Cuts in the School System

[JLM]

Upon giving this subject some more thought I think there are several fairly simple solutions to the problem such as
1. Schools could adopt the 4 day week (it works well in Boundary District #51)
2. All salaries to be frozen until the money situation improves.
3. Instead of laying off people, share the shortage by reducing hours to keep everyone working.
4. Reduce the use of school buses- kids living within two miles of their school can walk, it would also address the lack of exercise and obesity problem hence killing two birds with one stone.
Does anyone else have more ideas?

 

[JLM]

One other area where there could be savings would be to reduce the janitorial needs by having the home economics students take over part of the duties as part of their training. What better way to learn the art of scrubbing floors, dusting, waxing, vacuuming and taking out the garbage so they will be competent at it when they start running their own homes. Again this could addres the lack of exercise and obesity problems.

 

[Machjo]

Ideas worth considering, JLM.

 

[JLM]

Ideas worth considering, JLM.

I think administration could be another albatross.

 

[Machjo]

Personally, though I'm all for making school spending more efficient, I'm still undecided as to whether we need to increase, reduce, or maintain government funding on education. As for compulsory education between the ages of five and, say, fifteen, I'd be in favour of increasing the number of school days per year possibly, which could potentially mean having to increase spending on education.

 

[Machjo]

As for students taking responsibility of the maintenance of the school as a part of their home economics education, that might not be a bad idea. I think a Swedish-style school voucher system could also encourage more efficient use of funds.

 

[JLM]

Personally, though I'm all for making school spending more efficient, I'm still undecided as to whether we need to increase, reduce, or maintain government funding on education. As for compulsory education between the ages of five and, say, fifteen, I'd be in favour of increasing the number of school days per year possibly, which could potentially mean having to increase spending on education.

Yep, that wouldn't hurt although perhaps making the days 1/2 an hour longer might be a little less painful and accomplish the same thing.

 

[Machjo]

Yep, that wouldn't hurt although perhaps making the days 1/2 an hour longer might be a little less painful and accomplish the same thing.

We do have a limited attention span. On that front, extending the school day is likely to be less effective simply because the children are tired by the end of a day of cramming and jamming maths, grammar, science, foreign languages, etc. etc. etc. Their minds need a break, and so by the end of the day if the school day is too long, they aren't really learning much anymore anyway. That's why I think extending the number of school days rather than the number of hours in the day might be a better idea. Also, if we should do this mainly for a nine year period starting at the age of five, then we're ensuring that it wont' interfere with summer jobs, etc. later. For that nine year period starting at the age of five, I could even consider a 6 day school week, and getting rid of holidays other than statutory holidays. Though we may have to consider a slightly shorter school day to compensate. Perhaps even have people graduate form high school before the age of fifteen.

 

[Machjo]

Also, earlier graduation would give students a chance to start working earlier so as to gain life experience and save for university.

 

[Machjo]

Graduation by age 15? this could be of interest:

g r a d u a t i o n . by . a g e . 1 5

 

[Machjo]

c o u n c i l . for . g l o b a l . e d u c a t i o n

 

[JLM]

We do have a limited attention span. On that front, extending the school day is likely to be less effective simply because the children are tired by the end of a day of cramming and jamming maths, grammar, science, foreign languages, etc. etc. etc. Their minds need a break, and so by the end of the day if the school day is too long, they aren't really learning much anymore anyway. That's why I think extending the number of school days rather than the number of hours in the day might be a better idea. Also, if we should do this mainly for a nine year period starting at the age of five, then we're ensuring that it wont' interfere with summer jobs, etc. later. For that nine year period starting at the age of five, I could even consider a 6 day school week, and getting rid of holidays other than statutory holidays. Though we may have to consider a slightly shorter school day to compensate. Perhaps even have people graduate form high school before the age of fifteen.

I think physical education (strenuous exercise) is an important part of the school curriculum and when that is incorporated into a 5 hour school day I really can't see their minds being over taxed. Soon or later they are going to have to get used to concentrating for 8 or more hours per day. In B.C. several school have gone to the four day week as a money saving measure.

 

[Machjo]

You do have a point in that if the day is balanced between cerebral and muscular activity, students could learn effectively all day by switching back and forth between the two. Once their brains are tired, they switch to physical activities. And when their bodies are tired, they go back to studying.

