What Do Teachers Want?

Before I begin, please let it be known that I AM an educator..­.In California­...what about the poor teachers, that are completely protected by their unions from firing and are doing an abysmal job year after year? Here in California­, particular­ly Los Angeles county we are among the highest paid teachers in the nations yet our proficienc­y rates are among the lowest in the country. In this state, teachers are losing the respect of parents, tax payers and students as well. With ever increasing tax rates and funding to schools, increasing salary benefits and pensions, and sinking graduation rates and test scores, I'm not sure I care about what teachers want. I am more concerned about what the students need, and what US teachers can do about it. Budget cuts are always aimed at the 20% of the budget actually directed to the students. Nearly 80% of school funding is dedicated to administra­tion costs, teachers salaries, benefits and pensions. Can someone tell me what is wrong with this picture?
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If "America Can Do Whatever We Set Our Mind To," How Come Our Leaders Won't Set Their Minds on Jobs?

With all due respect to the author of this blog, I believe she forgot one important point. This particular administra­tion is tied up in disagreeme­nt with some of the most ignorant people America has ever seen. In the face of fiscal crisis, the GOP is crying to cut funding to Planned Parenthood and throwing tantrums about other trivial issues such as the right to bare arms on college campuses. If he Democrats did push to actually fix the economy the GOP would find another trivial issue to cry scream and vomit to the media, pulling attention away from the true issues that face this country. (Did anyone see Hannity, now the right wingers are mad because rapper Common was invited to the White House). The Tea Party Movement has spent the entire Obama presidency screaming for their country back, smaller government and proof their President is a citizen yet their political party has yet to do ANYTHING to fix the economy and the budget. I actually feel sorry for the Democrats who may actually be trying to do something but spend most of their day fighting the idiots.
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John Cornyn: 'There Is No Incentive At All' For GOP To Increase Debt Limit

I feel that Americans are trapped in the twilight zone with wickedly stupid politician­s pulling the strings that impact us all. According to Cornyn, he would like to do absolutely nothing about the deficit his party is primarily responsibl­e for incurring. How fickle people must be to think that Obama single handedly plunged us into 14 Trillion dollars of debt. The failed policies of the GOP controlled houses of the past two decades are bearing rotten fruit and now they don't want to "lift a finger to help." Typical, unless were talking about entitlemen­ts for the wealthy the GOP doesn't want to help.
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Students March on Huntington High- Give Me a break

Huntington Park High- Really?

“They taught me a lot” reports a student who struggled to put this sentence together before channel 9 news. 5% of students at this particular school are proficient in reading and math yet the students have the audacity to march. Are you kidding me? According to the test scores you all are basically failing and obviously your teachers are not contributing to your education. The decision to lay off half the teachers is long overdue as our tax dollars are obviously supporting a failing school. Why is this fact so hard to swallow for these students and their parents. If my child went to a school in which most of the students are reportedly testing stupid, I would definitely want to talk to the teachers. To be amongst the highest paid educators in the nation and produce such abysmal results is an insult to our children and the reason California consistently ranks poorly among the other states in scholastic ability. Give me a break, march all you want, hopefully the district will hire some teachers that can actually teach you something. 

California Teachers..Suck It...Enough is Enough

  

I am disgusted and appalled at the blatant attempt for the teachers to suck sympathy out of the voters by increasing taxes. Most parents are aware of the poor job teachers in this state are doing (we are ranked near the bottom in terms of test scores and graduation rates) yet our teachers are among the highest paid in the nation. Am I the only one who is completely disgusted by the education system here in California and the inability for the Teachers unions to take responsibility for the poor job they are doing despite the amount of money spent per child in the classroom? If no name towns in the south can score in the top ten in academic achievement why can’t California get it together? Am I expected to believe that students in the state are un-teachable or “special”? Are you kidding me? How long are parents expected to witness cuts to after school programs, sports, even the bus to school while teachers enjoy the highest paid salaries in the nation with some of the poorest results? In case you are not aware nearly 80% of school budgets are allocated to administration and teacher salaries and pensions. Very little actually goes to the students. Now they want to protest and demand tax increases so we can save more of their jobs? I say fire them. We can’t handle any more cuts, and Californians cannot handle any more tax increases. We are already the most highly taxed state in the country and we receive NOTHING for it.

Nina Davis

John Boehner: 'Trillions' In Spending Cuts Loom On Debt Ceiling Vote

Even if you are a die hard conservati­ve you have to acknowledg­e that the GOP has yet to come up with a viable plan to fix the budget. Continuall­y attacking the few programs that help the elderly and poor does nothing to the real deficit issues, primarily military spending and a broken tax code. I find it hilarious that the Republican party is threatenin­g to crash the economy if "a solution" is not found yet they have yet to propose a fiscally responsibl­e one. When are the Tea Partiers and Republican­s going to grow up and realize cutting spending only works if you cut it where it really matters. Their own pockets, oil companies, pet projects, corporate friends and fellow tax dodgers.
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Fidel Castro Slams U.S. For Killing Osama Bin Laden

Dear Castro

Killing a man requires violence, pain and horror. I'm sure the Navy Seals were more concerned with their loss of life potential than how exactly the mass murderer known as Bin-Laden would die. Give me a break, this man was number 1 on the most wanted list. Killing him was the objective.
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