Merry, our oldest, became distraught when she heard about the governor's budget cuts to education. They are distressing--the budget was cut by 50% and the money was reallocated to prisons and to huge incentives for corporations--many of which, by the way, are bleeding our counties dry of their natural resources and not paying any taxes. There's talk of laying off teachers, closing schools, cutting kindergarten, increasing class sizes, slashing benefits like free lunches for kids. Pennsylvania's future, especially for the large percentage of children from less privileged backgrounds, looks bleaker.
We hadn't talked to Merry about the budget cuts, but she found out about them at school and during the week that followed, she became more and more convicted that she should do something. So she wrote this letter, without any help from us. I helped her correct spelling and punctuation errors, and she wrote a final draft, sealed and addressed the envelope, and sent it to our governor. (To read the letter, click on the photo to make it a bit easier on the eyes).
"Do you think he'll read it?" she asked.
"I hope so."
"Well, he should," she said staunchly. Merry, I think he should, too.
4 comments:
Do you have a lottery in PA?
If so, they probably claimed the proceeds were for education, as they did here.
We have found out, after the party that has ruled here since 1888 lost the legislature last fall that in fact the lottery is a giant slush fund.
The Governor, in this case Beverly Perdue uses it wherever she see's fit.
And we too face cuts in education.
Don't fall prey to blaming it all on Corporations.
They politicians, all the way back to when I was in school have a lot to answer for.
The $$ per student has gone up every year, and the quality and results have gone down.
Parents at the local level need to take back control of their schools. Ever since the Federal Government has made the schools a virtual monopoly, things have gotten worse.
We chose to make the financial sacrifice to send Ariel to Wake Christian. We're still paying for that in a way, but he was so far ahead when he got to college that it was apparent we made the right decision.
I don't envy you, these are tough times in which to raise children.
No easy answers, and whoever cuts the budget in any area will be portrayed as the bad guy or gal by someone who has lost budget power.
Merry is amazing and already teaching through metaphor. Tell her I said her letter will be the most important piece of paper that crosses the governor's desk this week. She epitomizes the power of education.
That's awesome.
We've got the same dire situation here in Michigan. Simon came home and said his teacher explained what happened, then said it's because the Republicans "aren't for education."
Wow. That is brilliant and inspiring, Merry!
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