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Education is our future
EducationWe need to view education as an investment--not as an expense. Our children deserve our investment in their future. Our children are the future. In order to have quality education, our state needs to fund our schools. Minnesota has been known for having schools considered the best when comparing them to the rest of the nation. Minnesota was also known for having quality teacher pay, maximum programs and strong preparation for their students as they entered colleges and institutions of higher learning or the overall work place. However, during the past few years, we have seen education funding become a lower priority. Cuts in funding will harm our students, teachers, and programs. Over the past two administrations, school districts have seen less money coming from the state, forcing them to use their only other means of gaining resources, bond referendums. This has repeatedly forced citizens to increase their property taxes, in order to support the level of education to which our children are entitled. As I have talked with local citizens, I have found that their number one concern is education. Many people have told me that they understand that schools need more money and they don’t mind spending more money on property tax increases as long as their children’s educational needs are met. But, continuing to pay for our children’s education with a regressive property tax will limit our ability to pay for the quality education that our children deserve. Public education has been subject to unfunded mandates from the government, such as the “No Child Left Behind” law and special education funding. The federal government agreed to pay forty percent (40%) of the cost of servicing children in special education and currently pay only seventeen percent (17%) ofthe program costs. The federal government continued with the ‘mandate and don’t fund’nonsense with the “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) law. Schools cannot continue to regularly rob from their general funds to support the mandates of the special education program and the NCLB legislation without affecting our children’s learning. In a recent study by Education Minnesota, 60% of the Minnesota public polled, thought that teachers were making less than what they should. “Sixty percent stated that their teachers are paid too little, 65% said state spending for schools should be increased.” (The Educator, Education Minnesota, September, 2006.) In the same edition, Judy Schaubach, President of Education MN, notes that in the 1996 school year, Minnesota ranked 15th in the nation in beginning teacher salaries. In 2004, Minnesota had dropped to 30th with an average starting pay of $29,515. When teachers are not paid well, it is hard to recruit and retain good quality teachers. We need to stand up and support our educators. We need to change. This starts with the governor and lawmakers! We need to stand up and demand their commitment to education. We need to have long term strategic planning for education, instead of setting short term goals every two years, based on economic trends and election year strategies. Schools cannot be subjected to beg for their basic needs revenue every two years. Our government needs to provide funding and can start by developing a tax system that is fair for all. We need to replace our current system of taxation and transform it with a progressive income tax system that taxes the wealthy at a comparable rate to what the middle class taxpayer pays. We also know that closing corporate tax loopholes would supply our government within additional $200 million to $300 million on an annual basis. This was proposed by the House DFL last session, but wasn’t pursued by the House GOP. How we decide to fund education today will affect who and what our children become tomorrow. Their future and their potential are up to us. We need to stand up and make the right decisions now! |
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