Jill wrote on Feb 28, 2008 5:43 AM:I cannot imagine why CUSD would start their cuts in the classroom, when they could be selling off residential real estate they own, closing Buena Vista as a school and moving the district office there, and selling the current district office land and building. None of those changes would touch student learning at all. Might be a little inconvenient for the big wigs, but aren't we all about the students? Aren't we???

Heads Need to Roll wrote on Feb 28, 2008 8:34 AM:The tax and spenders in Sacramento need to get this corrected or be put out on the streets. They are intentionally wasting public funds and laying the fallout at the feet of our children because they know they will never be held accountable.

This has got to stop. We cannot expect the schools to teach without proper resources.

I have two suggestions: 1) Eliminate all non-academic functions from the school day. That means no English- learning classes, no movies, no Fun Fridays, etc. 2) For every ten staff positions lost in the schools, one legislator goes from Sacramento. Their pay can go back into the school fund.

Concerned wrote on Feb 28, 2008 11:13 AM:Be sure to write and call your legislature and the governor and share with them your displeaseure and feelings about the states budget. It's the only way to fix this issue.

Bill wrote on Feb 28, 2008 11:47 AM:It is very hard to see so many great dedicated educators lose their jobs. We are in for hard times ahead for many years.

PE Teacher wrote on Feb 28, 2008 11:56 AM:Has anyone noticed that all of the districts are making major cuts to physical education. This is crazy we need to keep kids active. Why isn't there more out cry about this?

Counselor in CUSD wrote on Feb 28, 2008 12:12 PM:The question I have is how the campuses will run without principals and counselors. Who will do the discipline and the class scheduling? Who will handle crisis situations at the schools, such as suicide threats, conflicts between students, and fights? It seems that there would be a more efficient way to solve the budget crisis. I agree with the first comment about selling land that CUSD owns. Another example of saving money is what I heard about San Marcos Unified...they are starting school after labor day to save money and not use airconditioning! Good thinking!

Phil wrote on Feb 28, 2008 12:15 PM:You the California State Lottery isn't providing school districts with adequate funding? What a shock!

Reply to PE Teacher wrote on Feb 28, 2008 12:19 PM:Amen! With all the talk about health care, how about better physical education programs within our school districts. This would go a long way to keeping our children healthy and less likely to need medical care.

The Lottery wrote on Feb 28, 2008 1:03 PM:was supposed to be IN ADDITION TO NORMAL FUNDING. What the folks up in Sacramento did was to SUBTRACT from the school budget an amount equal to what the Lottery ADDED. NET INCREASE - ZERO. It is the California Legislature who CHEATED OUR SCHOOLS and continue to CHEAT OUR SCHOOLS, NOT the Lottery.

concerned mom wrote on Feb 28, 2008 1:22 PM:It breaks my heart that our children are going to have to suffer because of the actions of grown adults in our Legislature. Shame on you Arnold for taking away from the future of this Country.

To Concerned Mom wrote on Feb 28, 2008 2:25 PM:I concur on the legislature. Maybe it's time for all of us to refuse to pay our income taxes to the state until they get their wasteful spending under control.

Bob wrote on Feb 28, 2008 3:39 PM:Hello private schools, this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen happening, but with everyone dumbing down to satisfy the "leave no one behind" rule, education is the first thing to go. Just think in a few years when the kids will be taking jobs and they won't know how to balance the budget either because they had to cut the math programs. This is disgraceful!

Another Year Another Crisis wrote on Feb 28, 2008 5:26 PM:Ah, you know when it is spring in Carlsbad when the CUSD has a new, extreme emergency to throw at the community. And this one is all too cruel, "187" layoffs?....187 is the penal code for murder so how delightfully ironic CUSD that you chose that number. And what about the school bond that we have all agreed to pay for? a year and a half later and no improvements....just more and more dire measures and threats of closing schools. CUSD - Vote for no incumbents this fall and let's squish the Roach! This parent has had enough of the perennial scare tactics. We deserve more and better than this (lack of) leadership.

Ron wrote on Feb 28, 2008 5:48 PM:So where are we at now…Three North County districts (so far) cutting staff, cutting arts and physical education programs, cutting teacher proficiency programs, closing schools, and enlarging classes? All ideas that the same people who are doing the cutting say are mandatory for our students, our future, to prosper and yet no mention of cutting ESL programs or clearing the classrooms of those who are not here legally draining our schools of the funds they need for our children. It is time for us to take back our schools for the children of the United States.

