This post was inspired by the writings of Gerald Weinand and Bruce Bourgoine at Dirigo Blue.  I’d like to thank them both for continuing the debate.

Not only should Maine’s education system continue to evolve, it must continue to evolve.  Our education system is still functioning on a Industrial Era model.  We continue to question why are kids leave school unprepared and/or uninterested in learning.  The answer is right in front of us.  Our schools are preparing them to work in factories settings. *RING* math time *RING* science *RING* eat *RING* english.  If we want to equip our children for the way our new world works this has to stop.  Learning, as life, should happen outside of the microcosm.  There are opportunities to learn about all the Rs integrated in almost every subject.  The world is moving toward a workplace that requires inventive problem solving.  To compete in a global economy our children will need to leverage one of America’s greatest assets; creativity.  Why can’t our education system do the same?
I have argued that money does not make education, schools should be adequately funded.  I don’t think anyone can argue that our schools don’t require at least a certain level of funding, though we

Image from Maine Memory Network

could debate what that is.  Still in public education, arguments tend to center around this issue, left or right.  We’re missing the point.  The money argument needs to be tabled until we can solve other critical issues.  I cannot stress enough how we need to fundamentally rethink how we deliver knowledge at every level.

You want to talk about increasing efficiency?  I’ll hit you with some efficiencies.  I tell the following story a lot.  It illustrates a good point.  A teacher friend of mine suggested that he teach the same class for their entire time at his school, instead of shuffling them along year after year.  He spends most of the year getting to know his students, their personalities, strengths, weaknesses, etc.  Think of the learning time saved if a teacher got all of that out of the way and could continue with the same children.  Not to mention the time saved by knowing exactly what they may need to review at the beginning of the next year.  This is just one piece of the puzzle.

The idea I mentioned is the kind of productive thought that generally meets resistance from the entrenched system.  This is why people turn to charters or private schools as solutions.  The current system is not providing the answers people are looking for and is not open to change.

I’m not afraid to buck the system that is in place and challenge misconceptions.  You shouldn’t be either.  Though we may not all agree on the exact methods, I am constantly encouraged by the other brave souls I meet who are tired of doing the same thing and expecting different results.  Those sincerely devoted to improving education don’t want to destroy the system.  They want to remodel the house, maybe change the layout a little.  Ultimately we want to turn this rickety one-room school house into a brilliant cathedral of learning.  That might be a little dramatic, but for our kids’ sakes, it’s time to stop being quiet and start making some noise.

It is clear at this point that Maine’s schools are not immune to the budget pinch.  Yesterday, Simon Thompson wrote about possible cuts to the Portland sex education program.  This week several school district budget have begun to tackle funding problems.  Scarborough, South Portland, Falmouth, and Cumberland are fighting a fierce battle over funding.  What is going on in these communities could provide lessons for other Maine districts facing the same problems.On Wednesday night, South Portland’s superintendent delivered a budget(PDF Warning) including 31 staff cuts. Superintendent Suzanne Godin also proposed that the Mahoney Middle School be closed in 2011, getting by partly on federal stimulus funds until this September.  The closure of the Mahoney would save South Portland $900,000.  South Portland would save $767,000 from their staff reductions.  “None of these proposals are where we want to be,” Godin said.  Godin’s budget comes in at $$39.4 million.  The budget plan will also lead to an increase in class sizes.

Scarborough will be meeting at 7pm tonight discuss their proposed cuts(XLS Warning).  Like South Portland, staff cuts are on tap.  54 positions are on the chopping block.  One of the departments largest hit is the arts.  13.5 staff members in the arts could lose their jobs.  Support staff such as ed techs and gifted and talented instructors have also been marked for reductions.  One Tweeter labeled the proposed cuts with a #madness hashtag.  The Scarborough Leader has chronicled recent budget discussions.

MSAD #51 (Cumberland,North Yarmouth, and Chebeague Island) is also meeting tonight.  The district’s situation is no different from that of its neighbors.  Though the budget has not been made public, Superintendent Robert Hasson has stated his budget will contain a 0% increase.  “In spite of these fiscally challenging times,” said Hasson in a letter(PDF Warning) to district residents, “I am encouraged by the resounding support for the school district that has been voiced consistently by residents, staff and students.”  Class size, program reductions, and that old friend consolidation will be discussed at tonight’s meeting.

