Back With A Bang!

*Warning* Going on a rant here!

Most peoples radios are set on a music station. Not so in this household. My husband turns on political talk radio first thing in the morning. Bless his little heart...he leaves it on for me when he leaves for work. When I realize that he is no longer here (because of the LOUDNESS of the radio), I will inevitably turn it off. I like my peace and quiet. He then turns it back on when he gets home and it stays on till he goes to bed. So I hear things. Some things more often than others. Lately, it's been alot about NJ politics.

It seems our teachers (or perhaps I should say our NJ Ed Assoc) are a bit disgruntled that the new Governor has imposed budget cuts on them that will affect their supplies at school and most importantly (at least it seems to me) their pensions and benefits. Of course they will not be able to do their jobs, with the lack of materials to teach with, if these cuts are voted in by the Assembly, so they say. But the big complaint is the benefits and pension cuts. Big surprise there! Now with the exception of the middle school and high school in my area, as it seems they don't need all the bells and whistles anymore once they hit those grades, every classroom I've been in has been soooo full of STUFF, there's very little room to walk around in them. And they want me to believe they don't have the tools they need to teach? Bologna!

Now granted, I know there are schools worse off than our district, however, we are one of the poorest in the state. So if our schools are any indication, the others can't be much worse off. So this makes me wonder if it's the "Tools to teach" they are really worried about. We have some excellent teachers in our district. What I've noticed they use a lot of is.....paper. I have five kids. Over the years this has not changed. They now use alot of "manipulatives" but like I said, they have a lot of those in the classrooms already. Do they really need more every year? Well, maybe some of them do. Some of the manipulatives are the size of Lego's and probably get lost in all that other stuff they have.

So what's left? Ah yes, the pensions and benefits. That could seriously hinder the teaching abilities. Not really. But budget cuts usually mean letting some teachers go. And for the first time in who knows how many years, there won't be a raise in teachers pensions and benefits because the state won't be handing out as much money. Well excuse me while I get the towel to wipe my tears! Pension? Benefits? My family has neither. Cry me a river. Your current salaries and benefits? I've haven't seen those amounts for a few years now in this household. Why would you think I would want to pay more taxes for your pensions and benefits when I have neither and am barely holding my head above water as it is. For most of you, this is your second income. For my family, it isn't even my only income.

Perhaps their argument that the pension and benefit cuts would hinder teaching is because there would be less teachers and more students per class. Okay, that is probably what would happen. So what? Many, many teachers before you managed to teach classes larger than the ones you teach. Some still do. It's do-able, okay? If you don't like the pension and budget cuts, you could always go to another state and get a job and probably get paid more. I wonder how many states right now are looking at the same budget cuts as NJ though. Seems to me, with unemployment being what it is, you would be thankful to just have a job.

The rest of the population in NJ has been taking the lumps in taxes for your pensions and benefits for years. Not liking it much either, I might add. Now you want us to write to our Assemblyman to stick up for you. Well, I'm sorry. I won't be one of those people who do. I will probably be more likely to write a letter and tell them "Hell yes, cut the budget! It's about time!"

Now lest you think I'm only picking on teachers, I feel the same way about politicians. Time for them to take some lumps too and stop living off the taxpayers hard work and then wasting and mismanaging the money we give them. Not saying teachers waste our money, just that they don't mind spending it at all and possibly forgetting where it came from in the first place. Enough is enough!

That is all.....for today.