What does the Tea Party want to do about education?

[Travis]

Education is in a crisis in this country. Tens of thousands of teachers will be laid off this year and student to teacher ratios will more than double. On top of this entire departments, especially art, music and drama ones, will be eliminated. All for lack of money.

But we have the Tea Party movement that says our taxes are nothing short of "ridiculous."

So what do we do if raising taxes is out of the question? Do the Tea Party folks offer any suggestions or are they too busy claiming Obama is a Communist?

 

[Upchurch]

Just hazarding a guess, but I'd image they'd want cut costs in the science classroom by only teaching that first testiment.

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

Privatize. Evil government indoctrination!

 

[Newtons Bit]

Education is in a crisis in this country. Tens of thousands of teachers will be laid off this year and student to teacher ratios will more than double. On top of this entire departments, especially art, music and drama ones, will be eliminated. All for lack of money.

But we have the Tea Party movement that says our taxes are nothing short of "ridiculous."

So what do we do if raising taxes is out of the question? Do the Tea Party folks offer any suggestions or are they too busy claiming Obama is a Communist?

There are quite a few states that have both low taxes and decent education programs that are not going to lay off teachers.

*Edit: Actually, it's the States that use income taxes that are having the most problems with revenue. Personal income has dropped which means revenue has dropped. States that rely mostly on property taxes and sales taxes haven't been hit much at all by the recession.

 

[tyr_13]

There are quite a few states that have both low taxes and decent education programs that are not going to lay off teachers.

Such as?

 

[Newtons Bit]

Such as?

I need to amend my previous statement. Most States don't fund the schools, the cities (or school districts do). Mine isn't laying off teachers for example. The school district doesn't rely on income taxes except for capital improvements. Californian schools on the other hand do rely on income taxes. And they're boned.

Texas as a whole is doing pretty well. I think Colorado is as well, but I'd have to do research on it.

 

[tyr_13]

I need to amend my previous statement. Most States don't fund the schools, the cities (or school districts do). Mine isn't laying off teachers for example. The school district doesn't rely on income taxes except for capital improvements. Californian schools on the other hand do rely on income taxes. And they're boned.

Texas as a whole is doing pretty well. I think Colorado is as well, but I'd have to do research on it.

So do these locals also have low school district taxes? Mine are relatively high, but the local high school is one of the best in the southern tier.

 

[Newtons Bit]

So do these locals also have low school district taxes? Mine are relatively high, but the local high school is one of the best in the southern tier.

Mine are pretty low. My (real) property taxes are approximately 1.5% of my house value. It's hard to say what the actual property tax is because it's a ridiculously stupid system, but I PAID about 1.5% this year. Sales tax is just under 6%. I personally think both are fairly reasonable. The state has a 5% income tax rate, however it's not used for school districts and has a ton of deductibles.

APS is a bit of an odd school district in that the highest performing schools generally have the lowest funding per student.

 

[thaiboxerken]

Cut taxes, it solves every problem.

 

[Fishstick]

Privatized education! The Coca-Cola College of Carbonation.

 

[DC]

homeschooling ?

 

[Puppycow]

What DC said.

 

[Travis]

I need to amend my previous statement. Most States don't fund the schools, the cities (or school districts do). Mine isn't laying off teachers for example. The school district doesn't rely on income taxes except for capital improvements. Californian schools on the other hand do rely on income taxes. And they're boned.

A byproduct of Prop 13. Property taxes in many places of the state are virtually nil. California schools are also heavily reliant on sales taxes which have dropped off a cliff lately.

homeschooling ?

What better way to teach kids that God invented rifles so you can hunt homosexuals with them? I'm sure Tea Partiers just love the homeschooling thing.

 

[DC]

A byproduct of Prop 13. Property taxes in many places of the state are virtually nil. California schools are also heavily reliant on sales taxes which have dropped off a cliff lately.



What better way to teach kids that God invented rifles so you can hunt homosexuals with them? I'm sure Tea Partiers just love the homeschooling thing.

can you blame them?
i mean i have heard in the US socialized schools they teach that Evolution myth. scary stuff, i tell ya.

 

[ponderingturtle]

Education is in a crisis in this country. Tens of thousands of teachers will be laid off this year and student to teacher ratios will more than double. On top of this entire departments, especially art, music and drama ones, will be eliminated. All for lack of money.

But we have the Tea Party movement that says our taxes are nothing short of "ridiculous."

So what do we do if raising taxes is out of the question? Do the Tea Party folks offer any suggestions or are they too busy claiming Obama is a Communist?

You seem to be of the false impression that the Tea Party has any kind of consistent coherent intention. See the protests by Florida Tea Party people about the cuts in NASA's budget.

 

[Lurker]

You seem to be of the false impression that the Tea Party has any kind of consistent coherent intention. See the protests by Florida Tea Party people about the cuts in NASA's budget.

See, cuts are supposed to effect other people, not us. Our expenditures are legitimate and needed.

Somewhat akin to all politicians are crooks and liars....except mine.

 

[Darth Rotor]

See, cuts are supposed to effect other people, not us. Our expenditures are legitimate and needed.

Somewhat akin to all politicians are crooks and liars....except mine.

Wait a minute: in our district, the word "except" is actually "including" but that won't stop him getting another term.

DR

 

[Lurker]

Wait a minute: in our district, the word "except" is actually "including" but that won't stop him getting another term.

DR

Well, of course if your district is being represented by someone from the party you oppose then it is a given that s/he is a crook.

 

[Darth Rotor]

Well, of course if your district is being represented by someone from the party you oppose then it is a given that s/he is a crook.

Does it occur to you that he could also be a crook if he's in the party I most often vote for?

 

[dudalb]

I need to amend my previous statement. Most States don't fund the schools, the cities (or school districts do). Mine isn't laying off teachers for example. The school district doesn't rely on income taxes except for capital improvements. Californian schools on the other hand do rely on income taxes. And they're boned.

Texas as a whole is doing pretty well. I think Colorado is as well, but I'd have to do research on it.

Agreed. California schools are way too depedent on State funds.
On the other hand, Prop 13 makes it next to impossible for cities and counties to raise revenues. California, frankly, is screwed.