Budget cuts are drastically changing the public school system. Forget the technicalities. Let’s discuss how budget cuts are affecting the education of our next generation. Qualified teachers are being fired left and right. This is resulting in larger class sizes (40+). That is less time your children are getting individual time with their teachers. This could potentially lead to kids falling behind and being dragged to special education to catch up. This is all because they could not get the extra time teachers use to be able to give their general education students when they had a class of 25.
Let’s not forget the high burnout rate of teachers. Within five years, many teachers are ready to move on to something else. Who can blame them when they are faced with 40-plus kids, all with different personalities and behavior levels, every class period? Not to mention the fact that budget cuts means some kids are not being taught by highly-qualified teachers at all. We have a nationwide shortage of teachers; yet, certified teachers are being laid off, and many kids are being taught by substitutes.
What are we supposed to do about this? The federal government allocates some funds based on how schools are performing. Thus, teachers are under so much pressure to make sure their students pass standardized tests instead of making sure they can get along to the next grade level. These standardized tests leave so much out that used to be a part of the educational environment. All of a sudden, subjects like social studies and art have taken a back burner. How many of our children won’t get to experience artistic expression? Many schools have cut back on music classes, and some have eliminated art classes altogether. Other generations were able to discover that they were a good or bad artist in school, but these kids will not even get the chance. Teachers have to be so focused on math, science, and reading skills that the other skills get left behind. It is no wonder both teachers and students are stressed out.
We can wait around for the government to decide to give more money to schools, or we can do something about these budget cuts. Write to your congressman, to the President, and tell them how important this issue is. They clearly are not getting it. Perhaps they will if they receive a million letters. We have to make education that important in this country.