I just read a bunch of articles on school funding and especially the lack of funding from the federal and state government. Will more money from government agencies answer all of our technology woes?
Let's look at the funding cycle (it's much like the water cycle!):
1. School's need money
2. States/Feds give them some money...it's not enough
3. School asks local taxpayers (at least in Ohio) for more money
4. Local taxpayers get upset..."Didn't you just ask from more money 3 years ago?"
5. School personnel get upset..."How can we manage on the same amount of money that was approved 3 years ago?"
Everyone is unhappy with the situation.
Now what if we changed #2...States/Feds give more money. There is a good chance that even with a substantial increase in funding from the government, schools would still not have enough to adequately provide all of the technology needed to get our students ahead of the curve. That would take us back to #3.
If government did provide enough to sustain technology, what effect would that have? There again is a good chance that not everyone would be happy. Where would that money come from? Would they cut other programs, increase sales tax, begin using lottery funds (just a joke!), or find some other means of increasing revenue? Most of the ways I can think of to increase revenue at the government level still bring the cost of education to the local taxpayer level.
So what can we do? We know that it costs about $9,000 per year to educate a student properly. Would a family of 3 be required to pay $27,000 per year? That would be insane. But Thomas Jefferson and his other forefathers wanted to ensure proper education for all Americans. Is it possible still in today's economy?
What would Charles Ingalls have proposed if facing this problem on "Little House on the Prairie?"
Let's say Walnut Grove needed a new school. The old one was burnt down. I don't recall an episode like this but it might have worked out something like this:
Charles and Mr. Edwards would form a collaboration with the guy that owned the mill. Charles and Mr. E would cut down lots of trees from their property and take them to the mill. The mill owner would allow them to use the equipment when all of the other jobs were complete.
Charles would then gather all the townsfolk together for a
School Raisin'. It would be an all day affair. Mrs. Ingalls would organize all of the food, the kids would all go fishin', and little Nellie would do something mean and obnoxious.
Once the building was complete, discussion would begin about where they could get materials such as books and slates. Mr. Oleson would gladly donate many items, but Mrs. Oleson wouldn't let him. He would have to work out another plan.
People would cry...Charles would almost die in an accident...Mrs. Ingalls would worry...Laura would do something silly...little Carrie would pop her head in the discussion to ask for a glass of milk...and everything would end up OK in the end. I bet they would even get someone highly qualified to run the school.
How does this all relate to school funding today? I don't really know for sure. I do know that the people of Walnut Grove wouldn't have relied on their local governmental leader to provide funding...he only showed up on the train in a few episodes.