The meetings in Scarborough and MSAD #51 may play out similarly to a meeting that occurred recently in Falmouth.  Last Monday, the Falmouth Town Council held a meeting to discuss budget issues.  Falmouth is facing a $900,000 general funding shortfall.  Residents took issue with possible staff reductions (leading to larger class sizes), program cuts, and maintaining a general quality of education.  One council member was pleased by all of the concerns raised by residents.  “The teachers union representative [at the meeting] needs to hear it,” said Councilor Will Armitage.  However, Armitage is concerned that teachers just don’t understand the situation Falmouth is in.  “Teachers … I don’t think they get it … in trying to renegotiate their contracts,” Armitage said. “I get it, but the same old same old isn’t going to fly, like pay raises.”

The same scenes are likely to continue playing out all over Maine.  Cuts will have to be made.  Everything cannot be saved.  The fact is, there is just no money.  “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste,” said Rahm Emanuel.  Maine schools are facing a serious crisis.  How will Maine’s school districts cope?  Do residents and teachers “get it”, as Armitage put it?  Will Maine schools be able to work around the fact the the “same old same old” has drastically changed?  Here’s to hoping bright sound minds prevail and lead us out of this crisis to a new way of educating.

A proposal by Rep. Ralph Sarty (R-Denmark) to give school districts the ability to choose their own health insurance plans.  Rep. Sarty is seeking to give districts the opportunity to lower insurance costs, in order to save staff positions. The proposal is about giving districts, “freedom to look for savings during a time of extreme financial pressure.”  This is not a mandate.  No one is forced to do anything.  One would assume if a district found their current plan to be the cheapest they would not change.  Any opportunity to save money, and thereby retaining student programs, sounds like a win-win.  Not to the Maine Education Association.  The MEA is circling the wagons in defense against Rep. Sarty’s proposal.

“MEA Health Insurance Best in the State,” reads the headline from executive director Mark Gray’s column.  Gray opens by saying the MEA knows its neighbors and watches out for them, (as in school consolidation?) makes common sense decisions, (raising the sales tax?) and don’t favor changing things that are working (even if we can make them better?).  Gray goes on to explain why the MEA’s health insurance can’t be beat.  A large risk pool and everyone having the same premium are sighted by Gray.  Gray states that districts who have chosen to go it alone were not able to handle the “risk inherent with small groups and the sharp corresponding premium increases.”  Gray concludes with the following:

But, there are always those who want to try to fix something before they understand how it works, or whether or not it’s really broken.  That’s irresponsible.  And, it is our responsibility to call out such irresponsibility!

Again the MEA speaks before they know the whole story.  Though the MEA seems to think they are the end all be all when it comes to education in Maine, some educators disagree.  Superintendents came to Rep. Sarty asking for this help.  They want to save money to save jobs.  A choice of health insurance is one way to accomplish that.  That doesn’t sound like a finely tuned system.  Rep. Sarty’s proposal is about choice.  As I said earlier, no one is forced to change anything.  The MEA thinks it is best to just deny that choice outright.  They don’t believe districts can think for themselves, or that their members won’t speak up for what they want either.  That’s the great thing about choice, you can choose the best thing for you.  If the MEA’s insurance plan is best, choose it.  If another works better, choose it.  Choice seems to be a concept the MEA leadership doesn’t grasp.  That’s irresponsible.

Legislative solutions to Maine educational budget problems are starting to come in.  Rep. Ralph Sarty (R-Denmark) released a proposal for one such idea today.  Rep. Sarty’s legislation would give districts the option to self-insure and hopefully save money.  “I’ve spoken with nearly 20 school superintendents, and they are all intrigued by this idea,” said Rep. Sarty (R-Denmark). “They are keenly aware that the state’s General Purpose Aid for local schools will drop by $92 million next year and is expected to remain at that level for the following biennium. Health insurance for teachers is costly, and superintendents are very interested in the idea of saving money by self-insuring. They see it as a way of preserving positions for teachers.”

Rep. Sarty’s bill consists of three pieces.  The bill would require both the Maine Education Association and Anthem to release any health insurance data to districts at request.  Language would be added to Title 20-A Sec. 1001 that would allow school districts to consider group self-insurance or go in with other districts on a plan.  Rep. Sarty is hoping more insurance choices, as opposed to the one choice offered now, will give districts the best deal in these tough times.

