Is anyone else out there disturbed by the fact that the Senate is moving forward with the $26.1 billion fiscal aid package ? containing the much-talked about Edujobs pot of money ? by cutting food stamps for poor families (to the tune of $516 annually for each family)? Obviously Race to the Top enthusiasts, as well as charter advocates and those supporting the Teacher Incentive Fund ? will be happy that lawmakers no longer have the ax positioned over those programs.
And nobody wishes mass teacher layoffs on states and districts. Lord knows Ohio's facing a storm of pink slips (or at least the threat of them). But one phrase in particular keeps coming back into my mind, a phrase used often whenever schools are facing cuts ? ?balancing our budgets on the backs of poor kids.? What about the backs of the one in eight Americans who are hungry? Should saving teachers' jobs ? especially those who work in districts with declining enrollments or relatively low class sizes ? take precedence over feeding families?
- Jamie Davies O'Leary
