I read an article in September by John Stossel, investigative journalist, entitled “Schools do not need money.” In the article, Stossel quotes Andrew Coulson of the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom who wrote that out of 14,000 school districts in the United States, just seven cut their budgets seven years in a row, and just 87 cut their budgets five years in a row. The article further quotes Coulson who states that districts are not comparing current year spending to the previous year’s spending, but instead are comparing their current year budget to what they initially wanted and if the current year budget is lower than what they wanted, administrators call it a cut. Really?
I guess Mr. Coulson must have missed the great state of Michigan when he did his research. I do not know about the rest of you, but in Troy we did cut our budget every year beginning with the 2003/04 school year, and I mean real cuts, not a reduction from what I hoped the budget would be. That’s eight consecutive years through 2010/11. I’m sure many of you have done the same. It never ceases to amaze me how public schools are always under attack. I know times are tough, and private industry has taken cuts, and I’m not asking for more money for public education. I do get incensed when I read articles that distort the truth, or do not report all of the facts. Public schools across the country have been making real budget cuts for years. I recently read where Arizona school officials are expecting the legislature to make education cuts next year as the state grapples with a $1 billion deficit. In South Dakota, lawmakers provided no increase in the per student formula last year. Lawmakers in Texas are expected to give schools about $3 to $5 billion less over the next two years. The state of New Mexico has already cut school spending by ten percent and California’ recently passed budget did not meet the state’s minimum funding formula for education that is guaranteed in the state constitution. Schools are constantly being challenged to perform better, yet I do not know of any company or industry that performed better by simply spending less. The argument needs to center on how the money is spent.
I recently watched a video by Ken Robinson on Ted.com. Ted.com is a website that contains inspirational videos. The acronym stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design. I encourage you to visit the website. This particular one by Ken Robinson focused on creativity in public schools. Ken’s point in the video is that public schools kill creativity. Not on purpose, but rather as an outcome of the maturing process of the students. I wonder if future budget cuts will kill creativity? Most, if not all of us, have many years ago cut the proverbial “low hanging fruit”, and now we are making cuts that affect program. Will our public schools be forced to cut or severely reduce art, music, physical education and the myriad of other programs outside of the core curriculum that helps our students to succeed in the 21st century? Let us hope not. I would encourage you to read “A Whole New Mind” by Daniel Pink. Pink states that it will be the right brained creative people who will be the next leaders and demand the high salaries. Will we be negatively affecting the creativity of next generation’s leaders? Now is the time for us to be leaders, not only in our schools, but in our communities and in the press as well. We need to be vigilant and tell the true story of education funding. We need to protect the future for the citizens in our schools who are too young to vote. The great educator from the 19th century, Horace Mann, said, “The Public School is the greatest discovery by man.” Let us do what we can to preserve that discovery.
This is the last article I will write as a member of the MSBO Board of Directors. After the new board is seated in April at the annual conference, my term on the board will be ended. I would like to thank each and every one for electing me and supporting me on the MSBO board. I have made many friendships during my tenure, and being a board member helped expand my knowledge of public education. I have worked to be a supporter of all districts throughout the state. I hope you enjoyed the articles I have written over the years. I have tried to make them all both interesting and relevant to our daily jobs, and provide information that you can use in your local district.
I look forward to seeing everyone in April.