“At the very least,” Rep. Sarty said, “[school districts] want the flexibility to explore the possibility of saving money. This bill does not require school districts to do anything. It simply gives them the freedom to look for savings during a time of extreme financial pressure.”

With Anthem taking flak for an attempted rate hike, Rep. Sarty’s proposal could be an attractive alternative.  The MEA may balk at this bill.  The MEA states that, “group health insurance plan is available only as a negotiated contractual benefit and cannot be purchased on an individual basis.”  How that reflects on Rep. Sarty’s option for districts is unclear.  Optional plans would also be available, such as the Maine Municipal Association plan which offers choices with varying benefits and premiums.

Rep. Sarty’s bill must receive six votes out of ten council members at a February 25th meeting.  If it passes, the bill will move to committee before reaching the full legislature.

Is this proposal the free market at its finest or just another bottle of snake oil?

UPDATE:

We’ve just received word that Rep. Sarty’s proposal was voted down.  In a party line vote, the Legislative Council rejected the proposal  6-4.

While every candidate running for governor has at least mentioned education, it remains, to some extent, a peripheral issue.  The economy has trumped education, and most other issues, so far.  You’ve probably heard the saying, “if you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”  There’s truth to that statement.  If the next governor does not focus on improving Maine’s schools, our economy, as well as our children, will pay the price.What does a potential business see when they look at Maine?  They will see a high school dropout rate above the national average.  In 2005 Maine had a dropout rate of 2.76%.  Currently about 1 out of every 5 students will not complete high school.  Maine is sitting out the first round of the Race to the Top and things aren’t looking so good for us in future rounds.  A study by the Center for America Progress slammed Maine in a number of areas, including technology where we received a “D”.  Maine continues to reject charter schools and despite some strong words from Governor Baldacci, we’ve yet to see any substantial change in the way we educate our children.  In some ways the school experience of my children will not be that different from that of their great-grandparents.

Businesses see an uneducated workforce.  They see schools that perform well in some areas, but are not encouraging students to continue their education.  The see a state government comfortable with the status quo.  This all has an impact on our economy.

It’s no secret Maine’s population is the oldest in the country and declining.  How can we attract jobs to Maine with statistics like that?  How can we convince families to stake their claim here?  Our schools are a big part of that picture.  Maine is not just completely nationally, but globally.  It isn’t enough to continue turning out factory workers.  That time has passed.  We are moving to a creative economy, an economy of ideas.  Manufacturing wont ever disappear of course, but it wont be a dominant force.  We need workers ready for that challenge.  Our schools, and this is no fault of the teachers, just don’t do that.  To encourage the kind of businesses that will make Maine prosper we need to change how we educate to foster that growth.

We need an educational system open to new ideas, new methods.  We need to listen to our teachers and seek their advice.  The idea of learning to a bell, not mingling with upper and lower grades, having a new teacher for each year are all antiquated modes of instruction.  If we can do this, Maine can grab new families to move here.  Don’t think outstanding schools can boost a town or state?  My mother in-law lived in Tennessee before returning to Maine.  She lived in a suburb of about 50,000 just south of Nashville.  The suburb has a decent downtown, quiet neighborhoods; it is a typical unassuming town.  There was nothing particular to draw people to this community over other surrounding communities, except one.  The schools in this town are amazing.  The school district is so exemplary in fact that people would call my mother in-law and ask if she would sell her house.  People must have wanted to move to this town so badly they would solicit homeowners whose homes were not even on the market.  There are of course other factors that make Tennessee different from Maine, but you can’t deny the power of a good school system.

Investing education will not produce immediate results.  Innovations put in place now will take time to come to fruition.  As with the budget problem, this will call for some outside the box thinking.  Money alone wont solve our problems.  We need start talking about fundamental changes in our educational system.  We need to stop being afraid of moving forward, of changing the way we do things.  If we don’t take responsibility to advance our schools now we will pay and our children will pay and their children will pay.  Is that a cost we’re willing to accept?

Maine is not the only state going through lean budget times.  Across the country states are agonizing over what programs to cut and save in order to come to terms with revenue shortfalls.  The education budget took a big hit, leaving districts scrambling to make ends meet.  A lot of folks want to raise taxes in some capacity.  That certainly is one way the state to mitigate education funding loss.  Cutting programs, increasing class sizes (ie. firing teachers), and mandatory pay freezes are a few of the other ideas being tossed around.  Times like these often spur great innovative solutions.  I’m not sure if I would call this plan from Washington state one of those, but it’s still worth discussing.  