Pat wrote on Feb 28, 2008 9:01 PM:Ron -- You are so right on the money! Amen.

Parent wrote on Feb 28, 2008 9:41 PM:I hope all you folks are copying your elected officials from local to state as you write these, this is good stuff. Let put the pressure on them and keep it on them. Let them know that you do have a say in what is cut, it is your vote for them or for their opponents.

Hmmm..... wrote on Feb 29, 2008 6:00 AM:Why is it we have enough money for wars but, no money for education!!??

rob wrote on Feb 29, 2008 11:07 PM:the federal and state governments need to stop worrying about problems in other countries and focus on our problems at home, like the education of our children. Funny how we can spend billions on a war but we can't do the same on the education of our children. Keep cutting physical education programs and you will have nothing but overweight soldiers that will be used for target practice in the war.

Teacher wrote on Mar 2, 2008 7:24 AM:Great comments everyone. The only way this situation will be righted in the long run is to change leadership - extensively - at the top. The current powers want to eradicate public education, one of the foundations of our country. NCLB is structured to do just that, intentional or not. Write your representatives, vote accordingly, speak out or nothing will change. I teach at a local school, and in my view the budget for education would dramatically improve if we: eliminate unnecessary positions at the district office, change policy about using only certain suppliers for materials (which demand top dollar), lower the number of ESL classes (yes, the drain on resources is tremendous for children who, documented or not, are not basically literate in English). For those of you promoting PE classes, I agree, however there is no reason why parents cannot or should not make sure their kids are exercising and living healthfully. In these current times, why shouldn't parents step up in this area? At least in the short term, schools need to focus on language arts, math, history and science. All other curricular areas, and extra learning opportunities should be supported differently for a while, until this "crisis" settles down.

Athletic Stipends wrote on Mar 7, 2008 10:33 AM:To PE Teacher, maybe they should cut the athletic stipends for all the walk on coaches they have that totals hundreds of thousands of dollars. Why aren't the PE teachers the coaches like in the good ole days when I was in school.

Staff at a school district wrote on Mar 7, 2008 10:43 AM:To Teacher: You write, I teach at a local school, and in my view the budget for education would dramatically improve if we: eliminate unnecessary positions at the district office! What exactly do you consider to be unnecessary. I worked as a staff member of a school district for a number of years, and have had children in public schools as well. I have seen what some of the teachers get away with. Some sit at their desks and read the newspaper, while they have the kids watch a movie or read to themselves. Some can't even figure out how to turn on their classroom computers. Technology in the classroom has been proven to help kids learn, what do you do when a teacher doesn't stay up on the newest trends? research shows that most don't. A lot of non-teaching staff support the educational system as well, in a lot of ways, but it's always about the teachers. Boo hoo, maybe the teachers should start doing more of their own work instead of expecting aids in the classroom to do it.

Concerned. wrote on Apr 8, 2008 1:07 PM:Why is the community of Carlsbad depending so much on state funds?This a pretty affluent community and many new residents are paying between 1.0-1.6% Mell roos, According city council members, this assesment goes to schools. So, we all know that Carlsbad has build a hugh amount of new homes. So, where is all this money? Why isn't this money being used to help us out in the crisis? Why are we axing the foundation of our children's education. Why not start with all the supervisors and the administrators at the district offices. I realize that audits are done yearly on school monies, but I think we should call for a more in-depth audit. Something doesn't seem to be right. WHERE IS ALL OF OUR MONEY FOR SCHOOLS GOING.
Carlsbad should be able to sustain our schools without to many funds from the state.

Curious Parent wrote on Apr 8, 2008 1:20 PM:My child is starting Kindergarten next year and we are being told that there will possibly be 40 students. That is absolutely insane. We live in an affluent community. Does anyone care? We had a chance to vote these incompetent individuals out last year. I believe only a few of the board members have children left in school. The others, do they really care, or is this just power for them. We need new people on the board-NOW, not later. We need to find out where our funds are being used. NO Raises for the these administrators. Why was Roach given his 10% last year. Why did he deserve it. How hard did the teachers have to fight for their raise? And he just gets one. Why don't these board members/administrators take a pay cut?