Even Kids Are Hurting
Filed under: Etc.
The effect of the bad economy is being felt by most, even by kids returning to school this Fall.
With prices going up, especially that of gas, schools are trying their hardest to cut down on costs.
Some schools have even opted for a four-day school week!
In rural Minnesota, one district has decided to cancel classes every Monday in order to save fuel. This will in turn make each class about 10 minutes longer on the other days. One day less will result in a savings of $65,000 in fuel costs.
Gosh, we would have loved this when we were in school! But, are kids going to be receiving the best possible education this way????
Some parents of the small town love the idea, stating, "I think it's a great opportunity. You're cutting expenses that really don't affect school."
The downside is that kids will need to stay in school later in the days from Tuesday through Friday and parents will need to find daycare for Monday. With only about 700 students in the district, and most parents being self-employed in farming or construction, that doesn't pose too much of a problem.
At least 14 other districts in the US are switching to four-day weeks, with several others considering the switch.
And, in some districts where they are charged for bus service, like in San Jose, CA, parents will be stuck paying more. Hundreds of districts are also cutting or consolidating bus routes, causing kids to take longer walks to the bus stops.
Some are trying to cut down on costs by not re-ordering new textbooks. Students will be using textbooks from the previous year. That's not too unusual.
Some cities, like South Carolina, are having to spend their entire traveling budget on gas instead of buying new buses, most of which at 12 years old.
In Jacksonville, school lunch prices are going up from $1.45 to $2.00 for secondary schools, which is considered a "huge jump" by some.
And some schools are cutting down on field trips, or making parents pay for trips that are more than two hours away.
We hope the kids don't suffer!!!!!
[Image via WENN.]
Wow, that's sad.
First, woot. :]
AM I FIRST
FUCK YOU LALO
I still don't see why it's the governments responsibility to provide transportation to school anyway. This is a luxury that just doesn't make sense. Either drive your kid to school or pay a fee for bus service. You have to pay for their lunch right? Makes no sense to be free. Yeah its nice, but makes no sense.
Also can someone please tell me why its illegal to have a child under 12 in your car without a seat belt but school buses do not have ANY seat belts?
Answer? They don't want to spend the money. Oh..ok. That makes perfect sense.
first firs tfirst
fuck man first?
hi adriana first?
Awww to be young again!
WOW! I live in San Jose and had no idea! Schools in CA are already on a WAY LOW budget!
Kids won't suffer if they will be punished early enough. Visit
www.kids.punished.biz
Since when is South Carolina a city? LOL..
Love ya Perez
wat the fuck i was first not that cunt bs111555
fuckin slut
eat shit mother fucker!
wtf? this is crazy
Hey P…South Carolina is a STATE not a city.
;-)
Okay now I need to laugh…
———————————-
www.lookliker.com
Yeah. I am a freshman in California, and the school is really low on money! There is no buses for high schoolers, which would be okay if I could drive, but I can't until I am a junior. It costs my little brother $300 a year to ride the bus. Lunch is super expensive, so I pack it. Everything is just really bad right now!
Who gives a fuck! most of these bitches are gonna grow up to be prostitutes and sluts anyway.
Re: Diego707 – You weren't first, get over yourself - sheesh.
I'm telling you - I'm in cyber school… and within the next few years… all kids will be in cyber school. It'll be much more cheaper and more efficient. Stupid prices! Next thing ya know, only the rich will be driving around and working. It's sad.
The cost of a hot lunches here for my two kids has been raised from $1.75 to $2.40 per meal plus we are not paying almost $300 per child in school fees. I'm in suburban Chicago.
nikki_1973- Providing transportation for the kids makes perfect sense. Some people may be able to get to and from school no problem, but lots of kids (like me), have parents whose work hours make transportation difficult.
The City of South Carolina!
Perhaps if we made all the parents who send their kids to US schools actually PAY TAXES we would not be in such a mess. Of course the schools are failing, when a decreasing number of people are paying the bills while the enrollments go up and up. California public schools are becoming the worst in the nation. Wonder why.
Oye! Has it got that bad? I'm glad I'm already in college.
Thats bullshit! These kids are going to grow up to be lazy pansies! Im only 21 but by the time the kids hit 21 they're gonna expect things to come easy! Keep the 5 day school week, kids have it too easy!
1. I've been paying at least $2 for lunch since 1st grade.
2. Our school system NEVER had buses, aside from our special need students or athletic teams.
3. Most kids have to pay at least some money for field trips.
4. Most schools reuse the SHIT out of textbooks.
None of this should stop them from learning the basics if they have good teachers.