While Staten Island argued over outfitting their classrooms with bake sale money, Washington legislators had another idea.  Let’s sell advertising on our school buses.  Much like any city bus, Washington’s public school buses will sell ad space outside and in.  Though the senate report(pdf warning) on the bill acknowledges that “advertising to children on school buses is questionable”, local school boards would have the ultimate say as to what appears on their buses.

Is it time for Maine to consider such an idea?  Legislators have estimated the income from these ads would bring in roughly $175,000.  Alone, it almost doesn’t even seem worth the hassle.  I expect some would be on board with a similar proposal in Maine.  It almost goes without saying that many, including the MEA, would go to DEFCON 4 upon even the mention of such a budget solution.

Feel free to debate slapping Hannaford ads on the side of public school buses.  I didn’t bring up the Washington bill because I thought it would be a budget cure-all.  We are in difficult times, however.  Throwing money at our problems wont solve them.  We don’t have that luxury.   You want our children to be able to compete with China and India?  Let’s set an example.  We need creative solutions to this crisis.  There are seeds out there, ideas that can fundamentally change the way we education students.  Time to live up to our state motto.

That’s it.  Governor Baldacci’s last “State of the State” has been given.  The Governor touched on a number of expected topics, including the economy, taxes, and energy.  Baldacci also discussed how his final year in office would be spent dealing with education policy.  The speech contained tough language on education.  Baldacci is attempting to end his term with fireworks, but will he light more than a sparkler in ed reform?

I’d like to begin by saying goodbye and thank you to a staple in Maine education journalism.  Matt Stone, writer for the Kennebec Journal and the Report Card blog, announce he would be leaving Maine for California.  I have a great deal of respect for Stone and his writing.  There aren’t a lot of us who cover Maine education news, especially at Stone’s level.  Stone’s writing was an excellent resource for anyone following the ed beat.  I considered his work a must read.  I wish him all the best in the Golden State.  Good luck Matt.

Governor Baldacci outlined several reforms in his speech.  Perhaps the most controversial will be his proposal for teacher performance pay.  While Baldacci didn’t come right out and say it, the language was clear.  “Teachers and principals are responsible for their classrooms and the students in them,” Baldacci said. “Student achievement must be part of how they are evaluated.”  Baldacci went on to mention that “no less an authority than [ATF President] Randi Weingarten” now supports student performance be linked to teacher evaluations.

This idea is bound to meet heavy resistance.  Last year, we saw a bill trying to outlaw this very practice from Rep. Brian Bolduc (D-Auburn).  Despite Weingarten warming up to the idea, the National Education Association still rejects the most performance pay models.  You can expect that the MEA will follow suit with their big brother.  Few teachers I have spoken with embrace performance pay.  Some remain open, but skeptical.  Others get downright offended at the notion.  Concerns range from finding an effective way to measure everything a teacher does to contribute, to “teaching to the test” (a phrase I reject), and worries of outright cheating.  Many of these concerns are valid.  I have done a great deal of research on performance pay.  There have been successful implementations, but there have been failures as well.  It will be interesting to see just how this plan will shape up.

Next, Baldacci highlighted the need for greater flexibility for Maine schools.  Can’t argue with that.  From my time working in the public school system, I can tell you how often creative teachers are handcuffed from exploring innovative learning opportunities.  Recently, a teacher friend of mine proposed that he be able to instruct the same students through their entire middle school career.  His argument was that he spends so much of the year getting to know the students, their strengths and weaknesses, time spent learning is drastically reduced.  Think his proposal got any traction?

Flexibility is just the thing, or at least one of the things, that Maine schools sorely need.  Let teachers have the ability to explore new methods and curricula.  Let administrators try new schedules and allow greater budget flexibility.  Could we begin seeing outsourcing of services like lunches or transportation?  Until we see the details, the possibilities are endless.  All of this “innovative schools” business is just a bunch of vague, enticing words at this point.  It could all be a ploy to appeal to Arne Duncan and the Race to the Top crew.  Let’s hope so.

Along the same lines, the Governor mentioned “empowering parents and districts” in order to help reduce dropout rates.  Interesting to see where that goes.

National Standards were mentioned next.  Baldacci briefly said that Maine should adopt rigorous national standards to make it easier to find places Maine needs to improve and where we are succeeding.  This would be beneficial in that respect and in helping out of state students transition to Maine schools more smoothly.

