Govenator Ruining CALIFORNIA Schools -No Question

[Wickd89]

I cannot believe it, just when I can afford to move to a good neighborhood that has good schools, the IDIOTS in our state government decide that we can ruin ALL our schools. And the main focus will be on K-3!!!

For example my local elementary school that has ~38 teachers will loose 15!!
God forbid what happens to the special need kids.
With autism at an all time high, Arnold has chosen to abandon those that need it the most.

ARNOLD promised not to hurt the schools and our kids, and has done exactly that. What a terrible human being!! He is sooo rich, he does not care..
I know that there is not an infinite amount of money, but I do pay $9K in property taxes a year plus 8.25% sales tax on everything: THAT SHOULD ENTITLE MY FAMILY TO DECENT SCHOOLS, you would think...

ARE THERE ANY OTHER CALIFORNIA PARENTS THAT ARE OUTRAGED????

Other than calling our representatives (which we should all do), what else can we do to stop this in our local communities (fund raisers, donations, etc)....

http://www.ocregister.com/news/teachers-school-pink-1999479-elementary-year

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/education/k12education/schoolfinanceissues/article_1990414.php

Demographics for Orange County for those that are interested. You might see that it is like many Counties in the country (it is not little Mexico ;-) for anyone out of state....

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06059.html

[sammyg2]

I could not disagree more.
The California schools have ruined themselves, with the help of about 10 or 20 million illegals and their kids.

Incredible bureaucratic red tape and waste, total incompetence in administration, teachers who go on strike every few years and want to make as much as someone who works a full time job while asking for less work and who spend billions on political ads through their teacher's union trying to control elections so they can continue to line their pockets.

The schools in this state get more money per student than most states, it's not the governors fault if they are not competent enough to handle it responsibly. Reminds me more and more of the DMV and post office. No matter how much they get it will never be enough. Do you have any idea how much of the total California budget goes to the public school system? Look it up, you'll be surprised. It's more money that the total budget of most states in this country.


The governor is only doing the right thing, spending only the money he has and no more.
The democrats in Sacramento think it is perfectly acceptable to spend money they don't have, but the governor is trying not to do that. I applaud him for that effort. He made a promise to not raise taxes and he's keeping his word.

[sammyg2]

Here ya go, something to think about:




$43,710,000,000 spent on California public schools per year. Yes, that's right. Almost $44 BILLION a year, and yet they say it isn't enough.

The California revenues (income) came up short this year big time, so the governor decided to cut ALL state programs by 10% across the board.

If you want to write your representatives, maybe you should write to them with suggestions of what else they can cut to same that $4.4 billion (10% of the public school budget). Go ahead, I'm all ears.
If I had to answer that question I'd say that we should be cutting heath and human services (almost $36 billion a year and over 25% of the total budget) but we can't cut health and human services, the bleeding heart gimme gimmes would riots in the streets.
So I ask you, where else should they cut? Don't say raise taxes, you keep your darned hands off my wallet. I already spend too much money to put YOUR kids through school.

California spends over $33,000 per student per year, so even with your high property tax and sales tax you aren't even paying in enough for them to waste on your kids, the rest of us have to kick in too.
Try this for fun, pay taxes (allot of taxes) and then pay an additional $12,000 a year to put your two kids in private grade school where the kids can get a decent education because the students there already know how to speak English. Believe me, it isn't as much fun as it sounds.

[Moses]

Funny thing. I'm sure there are lots of private schools that would love to expand if we offered vouchers. They would be happy to compete with our public schools if given the opportunity.

The days of handing the public schools a blank check with no accountability need to end. Maybe a nice budget squeeze is just what we need to get the ball rolling.

[Wickd89]

Hi Sammy,
So what do we do? This! Tough love.. Sure.......

Nice you disagree with me, you must agree with Arnie! Nice. do you have kids. GET READY FOR MORE GRAFFITI IN ORANGE!!!

I would have ruled that they do one of two things:
-- Get ride of 90% of the administrators (not the teachers)
-- Do not allow education dollars unless you are a resident, or a citizen (this would work).

You live in Orange, guess what the nice youth from Orange, Tustin and Santa Ana will now be on your streets with no education.

