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Government With No Solutions Has No Future With all the wrecking of education and society now taking place with massive cuts to education and social services, it is clear that the current government is unfit to govern and does not represent the will of the people. Governments at all levels are revealing themselves completely incapable of organizing education, healthcare, social services and the economy more generally. The social fabric is being gutted against the will of the people. The existing government is incapable of resolving conflicts within its borders, or between nation-states. It is increasingly drawn to the use of force to settle any and all conflicts at home and abroad, imposing this outlook on the youth through various means. It can only see its future in the destruction of the progress of humanity embodied in democratic laws, public education and rational thought; threats dominate its speech; increasingly violence is its only act. It has no future and cannot represent the people and their drive for social progress. The inability of the current government to govern and represent the people is also revealed with the irrational “logic” used to justify its unjustifiable attacks on the people. “Budgets gaps” must be “filled” by slashing programs necessary for social life, and this will “rescue a failing economy” on the basis of being “fiscally responsible”! What economy can flourish without raising the level of education and health for all people? What human person accepts this as “responsible”? Yet government officials and the monopoly-media without question repeat this nonsense daily. This poses the problem of building new arrangements where the people are represented, where their solutions are taken up. Key for representation is the defense of rights. What is shocking and revealing about the present circumstance is that elected government officials so vociferously refuse to oppose the wrecking, to defend the rights of the people they supposedly represent! Elected or not, one who cannot stand in defense of the right to education, the right to healthcare, the right of the people to decide, cannot objectively represent the people. The future of the people is represented in all those now coming forward to take their stands against the wrecking, like those organizing themselves to win peace and rights, those standing up to oppose the arbitrary power of the state and its attack on social programs. Representatives of the people are born in this struggle to defend rights, and embody the integrity such a struggle engenders. A GOVERNMENT UNFIT TO GOVERN Update:
Education Funding Cuts Around The Country As billions of dollars are increasingly handed over to the US war machine, “homeland security,” and the banks, schools across the country are seeing only deeper and deeper funding cuts, ensuring a further lowering of the level of education nationwide. Government officials at all levels consistently fail to take a stand in favor of education, the rights of the people, and the future of society, working instead to justify this wrecking. Justified on the basis of a $5.5 million “budget gap,” Bartow schools (Georgia) are “looking at trimming about 60 of the system's 600 non-teaching jobs and asking employees to take two days off without pay next year,” according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC). Revealing the utter irrationality of government at all levels, Interim Superintendent Alan Zubay, who took over in January, said, "We can't cut out electricity, gasoline, transportation, water, things like that. So that just leaves cutting personnel." The AJC adds that, “Districts throughout the state are feeling the same kind of pinch in state funding.” Again revealing their inability to govern, the state government has mandated reductions in class size in kindergarten through fourth grade, while, for example, the DeKalb school system is forced to cut more than 300 jobs and the Gwinnett schools “plan to hire about 200 fewer teachers than initially projected, thereby increasing class size,” as a result of state budget cuts, according to the AJC. The Chicago schools’ 2004 budget slashes nearly 500 jobs. “The cuts in the fiscal plan will include more than 450 positions, about 300 district jobs and another 150 contractual positions, from the administrative side as well as social workers, parent advocates, bilingual support staff and custodians,” reports the Chicago Sun Times. Other cuts, including school closings, will also be undertaken, giving rise to more crowded schools and larger classes. Less than two weeks ago layoff notices were sent to “182 Boston public school staff members, including 93 permanent teachers and 32 guidance counselors, as the district began paring down in the face of a fiscal crisis,” reports the Boston Globe. Boston schools expect to lose nearly 650 teachers and 750 additional staff members by the end of June. In the name of “plugging” a “28.6 million budget gap” the Minneapolis school system is planning to lay off nearly 600 employees, “the largest number of employees—many of them teachers—in recent memory,” according to the Star Tribune. Up to 100 tenured teachers may also be laid off. Moreover, very few of those laid-off are expected to be re-hired. Revealing that such cuts are part of a trend to lower the overall level of education Michael Goar, the school district's human resources director said, "This cut is more permanent than ever before." Get
