Jim, I don’t buy into any of the education lobby. I despise them, and their lies. I go by what I see at my kids’ schools. Poway is supposed to be one of the best school districts in the County, and we have no PE, music, or art lessons, except what is paid by the PTA and private parent fundraising. Our entire computer lab is from money raised at a parent silent auction. The middle school doesn’t have a science lab. The band instruments are in disrepair. And until recently, when Prop U was finally passed, our schools looked like they were in a ghetto. Our school has music taught be a parent after school, art program and materials purchased by PTA. Our kiln, clay, and paints are donated. The PE teacher and computer lab teacher are funded by the PTA. What happens to a school that doesn’t have an active PTA, or that can’t afford these programs?
In San Diego, only parents who can afford to add to the public school budget, will get PE, art, music for their kids.
Oh, and don’t expect your kids to go to the library before or after school, because the librarian is paid only 30 hours per week, so the library is open only during school hours. Since most homework must be researched on the internet and typed, all kids need a computer at home. Don’t count on the computer lab at the middle school, either, because there is 1 computer for every 500 kids.
The middle school was built for 600 kids,not 850, so the 6th graders don’t get lockers and have to carry 20 lb. backpacks around all day. Some parents donated canopies, so they could eat in the shade, since the cafeteria is only large enough for 600 kids.
I could go on and on. Obviously you don’t have any kids in public school, or you wouldn’t have made such an erroneous statement that our school are adequately funded.
Maybe the education money goes to administration. It sure isn’t getting to the classroom. Either we’re seriously underfunded or very wasteful in admin.