Comments on: Pink Slip Friday

By: radlib1

radlib1 — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:39:01 +0000

I am concerned mostly about the cuts in Special Education (my son is autistic). For the Los Angeles Unified School District to be contemplating 8,843 layoffs is sheer madness, particularly since the Obama Administration has, with its Recovery Act, just elevated the Federal funding of Special Education from 17% to 27% of the actual costs (still far short of the promised 40% promised when IDEA passed in 1975).

The purpose of the Recovery Act is to save jobs and maintain (or increase) funding for Special Education. This is vitally important not only for our children with special needs, but for the sense of justice, equality, and fairness in our national educational policies.

Unless you protect the weak and the underrepresented, you will fail as a nation. You don’t need religion to practice morality.

By: wmd1961

wmd1961 — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:46:09 +0000

1,495 foreclosure notices in Santa Clara County in February as well. Silicon Valley is hurting. Santa Clara county has about 1.7 million people, this means about 8 people out of 10,000 got a foreclosure notice in February, teacher layoffs amount to 5 teachers fewer per 10,000 residents. Per pupil the layoffs are 2 fewer teachers per 10,000 people under age 18.

Interesting how numbers look different when given per capita isn’t it?

It kind of begs some analysis of what leads to a layoff notice - Merit? Seniority? How much administrative staff is laid off? (After reading the mercury news article - seniority is being used to determine who is laid off).

By: RedHen

RedHen — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:54:52 +0000

Anticipating such narrow-mindedness the stimulus bill includes a provision that allows state legislatures to override a Governor’s decision not to accept federal funds. I don’t know anything about the composition of the South Carolina legislature, but this may be a possible strategy.

By: dkmich

dkmich — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:00:54 +0000

Michigan schools are “privatizing” custodial. Secretarial will be next. At the rate we are going, the few jobs that will be left will all be crappy jobs.

By: Peterr

Peterr — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:49:48 +0000

Oh good grief!

I’m sure it was part of a decision that said “everyone with less than seven years experience gets a layoff notice . . .” but if you are looking for an example of cutting off your nose to spite your face, this would be it.

By: foothillsmike

foothillsmike — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:22:01 +0000

This is absolutely ridiculous
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29680486/

By: pluege

pluege — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:17:34 +0000

grover norquist and the rest of the republican scabs are laughing their asses off at how well they’re drowned government in their bathtub.

By: ThingsComeUndone

ThingsComeUndone — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:10:30 +0000

If we got rid of No Child Left Behind how much money for education would we have?

By: dmac

dmac — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:53:33 +0000

if you are a teacher k-12 you sure aren’t in it for the money.

best friend teaches art at a catholic high school. (Other side of the state)her school cut the position of librarian a few years ago. just took a 1/3 pay cut and bigger class load. she wasn’t the only one. she said the curriculum they are offering isn’t up to par. many teachers left. she wanted to, but didn’t find another job. she wants to stay, but is torn that the curriculum is being sacrificed by ignorant decisions from administration…i.e. wanted a religion teacher to teach graphics to add to his class load to justify keeping him full-time. he doesn’t even use a computer.
———
counties around here, they cut school nurses. for some kids it is the only health care and health education they would/will get.

you would be shocked to see the schools here in se ohio. poorest counties in the state.

good post peterr.
bbl

By: KayInMaine

KayInMaine — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:51:41 +0000

Not sure if you’ve all read this article yet, but the Big Man at Beth Israel Hospital has decided to reduce his salary along with the other higher paid employees (they agreed to do it to with tears of happiness in their eyes!) to save the low wage earners of the hospital:

http://www.boston.com/news/loc.....h_a_heart/

This kind act should go viral in our nation, because what some are forgetting is we are all in this economy together!