the Facts In response to an article appearing in the June 2nd issue of Rochester’s Democrat & Chronicle titled “Tax-easing STAR draws fire,” William Cala, Superintendent of Fairport Schools issued the following response, which was sent to both his board and distributed more broadly on the Internet. Cala took issue with New York State Senator Jim Alesi’s characterization of schools “spending like drunken sailors.” Cala writes: “Below is a down-n-dirty analysis of our (Fairport) school's expenditures over the last 4 years. Hardly a spending binge.” He quotes the D&C as follows: “Alesi said the [STAR] program was weakened when the Assembly Democrats refused to go along with a Republican proposal to limit the amount by which schools could raise spending. ‘We wanted to protect the STAR program and prevent school districts from spending like drunken sailors,’ Alesi said.” Cala continues: “Here are some facts to consider: Between 1999 and 2003-04 budgets, ERS [Employee Retirement System; Districts are required to pay into the system at whatever rate the state sets], TRS [Teachers Retirement System; Districts are required to pay into the system at whatever rate the state sets] and Health Insurance increased in Fairport by 138%!!! That's 34.5% a year. The total dollar increase in these costs amounted to $7,383,869. Our budgets in that time period went from $66,121,440 to $81,655,747. That is a growth of $15,534,307. As you can see, nearly half of this amount comes from the TRS, ERS and Health Insurance increases alone. If we add in the costs of energy (natural gas, diesel, petrol), our annual budget increases without these items are in the 2% range. “Instructional Salaries in 1999-00 $33,229,725 “Instructional Salaries in 2003-04 $33,500,340 “Instructional salaries (a major portion of our budget) literally have remained frozen in the past 4 years. “During the past 4 years we have been forced to pay for unfounded mandates passed by the legislature, such as AEDs [Automatic External Defibrillators—heart shock equipment0. “Now there exists a current bill that is attempting to pay unemployment to 10 month employees. “So, who is spending like drunken sailors?” Cala asks. When government officials organize to ensure that billions from the treasury are turned over to the banks while claiming schools are on a “spending binge,” one might correctly conclude that the current government is indeed “drunk at the wheel and unable to drive”! Budget Cuts Threaten Students’ Health As part of the ruling class’ growing attack on education and the rights of the people, massive budget cuts across the country are leading to an all-out elimination of health services in public schools. Representing this trend, numerous schools in California have laid off nurses in the name of “balancing the budget.” There are no nurses in any “elementary school in Moraga, an affluent suburb of San Francisco,” reports the Associated Press. “It's a crisis facing millions of children with diabetes and other chronic health conditions across the country, as cash-strapped school systems eliminate nurses.” Last year, there was just one school nurse for every 3,521 students, according to the National School Nurses Association. In California, only 5 percent of schools had a full-time nurse this year, down from 7 percent in 1998, according to surveys by the California State PTA,” adds the AP. In every instance of these cuts, government officials characterize the health of students as “nonessential”! Increasingly, untrained personnel are taking on the responsibility of providing health care to a constantly growing number of students with medical needs. According to Nancy Spradling, executive director of the California School Nurses Organization, "Asthma rates are way up. Diabetes is way up. And a lot of kids were born as preemies who would not have survived 10 years ago, giving us some medical issues we're not prepared to deal with." Under such conditions many students miss school in order to receive the treatment they need. Federal law requires public schools to offer full access to education for children with special medical needs, but provides no funds to do so. STOP PAYING THE RICH-INCREASE FUNDING FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS! Federal
Debt "Ceiling" On June 3, President George W. Bush signed into law legislation which raised the Federal government's debt limit by a record near trillion dollars. The law also increased the government's borrowing authority to its highest level ever: $7.38 trillion. Unlike all but one state and numerous municipalities, the federal government does not require a balanced budget, providing instead a statutory debt "limit." This limit is rendered meaningless, however, as Congress routinely dismisses increasing debt by raising the limit. The previous limit of $6.4 trillion, set less than a year ago, had already been breached earlier this year. The bill comes as estimates now say the U.S. budget deficit will reach a record high of more than $300 billion in the current fiscal year ending on September 30. The 2004 Federal Budget proposal allocated $178 Billion to interest payments to the banks, the second largest budget category after the military. For Your Information Below is the record of previous federal debt hikes and levels back to 1989.
