Friday, September 10, 2010

Area schools await U.S. Aid. Outrage or incompetence?



The morning Bee has a frustrating report by Diane Lambert on B1 which says that  some area school districts are considering using their portion of the schools stimulus funds next year ( not this one) for a variety of  dubious purposes.  This manipulation reduces teachers in the classrooms.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/ca/edjobsfund.asp
Lets review.  What got this law passed?   The economic collapse on Wall Street had decimated our schools. We activists convinced Congress that we need teachers in the classrooms.  And, putting teachers back to work would stimulate (grow) the economic recovery.
Now, according to this article several local districts, including Natomas Unified, don’t know how they will spend the money, when they will spend it,  and for what.  This manipulation and profit taking reduces teachers in the classroom –remember we needed them, and  removes the stimulus effect of the appropriation.
I am appalled at the bone headedness of these officials. One result will be there will be no future appropriations for this purpose- that is the local officials are creating a fraud on Congress.  The stimulus package was not a birthday gift to be spent however they chose.   It is not a deposit in their piggy bank. It was an investment with particular goals – more teachers and public stimulus.
Any school board member who votes for these diversions should be voted out of office.   As the President said in his news conference, “this country is really hurting and we don’t have time anymore to play games.” Here are the present allocations;



Elk Grove Unified $11.9 million
San Juan Unified $8.4 million
Sacramento Unified $8.4 million
Twin Rivers $5.5 million
Folsom Cordova Unified $3.5 million
Natomas Unified $2.4 million
Roseville Joint Union High School $2.1 million
Woodland Joint Unified $1.9 million
Roseville City Elementary $1.7 million
El Dorado Union High School $1.5 million
Dry Creek Joint Unified $1.3 million
Washington Unified $1.3 million
http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/ca/edjobsfund.asp

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