by Mark E Andersen for Daily Kos Labor
Not long ago I published "A trip to the school library," in which I documented how the lack of funds into a local school library has had devastating results.
The lack of funds is not only impacting learning materials, it is also impacting our nation's education infrastructure.
*The American Society of Civil Engineers, in its 2009 infrastructure report, gave the country’s school buildings a grade of ‘D.’*About one-fourth (28 percent) of all public schools were built before 1950, and 45 percent of all public schools were built between 1950 and 1969, according to theNational Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. The average age of public schools is 40 years old, according to the 21st Century School Fund.
*Though there is no current comprehensive nationwide data on the condition of the country’s school buildings, estimates to bring schools into good repair range from a low of at least $270 billion to more than $500 billion.
Our schools are literally falling apart, yet politicians like Wisconsin's Scott Walker want to give our tax dollars to private schools in the form of vouchers. As the president said last week in his speech to the joint session of Congress "How can we expect our kids to do their best in places that are literally falling apart? This is America. Every child deserves a great school—and we can give it to them, if we act now..."
Of course, the Republicans don't give two hoots in hell about our schools, our children or our nation's future. Case in point, per House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chair John Kline (R-MN),
"More stimulus spending is not the right solution to our nation's job crisis, ...Common sense tells us that putting the federal government in the business of school construction will only lead to higher costs and more regulations."
Mr. Kline, in one sentence, has proven that he does not have a lick of "common sense." Public schools are the backbone of this country and they need help...the answer is not private schools that will benefit only those who can afford them (I swear the right wing is trying to legally bring back segregation), the answer is to repair and rebuild our educational infrastructure so that the unemployed can work today and our children have a chance to become the leaders of tomorrow.
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