Friday, February 06, 2009

Reason to Dump NCLB #4,752,993

Barb at the always informative DFNM links to a Talking Points Memo story explaining the work of the "Gang of However Many", Senators meeting behind closed doors to trim from "Economic Stimulus 2009: First We Take Manhattan". Is anybody surprised to read:
"Among the biggest cuts under discussion: $24.8 billion in state stabilization money for education, which was intended to plug existing budget holes; $15 billion in state incentive grants for education; and $1.4 billion for the National Science Foundation..."
Surprised? Any time we need to save some bucks, education plays the familial role of "travel and entertainment". "Family, dad lost his job, so the trip to Wally World is out this year." Just replace "trip to Wally World" with "finally funding the many unfunded mandates of No Child Left Behind" and you've got the picture.

Education...that's splurgy. And besides, $24.8 billion could pay for another twelve B-2 bombers or something. You know, something that creates jobs now and is something were used to spending money on. Bombers feel comfortable, like an old pair of slippers on a February morning.

Education? What possible good does that do? Those kids aren't gonna be needin' jobs for years and years. We can't warm our chilly toes this morning with education. And we need warmer toes on a "shovel ready" basis.

P.S.: Argh....time to go shuffle off to my unfunded mandate this chilly February morning. Maybe a state somewhere should just use examples like the above as a damn good reason to dump any connection to NCLB. Maybe a state in the Southwestern United States. No, not Utah...I'm thinking somewhere closer to the Mexican border.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We don't need no stinken money from the feds. We'd only spend it on fancy new towers of power and our own police force, maybe a new bigger and better board room or two. A few more assistants to the assistants for the support ( what the F is that) people in APS.
Classrooms and teachers would never see it anyway.

Nora said...

Bombers do feel comfortable!

FUN FACT: Nora thinks of bomber jackets before she thinks of airplanes that drop bombs.

Unknown said...

I love bombs and bombers myself. They make me feel "safe." Education, who cares? All these kids will be in prison soon anyway.