One student's perspective: More funding needed for education
My name is Ben, and I am just one out of many students being affected by school budget cuts. You’re probably thinking “He was put up to this by his teachers.” Well I wasn’t. I am writing this of my own accord, without the involvement of anyone over 15 years old.
Recently, there was a vote held in Washtenaw County for a school millage. If Ann Arbor were the only town voting on it, it would’ve won, but just barely. With all of Washtenaw county voting, the millage was rejected with approximately 57 percent of people voting no. I understand you not wanting to pay more for taxes, but you have to consider the effects of your actions. Because of this, we might lose electives, and even our music and art classes!
Ben Freiband; Tappan School student
On the front of Tappan Middle School, engraved in stone, it says “The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.” I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. If we (children) don’t get good educations, what is going to happen in the future of our civilization? Truthfully, I hope we don’t have to find out.
Think about this. The schools have so little money that they can’t buy tissue boxes for our classes, because they need to spend it on other things. Then, we end up having to bring tissue boxes in for our classes because the teachers don’t get paid enough to spend money on tissue boxes, while still being able to live comfortably and buy supplies to help our educations. It’s just sad!
Children, if you’re reading this, try to bring these issues to the attention of your parents. Parents, or any other adults, see if you can let other people know about why we need better funding, and change their mind if they were against it. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have kids in the public schools. That just means they are very good people to do things for the sake of others. Also, there are some things everyone (who can read and write) can do to help. Write letters to the governor, and maybe ask for another millage proposal. This time, we could ratify it and succeed in getting more school funding. Just remember, this is from a student who cares, and hopes to make a difference by alerting parents of what’s going on.
Ben Freiband is a 13-year-old student at Ann Arbor’s Tappan Middle School.
Comments
eom
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 10:57 p.m.
Again, teachers are slammed. PLEASE VISIT A CLASSROOM to see what it means to be an educator. I get it, you think we are overpaid, underworked and live lives of luxury...yes, yes, I know. Please visit a school to see what happens within the walls of the AA schools. How teachers became these evil blood sucking slugs is beyond me. I just don't get it. I don't understand where the anger comes from. aataxpayer, what should we earn? I don't think what we make is outrageous, it's a reasonable wage for what we do. And again, I'd like David Jesse to post information about districts whose teachers aren't paid like AA teachers - along with information about scores and school ratings based on union representation. There are scads of schools that don't come close to what AA offers. You DO get what you pay for, don't you?
YpsiLivin
Mon, Jan 11, 2010 : 8:52 a.m.
Ben, My children attend a private school in Ann Arbor. Each year, we are asked to supply a certain number of boxes of Kleenex, paper towels, and disinfectant wipes to be used in the classrooms. The school could supply them, but that would require it to raise tuition to cover the cost of those supplies and that would make parents unhappy. Not everything comes in the form of a handout. Schools seem to have a hard time distinguishing between what they should provide for the students (an education) and what parents should provide (supplies). As a result, schools spend a lot of money on things that parents could (and should) provide. It may save the individual parents a little money, but this approach costs the taxpayers a lot. In fact, it makes the taxpayers downright unhappy, and the first rule of public service is "Don't make the taxpayers unhappy." Sorry, kid. Bring your own Kleenex.
Bill Wilson
Sun, Jan 10, 2010 : 7:05 p.m.
Ben, It's curious that you could not go more than one sentence before declaring that you were not "put up to this" by your teachers. I suspect that you truly believe this. But certainly, someone in academia has supplied you with one-sided information, and listening to you strikes a chord as to similar experiences I witnessed while in school at your age. Here's what they didn't tell you: According to The College Board (who you're citing), overall, black students with high scores generally participate less in many of those extracurricular activities you espouse, and, disproportionately, tend to come from the south and/or private and Catholic schools and the suburbs. Their families tend to have less income than their white counterparts. But nearer to the mark is the basic point: all high performers, Black and White, take rigorous courses. Most take calculus, and even more take honors English. Simply put: if you work harder, you tend to do better. More money isn't going to accomplish this. It's parents who take a hands-on approach and motivate who make the difference.
Basic Bob
Sun, Jan 10, 2010 : 6:29 p.m.
The music program needs to be protected. It stimulates a part of the brain that is generally overlooked in public education. Music education teaches us both individual effort and teamwork. Playing and listening to music can be enjoyed for a lifetime. For a few it can become a career.
L'chaim
Sun, Jan 10, 2010 : 5:02 p.m.
Great job, Ben! Keep organizing to support good, well funded schools. That's what we need...more funding for education!
shepard145
Sun, Jan 10, 2010 : 2:08 p.m.
Comparing SAT scores to music students is a statistical error folks.. for example its likely that the smarter kids have more aptitude to play instruments then others, rather then the experience causing them to absorb math or science musically. Its also unlikely that your school will ever buy tissue because theyre on a list of items they know they can compel parents to buy (snacks, pencils, notebooks, etc. etc.) and therefore increase net school funding. This is not done because they dont have the money, passing expenses onto others is just smart business. School funding is lower for a number of reasons but all connected to the failing political policies driving the economy into the ground: For example, its difficult and unwise to raise state taxes so by reducing payments to schools, the state tries to force local mileage increases as a back-door tax hike that is rarely connected to the governor by the media. As businesses close, jobs are lost and home values fall, tax collections continue to fall as well. Leadership at all levels is then forced to adapt (just as they spend more when times are good). Like many of us, students today have never experienced a severe recession and want to believe its a matter of shuffling money around. but were far past that Ben. Until the economy improves, you and everyone else will be forced to sacrifice and compare wants and desires with needs in your case a rich educational experience will be replaced with more fundamentals. Remember, those programs you are used to at school were started in a better economy with no guarantee the money would always be there to fund them. In fact, the federal government we elected seems to be doing everything they can to prevent business from recovering in favor of other priorities but I am happy to speculate that by the time you graduate from college the leadership we have now will be gone and the economy will be improving.
Lisa Starrfield
Sun, Jan 10, 2010 : 11:34 a.m.
Ben, Thank you for this. My only advice is to take the comments with a grain of salt. If someone says something that contradicts your understanding of the situation, do some more research but don't assume that because they are an adult (or say they are) they actually know what they are talking about. You are more than capable of determining the truth for yourself. Keep writing!
eduadvocate
Sun, Jan 10, 2010 : 9:44 a.m.
Ben, Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You are well informed, and have done a great job communicating your ideas. It sounds like you have great teachers - people that you care about, and people that care about you and your classmates. Stay positive!