Recently the legislature cut $133 million from education--the original estimate was $103 million. When superintendents met with the legislature they were told, "Unfortunately, as long as you superintendents keep stretching and providing for kids, parents don’t feel the pain. What you must do is stop providing services until the parents are fed up."
You are about to be fed up. The millions of dollars does not provide for just paper, pencils, and rulers. We are talking after school programs, tutoring, buses, sports, staff, and teachers. Classrooms will be stuffed with upwards of 40 students, no new textbooks, technology will be a thing of the past, and the list goes on.
Despite progressive thinkers, like Gary Nine (the sup for Florence), who proposes a .01 cent sales tax (that would produce $1 billion and cost an average family $12/month) and legislatures like Rebecca Rios and Rich Crandall, the governor and the top four (Pearce, Kavanagh, Burns, and Adams) went ahead and cut above and beyond what they originally proposed. (Side note: immediately after signing, the Gov hopped a plane to the Super Bowl. Nice exit.)
A couple weeks ago almost 2,000 parents, teachers, students, and community members rallied at the State Capitol. There is another planned for Saturday, February 14th from 11 to 1pm. This is not a teacher rally, nor is it just for parents, this is for anyone who has the slightest regard for the future of AZ.
If you are interested in getting more information, go to www.respectforregularfolks.com.
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