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A friend of mine teaches in New Orleans public schools. While speaking tonight on Instant Messenger about things for my district seem to have started looking up a bit, he droped a bomb of his own. Apparently, New Orleans is POSSIBLY going to have to close schools for the 2005-2006 school year.

Politicians, are you listening? Your safety net for not funding our school system is disappearing. The 2005-2006 school year set to begin this fall is undoubtedly going to serve as a wake up call for all registered voters from the last election, as well as many of the people we voted for. When many districts close their doors this June, they will be closing for good. The problem will only intensify in 2006.

For the past few years, Education has not been even a blip on our radars, unless of course you count No Child Left Behind. NCLB is laughable even at the concept, as it's largest flaw is the sheer fact that it's not FUNDED. The sad fact of the matter is that we can cut costs and corners at every turn to rebuild a country that supplies us oil (to the tune of $87 BILLION dollars. Don't believe me? Look it up!) but when it comes to ensuring the success of our children, we take and take with no regard for what our country could look like 20 years from now.

What I, as many other educators, feel our government thinks about this problem is this: If the smaller districts close, it will be alright, because the larger districts will absorb them.

Where to start with the problems with this scenario.

First of all, and now that I think about it, probably the most important point that could be brought up, is the fact that there appears to be no thought towards New Orleans. If the larger districts are the safety net for legislators, what happens if they're some of the first to go? I myself teach in a small district, one in which frugality has always been a part of the vocabulary. Student's don't want for much at the moment, and because we are lucky enough to have a fund balance, we watch neighboring districts suffer overwhelming budget problems with a sad shake of our heads. Sometimes it's not the district's fault, sometimes it is. If our district were forced to close doors this fall, it would not be without a fight. Interstingly enough, there is another side to this that doesn't always make school districts look wonderful. The district I attended (A large district as a matter of fact, one that would be expected to absorb extra students) decided that their entire fund balance should be spent on building an unnecessary addition to their high school. Halfway through construction, they realized they were building into a swamp and that the structure was sinking. In response, they fired staff, raised insurance caps, switched to pay to participate athletics, cut every extra program the district offered, and continued building anew. 4 years later, the addition has yet to open. At this point with far fewer teachers than when they started, there is no need. Unless of course they want to offer office space to students. Districts are not blameless in this mess, but not ALL districts are to blame.

Next, I have to say, that the expense to these districts lucky enough to remain open and receive these extra heads for state budget appropriated attendance counts will be costly and detrimental as well. Busses are expensive toys, and like many things mechanical, sometimes cost an extra dollar or two to repair when Murphy's Law kicks in and they break down. I could fill 10 web browsers with additional expenses, and I'm only a second year teacher, with minimal knowledge of district expenditures.

No one to swallow students and more money headed OUT of districts not enough to convince you that something needs to be done? Lets look at the downside for the kids! Perhaps that will warm your icy heart. Large class sizes help no one, yet many districts feel that the answer to budget problems is to stuff more bodies into a classroom and downsize their payroll by offing staff. After all, an extra chair costs them $50, but that extra science teacher? Think of the insurance package's cost alone! Lets keep the great teachers and shove 50 kids in there, because if they can teach 25, they can teach 50 no problem! 4 years from now, if things still aren't better, we could bump it up to 75 and our problem is virtually solved. The kids should be the number one priority, and we're not even considering what will happen to them if the solution comes in the form of raising class sizes. And what about all those supplies they need that we take for granted could come from home? There are families that can't afford pencils. Paper. Kleenex. An eraser here and there. Districts are expected to provide these things, but outside of staff, what's the next most likely thing to get cut? Supplies. I suppose the best solution there would be to outlaw supplies and have kids memorize everything. They're so good at doing that. After supplies? Those pesky after school programs. After all, if they really did any good, they'd be offered during the day right?

Thousands more issues surround this, but alas, I've been typing for over an hour, trying to get my anger expressed politely through paper without using any colorful words that could turn a reader off to this message. The fact of the matter remains however, that a free, public education is guaranteed to us BY LAW. Voters have turned down vouchers time and time again. Shipping students farther away isn't an answer, but far too many feel it is. Expecting other schools to pick up the pieces is inherantly flawed. Taking from kids is wrong no matter what country you're in. What no one seems to realize is that without this education, we can't continue to operate as a world power. There needs to be some focus inward before we do anything else outward. It's sound advice for a dieter, and a politician.

So legislators. Feel very good about the 87 billion dollar package you sent off to Iraq last year. With Public Education facing one of it's greatest crisis's in history, it could be one of the last few things this country does.