Most private schools today run around $8K to 25K per year. $33K is ridiculous but "not the fault of the teachers or the kids."

If the Police department was poorly run, would you cut cops and say "tough" you need to run your department better. Maybe we should look at the problem: Chiefs making $200K+, etc..

If you are ok with doubling school size and reducing teachers, we might as well call this state Mississippi (not that that is a bad thing....)

I always grew up in private schools because LA schools always sucked.

[jyl]

Where did you get this number?

Originally Posted by sammyg2

California spends over $33,000 per student per year

If CA spends $44BN on K-12 education, and there are about 6.2MM K-12 students in CA, then - can you do the math?

[Wickd89]

Originally Posted by Moses

Funny thing. I'm sure there are lots of private schools that would love to expand if we offered vouchers. They would be happy to compete with our public schools if given the opportunity.

The days of handing the public schools a blank check with no accountability need to end. Maybe a nice budget squeeze is just what we need to get the ball rolling.

Since I grew up in private schools, my parent would have loved getting vouchers. If this were approved, there would not be enough schools to support the kids...
Sad but true....

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Wickd89

Since I grew up in private schools, my parent would have loved getting vouchers. If this were approved, there would not be enough schools to support the kids...
Sad but true....

Just as many schools. Probably in the same places. Bad public schools that cannot maintain enrollment would likely be sold to private groups. Competition... It works for the rest of us, it will work for education.

[Wickd89]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I already spend too much money to put YOUR kids through school.

Quite a hateful email and personal too..

1. I have never gone to a public shool (elementary, secondary, college, or graduate).. YOU did not pay for me..

2. My kids are in private pre-school. YOU did not pay for them either.

3. You obviously do not have kids so you could not care less...

4. My parent paid for me to go to private school and of course, like everyone else paid taxes for general spending including public schools, which we never used... What do you want, school spending to be removed from taxes?

5. Orange and Santa Ana have hire crime rates than South OC. Hey: you should pay more to keep your neighbors from graffiting the 55 Fwy..

Dude. I agree the cost is too high and selective spending reductions are necessary. But the teachers and class ratios are not the issue. Maybe it is the $1B Belmont High School in Downtown LA, etc.....

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by Wickd89

...I know that there is not an infinite amount of money, but I do pay $9K in property taxes a year plus 8.25% sales tax on everything: THAT SHOULD ENTITLE MY FAMILY TO DECENT SCHOOLS, you would think...

Heck, with CA already spending over $10k per year per student in govt schools...you are not even paying for your own children...much less helping with all the illegals that California is so eager to attract so they don't have to mow their own lawns or wash their own cars.

[Wickd89]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Heck, with CA already spending over $10k per year per student in govt schools...you are not even paying for your own children...much less helping with all the illegals that California is so eager to attract so they don't have to mow their own lawns or wash their own cars.

I agree. Cost of illegal migration is a real issue. It is really sad that it effects legal residents; here is a good example.
I assume other states have other issues, but this is a perfect example of throwing the baby out with the bathwater...

Note: I have paid taxes since 1979 and never had a kid in school. I never even went to a state school. Kind of like social security, i guess...

[Wickd89]

Originally Posted by fintstone

.......much less helping with all the illegals that California is so eager to attract so they don't have to mow their own lawns or wash their own cars.

Funny. I use to love mowing my own lawn and washing my car in the driveway, but now I work 50-60 hours a week, and do not have time for these simple pleasures (great for stress relief)...

[MRM]

Impossible. I have it on good authority that Jerry Brown ruined California's schools long ago.

[gprsh924]

Originally Posted by Wickd89

Quite a hateful email and personal too..

1. I have never gone to a public shool (elementary, secondary, college, or graduate).. YOU did not pay for me..

2. My kids are in private pre-school. YOU did not pay for them either.

3. You obviously do not have kids so you could not care less...

4. My parent paid for me to go to private school and of course, like everyone else paid taxes for general spending including public schools, which we never used... What do you want, school spending to be removed from taxes?

5. Orange and Santa Ana have hire crime rates than South OC. Hey: you should pay more to keep your neighbors from graffiting the 55 Fwy..

Dude. I agree the cost is too high and selective spending reductions are necessary. But the teachers and class ratios are not the issue. Maybe it is the $1B Belmont High School in Downtown LA, etc.....

