Schools and students throughout Lake County are facing severe cuts as a result of the current budget package.
School districts here in Lake County and across the state are being forced to implement the largest overall funding cut in the history of our public education system.
Here in Lake County districts are being forced to cut over $5 million additional dollars after we already cut over $3 million dollars to help balance the budget back in September
Hundreds of layoffs notices have been given to teachers, administrators, custodians, bus drivers, food services workers, librarians, counselors and other support staff, as school districts work to survive the cuts imposed by the governor and lawmakers.
Class sizes will be increasing; districts are being forced to eliminate vital parts of the curriculum by cutting back programs like art, music, after school sports programs, after school intervention and tutoring programs. Some districts are planning to close their library doors for all or part of the day and some districts are closing entire schools.
These cuts will have catastrophic consequences for our schools and students.
Instead of cuts our schools now more than ever, need ongoing, stable funding. Our elected leaders need to be reminded of what hard-working Californians already know: these devastating cuts to public education are undermining our state”s future.
The vast majority of Californians agree that supporting education is a top priority yet our legislators are stymied by a system where a small minority can hold the entire state hostage and block the will of the majority.
Today everyone is focused on economic recovery. The federal government is trying to stimulate the economy and softened the impact of the recession on the states. But the money that will be released to the states is one-time money that will help but will not fix our problem.
We know that the only way to ensure economic recovery is to commit to a long-term strategy of adequately investing in our public schools and returning California”s public education system to the envy of the nation.
How can we prepare our students for the 21st century if we are forced to dismantle our education system?
California”s students already live in a state that before these cuts ranked 47th in the nation in per-pupil spending. These massive cuts will give California the dubious ranking of “last in the nation” in spending per student, yet the standards and expectations the state sets for our schools and students are the highest in the nation.
I do want to acknowledge the courage of our local legislators, Senator Patricia Wiggins and Assemblyman Wes Chesbro for voting in favor of needed tax increases to protect our schools from even larger cuts.
However, we must call and remind them to continue to pressure their colleagues to avoid further cuts to education. We can not endure another round of cuts where education has to shoulder a far greater share of the cuts than any other program or service.
In light of all the terrible news we must stay focused on what can be done. We can not afford to be overwhelmed by the crisis.
We need to take positive action. The first thing we must do is continue to let our legislators know that cuts to education are unacceptable today and unacceptable in the future. The second thing we must do is turn out on May 19th for the special election and vote.
If you agree that for decades there has been an absolute mismatch between the resources the state provides to schools and the standards the state has set for schools to achieve and that more funds not less funds are needed now ? you must vote accordingly.
If you want to avoid further cuts that will impact an entire generation of children and escalate California”s race to the bottom in education funding ? you must vote accordingly.
If you agree that our long term economic recovery depends on a strong education system ? you must vote accordingly.
If you believe that if we fail to make education a priority we will fail our children ? you must vote accordingly.
Together we must prevent an entire generation of students from being shortchanged of the quality education they deserve.
Together we must stand up for our schools. Together we must stand up for our students. They are depending on us.
Dave Geck is Lake County Superintendent of Schools.