If you follow the Race to the Top you can see a pattern emerging.  Baldacci seems to be paying attention to what the USDOE is looking for and what we are lacking.  Teacher assessments, flexibility, improving our data systems, all of these things Baldacci mentions are exactly what will get Maine those coveted federal funds.

Baldacci only has one shot at this.  Almost two dozen candidates are battling for his spot.  His chance to do something bold is dwindling.  Does he really have the power left to pull off all of these reforms?  Will he really make them a priority?  Make no mistake, the reforms Baldacci is seeking to achieve will be difficult to achieve.  He will face resistance at every turn.  As of right now most are just foggy words.  This is it Governor.  Will you be remembered as a leader in education or just another big talker?

While a few people are questioning if we should be involved in the Race to the Top, some are wondering how Maine will stack up against other states.  Stephen Bowen of the Maine Heritage Policy Center has taken it upon himself to closely examine Maine’s chances at the RttT funding.  Can Maine expect any of those much needed funds?  According to Bowen’s assessment, we shouldn’t count on it.Bowen released his report(PDF Warning), titled “Racing to Catch Up”, yesterday.  If you were hoping to see some RttT money coming to Maine, Bowen’s report please you.  “Simply put,” said Bowen in his report, “without major changes in state policy, Maine has almost no chance of winning millions of dollars in federal funding for our schools.”  Bowen goes through each of the six Race criteria, reviewing what steps Maine has taken to meet federal requirements.  In the “Great Teachers and Leaders” section, Bowen finds Maine lacking severely.  With the most points at stake, Maine lacks alternative teacher certifications, teacher and admin evaluation systems, and ease of removing ineffective teachers need to qualify in this area.

Bowen does more than criticize however.  At the end of each section, Bowen provides his ideas for how to get make Maine truly competitive in the RttT.  In regards to “Standards and Assessments”, Bowen recommends that Maine  “demonstrate a serious commitment to meaningful accountability through the development of new assessment instruments to accompany the coming transition to common standards.”

In a report by Matt Stone, Bowen went on to say, “All across the country, you’ve got school districts and states really ramping up” education reform agendas.  “Everybody else in the nation, it appears, is just really moving forward aggressively. In Maine, it’s crickets.”  Education Commissioner Susan Gendron is more optimistic about Maine’s chances than Bowen. Gendron feels the addition of “innovative schools” and the MLTI laptop program puts Maine in a good position to earn funding.  Unfortunately, no one seems to have informed Gendron of the study conducted by the Center for American Progress, the  American Enterprise Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last fall.  The study gave Maine education a “D” in technology.  Maine lacked any method of gauging success of failure in the program, according to the study.

There is sure to be resistance, as Bowen mentions, to many of the reforms required by the RttT.  The MEA is sure to be the loudest opponent, as I’ve said before.  It would be unwise to think the MEA has no clout with these issues.  They are still powerful and would prefer if the reform crickets kept right on singing.  Despite the American Federation of Teachers call for linking student test scores to teacher evaluations, the National Education Association affiliated MEA wont likely be supporting that anytime soon.  Nor would many, read any, teachers that I have discussed performance pay with.  Not unless we see some serious testing reform and other changes, which many suggested near impossible to realize.

We know that Texas wont go the long haul.  Some are starting to refer to RttT as the “Race to Nowhere” or “Race to the Bottom“.  Folks will continue to debate which reforms Maine should seek or not.  With the budget rally fresh in everyone’s mind one must question if we can afford not to do whatever it takes to get that money, even if that money is only a temporary fix.

Jim Burke at Learning In Maine asked a few questions concerning the Race to the Top.  In all the hullabaloo to meet federal requirements, Jim wonders if we are forgetting a few things.  “Are we selling our souls for money?”, he asks.  Read Jim’s full post after the cut.

“The economic motive has always figured in the spread of mass education in the United States, but recently it has predominated, edging out all the other reasons we send kids to school: civic, social, ethical, developmental.” ~ Mike Rose

There is big money involved in the federal education grant program, Race to the Top (RttT). States across the land, including Maine, are scrambling to pass legislation that will put them in contention for an infusion of funding. The requirements are:

–Turn around the lowest-achieving schools.

–Create competitive academic standards and tests that prepare students for college and the work force.

