Cutting our future
Re “California’s schools brace for steep cuts,” Feb. 21
Has Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gone mad with school budget cuts? Has he not been to a public school lately? When will we have a governor who sends his own kids to public schools? Maybe then he would see what we parents see every day -- bloated class sizes; few counselors (one counselor to every 500 students at my kid’s high school); hardworking teachers who deserve more, not less; and deteriorating buildings and landscaping that make schools resemble penal institutions.
Schwarzenegger has taken our schools, kids and future down another notch. The next time he drives by a public school, he should look closely at his legacy.
Catherine Smith
San Diego
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I was upset about our governor not closing the yacht tax loophole. But reading this story calmed me down. He has cut the school budget by $4.8 billion, thus preventing millions of young people from getting an education that would enable them to purchase luxury yachts in the future.
Rhoda Friedman
Newport Beach
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Re “Dancing with dollars,” Feb. 19
Although the article makes some valid points about why voter-enacted budget priorities may not be ideal when facing tough economic times, sometimes citizen action is necessary to do right by children. Crucial programs often don’t receive appropriate levels of funding in Sacramento. Challenging the funding mechanisms that support after-school programs, child care and children’s healthcare misses the point. These programs not only support children and families but the overall state economy.
After-school programs, as an example, keep children off the streets in safe and productive environments, help improve student performance and enable their parents to work and pay taxes. Studies have found that after-school programs alone save anywhere between $3 and $13 for every public dollar spent.
Failing to invest in our children today will likely produce a workforce that is incapable of sustaining California’s economic well-being.
Ted Lempert
President
Children Now
Oakland
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