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.