–Build data systems to track students from grade to grade.

–Connect teacher and principal salaries to student performance.

–Loosen caps on charter schools.

Question: Are we selling our souls for money?

President Dwight Eisenhower had the following to say about local control of education:

“A distinguishing characteristic of our nation — and a great strength — is the development of our institutions within the concept of individual worth and dignity. Our schools are among the guardians of that principle. Consequently . . . and deliberately their control and support throughout our history have been — and are — a state and local responsibility. . . . Thus was established a fundamental element of the American public school system — local direction by boards of education responsible immediately to the parents of children. Diffusion of authority among tens of thousands of school districts is a safeguard against centralized control and abuse of the educational system that must be maintained. We believe that to take away the responsibility of communities and states in educating our children is to undermine not only a basic element of our freedoms but a basic right of our citizens.”

In the end, does more data ever improve our lives? See Neil Postman’s “Informing Ourselves to Death.”

” . . . It is all the same: There is no escaping from ourselves. The human dilemma is as it has always been, and we solve nothing fundamental by cloaking ourselves in technological glory.” ~ Postman

Do we want corporations and technocrats to determine how and what our children learn? See the Common Core State Standards Initiative and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Check out who is – and who isn’t – on the boards.

When it comes to turning around lowest-achieving schools and connecting teacher and principal pay to student performance, have we forgotten about this side of the equation.

Yesterday we examined the MEA’s opposition to education budget cuts. Unfortunately, if the ME has their way, Maine will be missing out in a possible short-term solution.

The federal Race to the Top program is another part of the recovery stimulus.  States will be awarded funding based on a set of reform guidelines.  Depending on how closely a state follows the U.S. Education department’s point system, state’s can receive some much needed cash.  Though the jury is out on whether or not RttT will lead to any true innovations, there is a lot of money at stake.  $4 billion is available to states who implement education reforms following the US Department of Education guidelines, with as much as  $75 million available for Maine.

The MEA has been dead set against charter schools, despite the fact that the previous law would have allowed unions in Maine charters.  Though only worth 40 points in the RttT system (PDF warning), President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have been clear they consider charter schools to be an essential part of reform.  Despite the lack of emphasis Governor Baldacci, Ed Commissioner Gendron, and the MEA place on charter schools, they can’t ignore what has been said.  As good an idea as Bldacci’s “innovative schools” may prove to be, they just don’t count as charters.

Another Race to the Top guideline that the MEA rejects is the linking of student performance data with teacher pay.  There are 58 points up for grabs here.  On top of that, a recent study has shown that Maine is severely lacking in many areas of innovation.  Maine’s data systems were given a “D”.  The Race to the Top allocates 47 points to data systems.  If you’re keeping track, that’s 145 points out of 500 for which Maine will be ineligible.  Once US officials have examined other criteria, I fear they will find Maine lacking in those as well.  The MEA has been supportive of Baldacci’s innovative schools, despite its lack of power in garnering RttT funding.  The MEA website shows a post on teacher effectiveness is coming (as of 6:20pm 12/18/09), another concern for RttT.

I am less concerned with reforms the MEA does or does not support than their leadership’s seeming belief that more money equates a better educational system.  This is a dangerous attitude.  While education certainly needs an equitable amount of money to run the system, and pay for ever growing teacher retirement, greater funding is no more a panacea than any other one reform the MEA rejects.  Over the past 30 plus years, per-pupil spending has nearly doubled in real terms, while reading scores on national standardized tests have barely budged.  The truth is that money does not make a good education or turn an under achieving student’s life around.  Educators know how to turn around schools already and not one of the steps involves an influx of funding.

There is no doubt that school districts may be facing some tough decisions.  Some will have difficulties.  Others will think outside the box and turn possible disasters into victories. If we are going to have an informed budget discussion someone should inform the MEA that funding is not the end all be all of education. Creative minds will turn these hardships into learning opportunities.  Real innovation does not come from the dollar, but from the brain.

Most people from my generation weren’t around to witness all the good that unions did for this country.  Haymarket, the coal workers struggles, child labor laws, and unions work in the 1960’s are all just some vague memory in a textbook, if people even learn about them at all.  My union knowledge all comes from college courses – not required ones, either.  All people from my generation see is ridiculous things like those the MEA leadership seem adept at spouting.  My hope is that they can reform before anti-unionists drive them down for good, which is why I am so hard on them.