I love you Perez… but South Carolina is a State, not a city…
$2 is a lot for lunch?! That's like £1! I'd have loved to have lunch that cheap. Seriously, if Americans think they have high living costs they should move to the UK sometime.
South carolina is a city?! fuckin retard.
Its deja vu all over again! This was the Jimmy Carter years. IMHO…the economic state of the Country is not that bad right now since the "bad economy" is driven by the Liberal media. Its my true belief that if Lord Obama is elected, the Liberal spineless wienie will throw our economy into a true tailspin. Wake up, people!!!!!
Yeah that's why you need to help me with my school perez!!!!
this kinda scares me about how my generation (15 year old here) is going to grow up….
I just wanted to say to mention that South Carolina is not a city, it is a state. But the article is correct, the buses there suck old age and not enough maintenance.
I somehow doubt this is a national-wide phenomenon.
I live right near San Jose!
Wooo
Re: bs111555 – its watever its a hairflip…
"Some cities, like South Carolina.." WTF Perez? I'll be your proofreader!!
Lalala
Re: nikki_1973 I still don't see why it's the governments responsibility to provide transportation to school anyway. – Nikki, many, many people in this country don't have even one car, much less two or more to be able to juggle work and school schedules. When my son was in high school, there were many kids that couldn't be in after-school activities, as they had no way home other than the bus. Re: nikki_1973 but school buses do not have ANY seat belts? – busses are supposedly safe to be in durning a 'regular' crash, as the seat backs in front of the kids and the high back behind them confine them to a 'safety box.' The trouble arises when there is a roll-over, and the kids get dumped out of the 'safety box.' Apparently, the great majority of wrecks involving busses are not roll-overs, so they are mostly safe. (not MY opinion, but the 'experts')
that's ridiculous.. with "no child left behind" i dont know how they expect teachers and students to reach a level of proficiency in subject areas, especially when they are only going to school 4 days… crazy!… also, they keep trying to raise the standards to match those of other countries
Schools have become social programs- tons of money is spent literally babysitting special needs kids who cannot and will not ever learn in a classroom but paid staff (often on a one to one ratio) has to take care of them because their parents sue for that right. Also, bringing a sandwich from home is far healthier than the crap lunch programs that make kids fat as hell- loaded with carbs and sugar. " After school" programs are expensive and are not the job of a local school district or federal funds. After school and before school programs should be run by churches and private groups. The poor teachers are stuck handling everything (except the freedom to discipline)leaving little time to educate. Schools are now hospitals, day care centers or psychological counseling centers. But they should never have become that. Not everyone is alike or of the same intelligence, but putting non-learners into the classroom to disrupt and take the teacher's time- well, then you might as well send the kids who are trying to learn back home. The economy has hit the wall on social programs- and you cannot keep raising taxes to pay for them.
WOW!! thats crazy! well i live in San Jose ca and freaking everything is expensive here, but it doesnt surprise me that their charging for bus costs.
yes im sure THE SUPERPOWER USA could bring some of the missiles bac from poland and pawn them to feed the starving school children…..huh!
…one district has decided to cancel classes every Monday in order to save fuel. This will in turn make each class about 10 minutes longer on the other days.
:l
Children need time to absorb what they learn. You can't cram five days of learning into four, and curriculums have to progress at a rate that is factored into the entire education system as a whole.
:l
If children are not in school on Mondays, either they will be unattended in homes that have two working parents; or the gas they saved themselves by not transporting their children to school four times per month; will be transferred to child care expenses.
:l
There are so many other and better ways in which they could deal with the increased fuel costs.
:l
TO CHERRYBOMB=IQ[39] - You are some kind of cold and arrogant. You sit here and complain that taxes should not be used to pay for a trained teacher where the child is mentally handicapped, and that is full on discrimination. What makes you any more privileged to have a trained teacher than anyone else?
:l
Perhaps you would prefer the elimination of all social programs; so that your outgoing President would have more money available for himself, and his family and his entourage to tour China and attend the Olympic Games, so that he can get drunk and make a fool out of your entire country for electing such a buffoon.
:l
Google
bush "beijing" drunk
Then hang your head in Shame!!!
TO PARISISFORLOVERS=[36] says: Lalala
:l
ARE YOU BRAIN DEAD?
……or just really, really young?
wait a minute… kids in america only pay like $2.00 for a whole meal lunch?!
we pay $2.00 for 1 hotdog in our canteens!!!!!!
This is only posible in America.
Wow that is so full of FUD Perez.
