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I do not envy our elected officials the task that is ahead of them. However, I think it is imperative that they prioritize education and other children's programs; safety is important for our kids, but so is our and their future.

Will we remain economically viable and/or grow our productivity down the road by educating our homegrown Oregonians well, and thus increasing their effectiveness? Will we attract great companies whose employees are looking at the quality of schools?

Good schools are good for the economy. Of course, it's not just about money - there are other things we need to do, too! -- but we've been undercutting our schools year after year after year. Last year's increase didn't bring our schools back to their previous level of effectiveness, and what kind of message are we sending to kids if we persist in closing their schools and cutting their excellent new teachers?

My little brother JUST got interested in school -- he has young, new and high quality teachers who have helped to motivate him. He's started to make it a priority - last year he failed, and right now he has As and Bs. That's a huge difference. If he loses a whole month off of this next trimester, what message does that send about the priority level of education for our state?

If those challenging and motivating new teachers are laid off because of cuts, what does that do to his morale, and the morale of his peers? And, then, what does this mean for the future? Is my brother going to end up a drain on the system, because he doesn't learn the skills he needs to get a good job?

I'm worried about the economy; we all are. I'm also worried about the steep cost of placing the brunt of the cuts on our kids - and thus our future. I hope our legislators keep this in mind as they balance the needs of now and the future.

posted 4 years, 3 months ago
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