by Duane Campbell
According to a Sacramento Bee article the AVID program
budget was cut from the state budget by a line item veto by Governor Brown. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/02/4684182/hed-here.html AVID is one of a dozen or more practical programs in the schools to try to
prepare working class kids for college.
Similar programs existed to reduce drop outs/ push outs and other
problems in our schools. Avid was
a good program as were dozens of other good programs cut from the budgets. For example, California has the largest
class sizes in the nation and the least number of counselors per children –
these program cuts too produce
drop outs and violence.
When you and I address the legislature about these pragmatic
programs they say- we agree, but we just don’t have the money. The state does not have the money only
if we continue the massive billions of dollars presently given to corporations
in tax dodges and tax benefits. A
simple Millionaires tax, or a Financial Transactions Tax would resolve that,
but Governor Brown and the Democrats are unwilling to fight for fair taxation. See the video below, “Which CEO made $5
million stealing your kids lunch money?” And, see how the global elite like Mitt Romney hide 32 Trillion in
off shore accounts. This money
could be brought back to the U.S. and invested.
Education is vital for the
future of California. Without a
quality education, our children will not be able to compete in a global
economy.
