I'm back...and with a really BIG rant too!

Back to being a SAHM. I wound up getting extended yet again at my temp job, but now I'm home. Ready to focus on getting this house organized, purged and cleaned and prepping for my Teacher's cert exam. I really liked the job I had, but I can't wait to become a teacher, even with our wonderful Governor slashing public school funding.

I understand that our State is in severe debt, but cutting education funding is not the way to go in improving the health of our State's economy, especially when, in the same budget, you take away a tax on people in the $400,000 tax bracket. And, this cut is on top of them already cutting funding this year so that schools were already getting less than they did last year. I mean, come on, we fight to pay our bills every day and now we are faced with either our property taxes will go up to face the shortfall or staff, classes, or services will be cut at our schools. My sister's district already told at least one of the specials teachers (you know: art, music, world languages, physical education, computers) that their position was going to be cut to part-time, no benefits and they are having a meeting with all of the specials teachers this week. And the Governor had the gall to say that it was up to the schools to decide how to work within his cuts and it wasn't his fault if services or teachers got cut...huh?!? Now, even with me becoming a teacher, I don't necessarily agree that teachers should get their health benefits and pensions paid for by the district, they should have to put into it as does everyone else today. I also don't agree with some of the excessive raises that they are expecting in this economy. Many people aren't getting raises right now, teachers shouldn't be any different. The thing is though, to cut funding isn't even allowing that, it is causing districts to possibly cut teaching positions or cut back on them so they are part-time so they don't have to provide benefits.

We have great school systems in our State, I know our property taxes are high, but if we moved out of state, we would have to send our children to private schools so we'd be paying for that, so it's really a wash economically...you either pay $5000-6000 plus in property taxes annually (and I live in one of the less expensive counties) or you can pay that in tuition on top of whatever taxes you have to pay. Though at the rate this State is going, we may be paying tuition on top of those same property taxes anyway.

My biggest concern with cutting services is Special Ed services. My son has severe ADHD, from the research I've done, the only reason he doesn't have an Asperger's diagnosis is his delays aren't across the board and he's sociable, the kids like him regardless of how he gets when he is having an adventure. Anyway, with these cuts, I'm really concerned as to whether or not they will be able to afford a full-time aide for him next year and there's no way he can go without one. If they pull his aide, I very well may be homeschooling which is something that 1) we can't really afford for me to do and 2) isn't really the best thing for Kid Jedi - he needs to be around the other kids.

And for anyone who wants to blast me for my opinions about this part of the budget, I realize everything got cuts, but to have an 8% cut in Education spending when he repealed taxes on people making $400,000 plus and businesses isn't the best thing. Everyone is getting hit on this budget, every piece of the budget is getting cut. But the education of our youth is one thing that should never suffer.

Tackles to Come

Tackle it Tuesday, oh how I miss you, I'm going to post what I have tackled this week at least...I registered for my 24 hour pre-service class to get my Alternate Route Teacher's Certification. Beyond that, well I tackled getting healthy, we've been really sick around here.

I will be finished my temp job on Friday which will open up a whole lot of free time, at least until I get another call from either the temp agency or to sub, please let it be to sub, please, please, please. So for the next month, I will be doing lots and lots of tackling...starting with my bedroom. This is the bedroom now.

I have a tendency to put any clothes that are waiting for mates on my dresser, and, well since I have pillows piled in front of my dresser, my sweaters get piled there too...as does pretty much everything else. I also will be tackling this:

Yes, that would be the laundry pile, I've gone from doing 2 loads a day to maybe one and though my hubby is home right now due to a layoff, I don't trust him (or anyone really) to do our laundry. The most important thing I will be doing though is studying for my Praxis II exams so I can actually get that Alternate Route Certification after I am done the 24 hour class.

This is what I'm tackling this week, head on over to 5MFM to see what other Mom's are tackling and let us know what you're tackling!

I promise to be back...

Yeah, I know I fell off the face of the Earth. Well, not really, but I've been working a temp job since January 20th and by the time I get home, well, I'm lucky I have enough energy to eat dinner, bathe Kid Jedi and get myself to bed. It's not that what I do is a difficult job, I'm a secretary at a Law School, it's that I'm not used to it. For the past six years, work consisted of cooking, cleaning, taking care of a child, driving here and there. Now, I have to get up every morning earlier than I have in a long time and I'm out the door before Kid Jedi's even ready for school. That being said, I actually like what I'm doing, though I don't think I'd want to do it permanently. I'm still looking to become a teacher or at least an aide.