(Source: Forbes) NO TO U.S. EMPIRE! YES TO SOVEREIGNTY AND RIGHTS! Congress Approves $400 Billion Pentagon Budget for 2004 On May 22, the House and the Senate approved $400.5 billion spending plans for the U.S. military. The measure authorizes Pentagon spending for the 2004 fiscal year beginning October 1. Meanwhile, 11 of the 13 annual appropriations bills for the 2003 fiscal year, including those covering social and environmental programs, remain unpassed, with only defense and military construction approved. Costs for Iraq War and Occupation Continue to Rise With the human toll already at inhuman levels, the financial costs of the U.S. war of aggression against Iraq and occupation of the country have reached estimates of as much as $500 billion, news sources report. An Australian economic advisor told the Economic Society in Sydney that "rebuilding" Iraq would cost $45 billion per year. More recently, the Washington-based Equity International put U.S. occupation costs at $60 billion. This, their report states, is on top of the U.S.'s more than $400 billion military budget and the nearly $80 billion in "supplemental emergency funding" passed by Congress for war on Iraq. BUILDING THE ALTERNATIVE Rochester
Anti-War Work On May 31, a number of activists, including those with Teachers Forum, along with women, students and workers continued their Friday meetings at Rochester's St. Joe's to develop the on-going work for rights and peace. The meeting began with those present collectively drafting the agenda for the two-hour meeting. One of the initial things worked out and implemented was discussion guidelines. All agreed that everyone is welcome to speak in turn, that no personal attacks are allowed, and that discussion should be grounded in investigation and experience. Utilizing this method contributed to a positive atmosphere for exchange. The issue of what to call ourselves also came up. Who are we? What are we trying to do? It was pointed out that identity is an evolving process and becomes defined in the course of work itself, and that it is not necessary to jump into giving ourselves a name right away. As we work together, we will together also define the identity of the group and work. As part of raising the level of discussion, various participants reported on their work. Activists gave a report-back on the street theater at the Lilac Festival in Highland Park by the Creative Protest Affinity Group. The group protested Bush's policies including tax cuts for the rich and awarding military contracts to Halliburton. In a parody of pro-war rallies, activists held signs reading "Support our CEO's" and "Money for Mansions, Not for Schools," while distributing fact sheets on the issues. Activists said that some people, who took the messages literally, approached the activists and made a point of emphasizing that they favored funding schools and opposed paying the rich. Most reacted with supportive smiles. Brief reports were also given about the work of other groups. These included the Social Welfare Action Alliance (SWAA) working to provide the rights to shelter and a livelihood with a guarantee. The SWAA is actively working to involve people in assisting those eligible for benefits but denied them to challenge these arbitrary decisions at hearings. Participants brought out the ongoing protests at DSS, DHHS and County Legislature by many groups, emphasizing the importance of persistent work to defend rights. Building on the discussion that took place in the first two meetings, the meeting took up further discussion of the electoral system and the fundamental issue of taking control of our lives. A nurse and activist said that assaults and attacks against the people are taking place daily and things are getting more and more backward. She suggested there is a need for fundamental change. A graduate student added that the neo-liberal global agenda of the monopolies is taking society in a direction that does not favor humanity. Participants considered, can Bush be defeated while also advancing the work for alternatives? An educator brought out that the question of representation is an objective one. For example, an individual fighting for increased funding for education, whether he or she is elected or not, objectively represents the interests of the people. The issue, he said, is to take matters into our hands, to rely on ourselves and build our own mechanisms of discussion and decision-making. He also brought out how the ruling circles are exerting tremendous pressure to get the people to forget the collective consciousness developed over the last 2-3 years abut the electoral process and to succumb again to the illusion that votes count in the outcome. All thought that more discussion on electoral politics is needed and will be carried at the next meeting. Participants then began discussing having a forum in Rochester such as those being organized elsewhere to sum up and discuss the developing experience of the anti-war and related movements and to collectively chart a way forward. Many emphasized that all groups fighting for peace and rights should be invited and involved in such a forum. The next meeting is set for 5:30pm, Friday, June 13, 2003, at St. Joe's. The main items on the agenda will be electoral politics and organizing for the social forum. There will also be a demonstration at 5pm in front of the county building (Rochester) on June 13, 2003, followed by a rally at 6pm, to protest the Monroe County budget cuts. UPCOMING EVENTS DAVID vs. GOLIATH! TAKING ON THE SYSTEM… AND WINNING! At a time when our state and national leaders seem to have uncontested power, come hear how one local hero stood up to an inhumane, unresponsive executive branch ... and won for the people. Come
hear:
Tuesday night, June 17, 2003
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Sponsored
by the Coalition for Common Sense in Education PHILADELPHIA - JULY 4 NATIONAL PROTEST On the Occasion of President Bush's Visit NO TO U.S. WAR AND EMPIRE!
End the Occupation of Iraq! Local and Regional actions are also being planned across the country. [Home] [Education Is A Right] [Teachers Forum Updates] [Upcoming Events] |
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