Furlough Days in the South Bay

I do not believe that school districts have to cut the school year by a month. The gross expenditures which weigh on school districts, including financial mismanagement, are the real culprit for the lack of funding in our schools.

Students do not receive the best education in our classrooms. In many cases, students give the impression that what they are learning has very little merit or import into what they will be taking on in the future. The concept of "school" needs to change, and radically. Students need to be able to choose where they go to school. Parents need to play a greater role not just in their child's education, but in the running and operations of the local school. Some charter schools require that parents pitch in and help with the grounds-keeping and scholastic learning of the students. This development would increase the level of investment from parents whose tax-dollars are funding these schools.

According to the Beach Reporter, the Redondo Beach School District may have to slash seventeen days from the school year, unless the state of California passes a tax increase on sales and higher-wage earners. Instead of cutting school days, the school district could save money if the leadership did not remove coaches without cause. Instead of dismissing able and active staff because they do not please everyone, why not let teachers do their jobs, and with more freedom to do what will educate the student, not just raise the test scores?

Taxing the rich is taxing people's patience. Even a 100% tax increase simply will not solve the fiscal problems sinking the state of California, and a tax increase will not benefit our schools. Do not give the state legislature one more dollar. They must spend what they have more wisely, free up cities and local school boards to make cost effective decisions that will save money in the long run without revenue increases.

Instead of furlough days for our schools, why not enact furlough days for the state legislature, and limit the issues and policies which they may debate and discuss: protect individual rights, secure our borders, discharge the massive debt impinging on our state, then leave counties, cities, and individuals to attend their needs.