Deja Vu?!

I think we can agree that our future lies in our children. I think we can all agree that it's important to invest in our future.

Sometimes reality hits hard. 

Once again, our children are facing more cuts to their education. (No, I'm not being redundant. They are again facing more cuts.)

You can read more about it here, here, and here... here too....

I don't have kids of my own, but this crap wouldn't cut it if I did. I hope that all parents feel the same way. 

It's hard not to stress or worry or feel angry about how I could be right back in the same situation I faced last year. My job this year has been difficult, but it's certainly far better than not teaching. It's certainly better than unemployment.

But in the end, it's not just about my job. It's about how, by cutting the amount of money that goes to the classroom, we are cheating kids. They only get one shot at sixth grade. Shouldn't we give them the best we possibly can?

These numbers were compiled about a year ago, but I hope they can provide some perspective:

We spend $1 million per year to keep 1 soldier on the ground in Afghanistan, according to Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman.

We spend $47,780 per year to keep 1 Kansas senator in the state legislature in Topeka, according to Answer.com.

We spend $35,632 per year to keep 1 inmate in Kansas prisons, according to PBS.

But, $4,100 is too much money to spend per year to keep 1 Kansas school child educated?

I wish you could meet my kids. They're worth so much more.