It is a good thing the expensive, private schools did their jobs.

I think you were looking for "higher".

[Wickd89]

Originally Posted by gprsh924

It is a good thing the expensive, private schools did their jobs.

I think you were looking for "higher".

I know. I saw that typo right after I sent it..
I'm such an idiot. Imagine if I had not gone to private schools! I would not even know how spell my name....
Hard to make an argument about education when you cannot spel.

[Hugh R]

Actually, I think Cali spends closer to $6,800/student/year. And while you're on the subject, if you are a typical Cali (as if there really is a typical) family with 2 kids, then you probably don't pay your "fair share" of education or anything else. 2 kids x $6,800 = $13,600. At the top state income tax rate of 9% you'd have to earn and adjusted gross income of about $151,000 to pay $13.6K in income taxes. Let alone police, fire, flood control, roads, etc. Neglecting sales taxes for the moment, gee, I wonder who picks up the slack on this revenue stream, for those middle class people earning $40-$100K? Why it must be the poor people! Or could it be those "Rich People" who aren't paying their "fair share". Which one do you think it is?

[Wickd89]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

... those middle class people earning $40-$100K?

40-100K has not been middle class in CA since the 80's... Sorry to say.
$100K gets you a nice car and an apartment in CA.

My first job out of college in '88 paid me $42.5K a year. I use to think that was a lot. All it bought me was a new car and 1/3 of an apartment in Brentwood..

What do you think $43K buys you today? I would image a 10 year old car (Pcars excluded) and a studio in Norwalk...

--------------
Also costing out schooling for a society is similar to other universal programs. As I stated, most of us pay taxes like crazy at an earlier age and only start receiving some services back as we grow older. How many years to do you pay taxes before you call a policeman, or call a fireman, or need help in a national disaster.
We will leave these calculations to the statisticians. Simple math just does not apply...

[fintstone]

According to the NEA, CA schools spend over $10K per student, the average teacher in CA makes around 60K, and has about 20 students. Most classes had 30+ students when I went to school. Maybe the cuts really wont matter.
Although many folks start paying property taxes before they have kids...many never pay and/or have several children.

[MRM]

Doesn't matter if you have kids or not, you still benefit from public schools. Society benefits from a well educated populous, just as you benefit from interstate transportation whether you have a car or not. Society has an obligation to educate the next generation, just as the government has an obligation to give good value to us for the tax we pay. Schools are essential, but we have every right to demand efficient and effective schools. By the way, even private colleges are made possible by federal financial aid and research grants. They couldn't survive without them.

[Wickd89]

[QUOTE=Hugh R;3830347]Actually, I think Cali spends closer to $6,800/student/year. /QUOTE]

Hugh,
Wait a minute, Sammyg quoted $33K a year. What gives!

Hugh, I think you are closer to the number.
I did a quick search and here are the 2000-2001 numbers (current spending via Rand required a subscription, so this is good enough for a discussion):

Public School Spending Will Be More Accurately Reported
Written By: Alan Bonsteel and Carl Brodt
Published In: School Reform News
Publication Date: June 1, 2003
Publisher: The Heartland Institute


The nation is spending more money on public education than the public has been led to believe. We have helped implement a change to the annual reporting of education statistics that will provide a much more accurate measure of total public education spending. What remains is to make such statistics available on a more timely basis.

In 1999, together with Lance Izumi of the Pacific Research Institute, we helped focus attention on the difficulty of obtaining an accurate figure for per-pupil education spending in California. We pointed out that the per-pupil revenues for many school districts were much higher than the statewide figures. The recent report from Mike Antonucci’s Education Intelligence Agency, showing per-pupil spending by district, confirmed that point:

* For the 2000-01 school year, current spending per pupil across the state’s 1,036 school districts averaged $6,965.


Let me give you an example of typical Los Angeles urban private school (the one that I attended and my parents paid in full with no state aid of course). Trust me, this is far from being the most expensive.

Here we go (basic tuition):



Now lets not forget the extra misc. fees that "you will need:"




If I were in LA, I would be sending me kids here.
I was hoping that OC offered a better option... Everyone always told me the schools were great here, so I hope that is true.