The Lack Of Logic In The American Educational System

 A letter from a friend:
Why California Schools are the pits
 
We moved out here 2.5 years ago as a military family.  We don’t have a choice as to where we are sent, so we just go.  Our main concern was the California schools and unfortunately, they have not proved themselves to be anything but ……”messed up.”
1.  During our first year here, in order to deal with budget cuts, the schools were forced to layoff new teachers.  Their definition of a new teacher follows the” last in, first let go.”  This, however, included many teachers with 10+ years experience IN the district.  Mind you, there are teachers who are way past their teaching prime and are not adequately preparing their students for upward movement.  (This is not only an opinion shared by parents, but also by teachers.)
2.  During our second year here, we were sent a teacher who was cut from her school.  While that is not an uncommon practice, what is sad  is that she was” Teacher of the Year” in the school she was cut from.  It was definitely our gain, but is it logical?  She was once again cut from our school at the end of the second year.
3.  During our third year here, once again faced with huge budget cuts, the PTO has been asked to pay for BASIC educational tools – art, walkie talkies for our playground duties, busing for having High School students come over as teacher’s aides, Success Maker programs, field trips and a host of other literary companions to give a rounded education to our students.
In addition, the new principal noted that the 1980s decor in our front office was neither inviting or pleasing to anyone.  She took money out of her OWN pocket and proceeded to paint, add chair rail, and also refinish the countertops and cabinets.  She also plans to have the floor redone and purchase a new desk.  All from her funds!  Yesterday she was called to the School District office to be reprimanded for using her own money and volunteers to redo the office.  They stated she was taking away jobs from their maintenance employees and that she needed to apologize and discontinue the work that was being done for free and instead pay $90 an hour in labor, plus materials, to finish any and all work. 
Does this make sense?  We don’t have enough money for educational items for our students, BUT we are being forced to spend additional money on items that would have been DONATED by parents and staff at our school. 
Yes, California, your logic is a tad “illogical.”
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