The Argument for Public Education.
I have taken Liberals to task numerous times in this blog. But, I believe that it is now time to do the same for Conservatives, especially those who do fail to recognize the need for the proper funding of a vital segment of our infrastructure: namely, education. As I have argued before, we are now in a world economy, one that requires a highly educated and innovative population in order to compete. And that my friends - of all political persuasions - requires an immediate and generous investment in public education. Private education is simply not up to the monumental task of bringing our children up to 21st century standards and of handling the massive job of training, and continually retraining, American workers.
In my own state of Kansas, extensive funding cuts have reduced K-12 student funding to 2006 levels. Projections hold that additional expected cuts will soon reduce funding to levels last seen in the 1990s. This, of course, does not tell the whole sad story since it does not adjust for inflation or allow for the additional burden of unfunded national mandates, and it sure as heck doesn't allow for the evergrowing, and increasingly important, need to teach 21st century skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and modern technology.
Our state has already cut services to the bone - both in education and in other state services. Additional cuts will cause real harm to real people. Consequently, additional revenue must be found and that will take courage on the part of our legislators.
Personally, I favor an increase in sales tax. That is the only funding source that I know of that will pull in money from out of state. When any visitor stops in Kansas to purchase a tank of gas or a Happy Meal, he will be contributing to the Kansas Education Fund.
By the way, I also favor something similar on a national level by doing away with the Federal Income Tax and replacing it with a National Sales Tax. That way, visitors to the United States can likewise contribute to maintaining our country's security and protection. But that, of course, is another editorial.
In my own state of Kansas, extensive funding cuts have reduced K-12 student funding to 2006 levels. Projections hold that additional expected cuts will soon reduce funding to levels last seen in the 1990s. This, of course, does not tell the whole sad story since it does not adjust for inflation or allow for the additional burden of unfunded national mandates, and it sure as heck doesn't allow for the evergrowing, and increasingly important, need to teach 21st century skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and modern technology.
Our state has already cut services to the bone - both in education and in other state services. Additional cuts will cause real harm to real people. Consequently, additional revenue must be found and that will take courage on the part of our legislators.
Personally, I favor an increase in sales tax. That is the only funding source that I know of that will pull in money from out of state. When any visitor stops in Kansas to purchase a tank of gas or a Happy Meal, he will be contributing to the Kansas Education Fund.
By the way, I also favor something similar on a national level by doing away with the Federal Income Tax and replacing it with a National Sales Tax. That way, visitors to the United States can likewise contribute to maintaining our country's security and protection. But that, of course, is another editorial.
posted by dlh | 8:41 AM
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