Actually go read what it's about. And stop projecting that we are doing so horribly. You wont win I promise.
Re: Missy Marie I somehow doubt this is a national-wide phenomenon. –
What Perez was talking about, or Perez's FUD spreading? If it's the latter, then yes.
Re: DaLa Perhaps if we made all the parents who send their kids to US schools actually PAY TAXES we would not be in such a mess. Of course the schools are failing, when a decreasing number of people are paying the bills while the enrollments go up and up. California public schools are becoming the worst in the nation. Wonder why. –
Ding Ding Ding We have a winner. But you know Perez wont read this post.
BTW this is the Left's new Iraq war Chill but for THIS election. They are attempting to project our economy to be WORSE than it is so people will vote Dem thinking they will make it better (Wait till they take MORE out of your wallet than the Rebs do) in order for you to vote for them thinking they will change. As SOON as it's announced that one of theirs is president, the economy will suddenly be hunky dory and blah blah. Rinse Repeat. For those of you that are young, this has been going on by BOTH SIDES for decades
Re: extra.fine This is only posible in America. –
If you are a xenophob I guess.
wtf, are americans that soft?! you've been pampered long enough, time to grow up.
we've never had schoolbuses and children either walk, bikeride, rollerride, drive, get driven by their parents or OMG use PUBLIC transport, a nightmare right!
and wtf you cant leave you 12yr old home alone? thats torture for the parent and for the kids both. I was often home alone since I left kindergarten, I've never had a nanny.
2$ for a lunch is practically normal, even 3$. I thought average american was supposed to be richer than average easterneuropean. and I dunno, I've never had a fieldtrip my parents didn't have to pay for. If you can't pay you just don't go ok. most of them suck anyway.
as for reusing books, the books look pretty new for at least three yrs anyway and it's not like we really brows them later anymore anyway. reusing textbooks is NORMAL aswell, besides good for nature.
as for "they get longer scooldays because five days worth of studying is crammed to four days" well shit story. now you have as long scooldays as everywhere else.
south carolina is a state
Of course the kids will suffer! People would rather put money into "lattes" than education.
$1.45 to $2.00? I WISH my school's lunches were that cheap!
Our cheapest thing is a tiny cookie for one dollar. A slice of pizza is $2.99.
nikki_1973 - It's the government's responsibilty to provide transportation to school because they've set down laws thata student has to go to school until they're 18. To ensure it, I guess, they have the buses. Some parents work earlier than when their kid needs to be dropped off so buses are ideal anyways.
As for seatbelts, in a bus there are pads (er, the other seat) in front of whoever is sitting there so that if the bus stops hard it will cushion their head if they are moved forward from the impact. Seatbelts are also not on buses for an easy getaway if there is ever a fire.
Go back to the 3 R's!
USA should change their atitude towards getting their pupils to the school by bus, evetywhere in the rest of the world it's up to pupils and their parents how they get there, they might take public bus for an hour and it's OK, nobody died from that. Or walk, or ride a bike… they're fucking spoiled.
kids in minnesota dont get good educations anyway its not a huge loss
Re: nikki_1973 – the reason they should pay for transportation, is because they force us to go to school. dont get me wrong, i think education is very important. its just that where i live, alot of people cant afford it on their own.
I live in Louisiana and our school is a 4-day week. My kids love it. It gives me more time with them. The $ saved on gas, lunch money, uniforms, etc. is great. It gives the teachers more time to plan. Attendance is up. Plus, my mother organized 5th day. Kids go to her "school" on Mondays free of charge. They still learn but it is like camp. I think it is a great idea.
$1.45 for a school lunch? they charge us $2.75 for fucking half an italian sub which tastes like shit
i feel bad my kids school cut down on classes to.
Re: carmen45638 –
Then complain to your congressman.
I am not so sure Perez and some of you people realize how school funds work.
Re: ChristmasBunneh wtf, are americans that soft?! you've been pampered long enough, time to grow up.we've never had schoolbuses and children either walk, bikeride, rollerride, drive, get driven by their parents or OMG use PUBLIC transport, a nightmare right –
Thanks for showing us you have no idea about how America is. Non. Nada. Zip.
What are they teaching you again?
Re: AllyttaUSA should change their atitude towards getting their pupils to the school by bus, evetywhere in the rest of the world it's up to pupils and their parents how they get there, they might take public bus for an hour and it's OK, nobody died from that. Or walk, or ride a bike… they're fucking spoiled. –
You've obviously never road a school bus if you think it's occupants are spoiled. Again this is another case of the other side of the pond not getting it.