Dear Arizona Legislators,
Seriously, why do you hate children? Or, a better question: why do you hate educating children? There is a $1 billion surplus in the Arizona state budget, yet you’ve squabbled over giving schools more money. And it’s not like we’re asking for a lot of money, either. Some estimates put the number at over $33 million given to 60 schools in 18 districts. That’s 3.3% of the surplus money.
Let me repeat that. That’s 3.3% of the extra money that you collected but are not spending.
My district would receive $4 million of that money. And it’s money that we desperately need. That $4 million would allow us to hire new teachers, which will lower class sizes. I currently have 40+ students in each of my classes and I am not alone in my school. Some of my fellow teachers have 45+ students in their classrooms. And 35 desks. There are literarily not enough places to put our growing population of students. That money would help buy more computers so that every student gets a chance to use technology. Instead of having to plan out the use of a single computer lab among all of the teachers on campus, we could utilize technology as it would best benefit the student.
That’s what education is supposed to be about. It’s supposed to be about the student: every student. Instead, you’ve allowed students in poorer areas to suffer. The kids that need a good education the most are the ones least likely to get it because of something as stupid as 3.3% of a billion dollar surplus.
But you have done one thing for us: you’ve lowered out achievement scores and destroyed many children’s futures. You’ve dropped us from 48th in education to 51st in education. And you’ve made me never want to vote for the lot of you again.
Musings of a Science Teacher 