Cutting the fat

MANIFESTO

Item:

Principals at dozens of Broward County [Florida] public schools have given librarians and teachers of art, music and physical education a choice: Take a pay cut of almost 50 percent, or take your chances waiting for a job to open up at another school.

... [One phys. ed. teacher] said his principal called him into her office last week and said the PE program was being cut in half for next school year and so was his $42,450 annual salary. He could work four hours a day, 20 hours a week, and maintain his benefits. Should [he] decide not to take the cut, he'll go on the district's surplus list, a pool of teachers vying for full-time positions based on job availability and seniority.

I suppose situations like this were inevitable—and, certainly, I anticipate many similar events in the near future.

As long as the Tea Party mentality continues (i.e., no taxes for any purpose at any time), as long as public education is responsible for the crippling obligations of special needs, as long as the current taxing policies are in place, situations like this will become commonplace.

The Obamans can tinker with NCLB all they want, but the problems of public education are much more profound than a half fast program like "Race to the Top" can resolve.