeah, I think it's getting bad everywhere. It makes me want to cry. When we first moved to this neighborhood, we were so excited because the elementary school was so big on music and library. PE has always been skimpy,though. I just can't believe they are getting rid of the library.

The school receptionist said they may have the teachers taking over some of the specialty things like PE and Library. I laughed. They don't have time for the stuff NOW. Thanks to NCLB, they are the most focused on reading and math. History and Science and everything else is always something they are forever trying to add where they can. How in the hell are they going to do it all? They aren't. And they especially won't be able to in DS's class.

[TheLorax]

This is exactly why I started my business. It's hardly a business, I break even on a good month. But I teach music and movement classes at my city's rec. center. Kids need music, they need physical activity, they need exposure to all different kinds of cultural sounds and movements, it's as vital as good nutrition in my opinion. If your schools cut library, at least you can visit your city library for free, and it will hopefully have a children's section, but some kids are going to be completely without any exposure to art, music, movement, that's nuts.

I hate that I charge at all for my class, but the little instruments are so expensive. I only charge $5.00 per class, but maybe if I stay in business long enough, and ever make a profit, I can afford to donate some classes for school age elementary kids after school.

[HammBugga]

That is terrible Tweet. If it were me I would wonder why the hell I would want to send my kid to kinder.

[Still_Tbog]

It's getting that way here too. We have a very loved young man in our church who was told this year that his contract wont be renewed. Him and about 75 other teachers in our district. Our whole county only has one jr high and one sr high, so we are talking about a lot of teachers.

Said teacher had to announce on Sunday that he and his wife will have to move and leave our church because she was offered a better job and with him not knowing if he has a job next year, she took the job in a different town. Now he has to move away from a town and church that he loves because the schools here can't afford to keep it's teachers. The ones that are left will be so overloaded it is unreal.

[irisheyes81]

I'm sorry your schools are having to deal with this. Ours were going to have to cut, but instead they did early retirements, and were able to save a lot of jobs. Our teachers, though, have not received a raise, which really stinks and was causing a lot of problems at the beginning of the year. They were considering making students pay for textbooks, pay to play sports and cutting down on field trips, but I have not heard anything more on that topic recently. Fortunately, the classes have not been affected yet; though, teachers are having to take on a lot more of the expense, since the county just does not have it in their budget to provide for all supplies.

[Tweet]

That is terrible Tweet. If it were me I would wonder why the hell I would want to send my kid to kinder.


Exactly! I wish that it weren't the whole damn district. Then we'd at least have SOME type of options.

[alejorge]

I just registered my DD for kinder last week. I am not impressed at all with the first initial glimpse of the school. I will be getting a letter in the mail soon for me to go and have a preview of the school and meet her teacher.

I really hope that this school is a good school. So far though I haven't heard anything good about this school.

The research I did online about the school wasn't that great either. The only good thing I have seen about the school so far is that every year it has a passing grade for the FCAT Tests.

I am going to go see the school and if I am not liking it then I am going to call the school district and see about changing her school to a better school. I do not want her getting a half ass education.

[EvilAmy]

I know DS had two of his teachers cut, both whom he liked. They are cutting Debate and Drama, both classes that DS wanted to take as his electives. I'm miffed beyond belief. I'm sorry Tweet.

[boys4us]

Tweet, that is really too bad. There have been some minimal staffing cuts where we are in Iowa, primarily to declining enrollment. Some places here though are seeing hope with the stimulus money coming to schools. I cannot believe kinder dismisses at 10:20....

[Tweet]

Chloe had her first and last music program tonight. I cried. This just disgusts me to no end. I'm so angry and upset for these kids. I'm going to be writing emails,letters, and possibly protesting.