JasonGuthrie.net

As I was browsing the local news on my iPhone (have I mentioned how much I love that thing?) I cam across a story about local high school students who walked out of their classrooms in protest of the Alameda school district’s decision to cut funding for high school sports to help offset a $4.5 million deficit. After clapping (out loud) for their willingness to demonstrate for what they believe to be right, I began to think about the implications these budget cuts will have on this state.

First of all, the district cuts stem from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to cut at least $4 billion in overall education spending as a way to help make up the state budget deficit. Now I’m no genius, but here’s how I see this scenario playing out (yes, I know I’m making some sweeping generalizations with the following scenario):

As the funding to schools decrease, kids become dumber. Not having after-school sports, music programs, or other extra-curricular activities makes otherwise smart kids do stupid things like join a gang or light bags of dog poop on fire on the neighbor’s porch. These kids grow up with a sup-par education, don’t qualify for college, and end up working at McDonald’s 7 days a week at minimum wage where they earn just enough money to get married and have more kids who will have even LESS money for schools… and the cycle continues. Sure, that $5 million bike overpass their building by my house is looking pretty sweet, but my kid is dumb as a post! And since there’s nobody with a decent education in this state, there’s nobody smart enough to fix it later on!

If Governor Schwarzenegger really wanted to solve the state’s budget problems he would put money into the programs that are going to fix it for him! Dump as much money as possible into education so that those graduates can eventually help you balance the state’s checkbook! Stop funding bike lane projects and start to focus on the things that actually matter! Once the budget is fixed and the kids are educated THEN let’s focus on bike lanes and funding state-sponsored research projects.