From: genzuk@mizar.usc.edu (Michael Genzuk)
Newsgroups: ca.general
Subject: Re: California Public Schools Funding: A Masterplan for Failure
Date: 18 Nov 1992 15:18:05 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: mizar.usc.edu

Ron Dippold responds, "


   "Sorry, but when the teachers are less than 50% of the school system
   employees I have trouble feeling much sympathy for the system.  Too
   many administrators and total waste.  The private school teachers in
   CA are almost 90% teachers.  They don't have anything to gain by
   bloating the bureaucracy, unlike the public schools.  The public
   schools have all the resources they need, they just need to stop
   pissing so much of it away."

Where in the world do you come up with these figures?  They are totally
erroneous.  It is one thing to disagree with a point of view, but 
certainly  another to fabricate statistics that are non-existant to
defend your position.  Public school systems have many areas that need
reformation to make them more productive and to address the needs of
their current clients, however, stating they have all the resources they
need is ridiculous.  And comparing private schools with public schools is
like comparing apples and oranges.  When private schools are required
to accept every student that applys for entrance and when private schools
supply the social services that are required of public schools, then
talk to me about possibly making some comparisons.  As it is now it is
really quite amazing that schools are doing the job that they are.  

Administrative and bureuacratic bloat is mentioned as a major cause of
public schools funding problems.  Take a close look at the downsizing
that has taken place in recent years in public school districts.  Rather
then taking the time to bash what you don't understand, I suggest you
roll up your sleeves and get involved.  Take a look at the thankless 
responsibilities that many school administrators are given. Take a look
at schools that have employed shared decision making strategies and you
will see one of the major setbacks has been the unwillingness of teachers 
and other personnel to assume administrative responsibilities.  

Where the real energy needs to be placed is not on bashing education and
administrators or beuracracies...but on creative solutions.  Rather then
downsizing and looking for ways to cut services, look at ways of supporting
and showing the importance of education to today's youth.  How do you
think it looks to students when all they see and hear is the negative 
side of the educational system.  And don't respond that's because there 
is no positive outcomes.  If the media would report the overwhelming 
number of success stories that exist in schools there wouldn't be room
to print the gloomy stories.  But that doesn't sell newspaers or air
time. We need to shift focus to preparing children for the 21st century.  
This will entail far more than the three R's.  Technology, math, the sciences,
language and human relations among numerous other areas must be shared
with today's students if they are to carry on the tradition of America's 
leadership in the world.

Surely there is enough for everyone within this state of California.  It 
is a tradedy that good things are not more widely shared.  All our children 
ought to be allowed a stake in the enormous richness of America. Bickering 
over diminised resources is an age old strategy of dividing and conquering
that we no longer can afford.  

"What happens to a dream deferred?  Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?"
Keep these words of Langston Hughes in mind when you argue to cut resources 
for todays children. Dreams are what made America great.  We must establish 
basic eqity for all schools and assure that each and every child has an equal 
educational opportunity.  You may feel that I am dreaming.  But we as 
teachers, administrators, parents and concerned citizens should not be 
concerned withjust teaching children, we should be teaching this nation. 
We need to change the political climate of this country so that these things 
will happen.

Michael from USC

Newsgroups: ca.general