I could see a case for them learning maths for a short time, say 30 minutes, and then working on a physical project involving maths for another 30 minutes. That could involve some kind of engineering project like building something or fixing something that the school needs under the teachers' supervision. The measurements and other calculation would exercise their maths skills without exhausting their brains too much since it would involve more the training of muscular dexterity.

Tai chi or other martial arts could be a good way to train their bodies too, along with teaching respect for others, etc. Likewise with community volunteer projects.

To make sure the students' brains are in tip top shape, even the poor students, we could include publicly provided healthy lunches too.

 

[theconqueror]

Simple Answer:

=​

SLOTS = CASH FOR SCHOOLS!

Published: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Gambling: critical for sports, schools

It may strike many as an insidious source of money, but without it governments of all stripes - and the services they provide - would have giant holes punched in their budgets.

We're talking more than $1 billion for the provincial government, but it doesn't stop there. The City of Vancouver, for example, expects to rake in almost $14 million as its take from the new BC Place casino (considerably more than the $7.5 million it currently gets from the slot machines at the racetrack at Hastings Park and the Edgewater Casino).

More than a dozen other cities and municipalities now rely significantly on gaming money. According to the B.C. Lottery Corporation, Burnaby got almost $10 million from gaming in 2007/08, while Coquitlam received a similar amount.

The biggest winner of them all in the municipal world is Richmond, which takes in an eye-popping $11 million a year as its share of revenues from the glitzy River Rock Casino.

Gambling: critical for sports, schools

 

[Machjo]

Wonderful. Get poor parents addicted to gambling to pay for their children's education. What kind of idiot comes up with this kind of solution. Oh yeah... politicians.

 

[theconqueror]

Wonderful. Get poor parents addicted to gambling to pay for their children's education. What kind of idiot comes up with this kind of solution. Oh yeah... politicians.

I think the point they are making is at the bottom of the article:

"Yes, I know there are social problems associated with gambling. But that does not mean there is no place for gambling in society. Many people find a night at the casino a highly entertaining evening out that they do voluntarily with little financial pain to their household bottom line. In comparison, the amount we would have to raise taxes across society to replacing gaming revenues would be painful - and roundly protested."

 

[Machjo]

I think the point they are making is at the bottom of the article:

"Yes, I know there are social problems associated with gambling. But that does not mean there is no place for gambling in society. Many people find a night at the casino a highly entertaining evening out that they do voluntarily with little financial pain to their household bottom line. In comparison, the amount we would have to raise taxes across society to replacing gaming revenues would be painful - and roundly protested."

But we all know some addicts will be born out of this. The bottom line is that the politicians lack the moral fortitude to do the right thing and either raise taxes or require workers to give a percentage of their income to a local public school. Getting into the gambling industry is just a cowardly way of raising the needed funds with little regard for the dangers to society, forgetting that the government is there to protect the poor not only from others but from themselves too.

 

[theconqueror]

But we all know some addicts will be born out of this. The bottom line is that the politicians lack the moral fortitude to do the right thing and either raise taxes or require workers to give a percentage of their income to a local public school. Getting into the gambling industry is just a cowardly way of raising the needed funds with little regard for the dangers to society, forgetting that the government is there to protect the poor not only from others but from themselves too.

Easy there buddy it's not the end of the world to make a little money sideways is it? It's the governments way of playing a little Robin Hood with the Casino's.. Yeah, stealing is wrong, but hey the kid's gotta eat, and he's gotta go to school so who cares about a couple proud 1-800-Gambler clients that know they went down for the better of a childs education...

What would you rather, a proud run down school or a high tech refurbished learning environment funded by the Casino's?

That's why when I loose at gambling there is allways a hidden smile in my eyes for the school I just helped out. Kapeesh?

 

[JLM]

Simple Answer:

=​

SLOTS = CASH FOR SCHOOLS!

Published: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Gambling: critical for sports, schools

It may strike many as an insidious source of money, but without it governments of all stripes - and the services they provide - would have giant holes punched in their budgets.

We're talking more than $1 billion for the provincial government, but it doesn't stop there. The City of Vancouver, for example, expects to rake in almost $14 million as its take from the new BC Place casino (considerably more than the $7.5 million it currently gets from the slot machines at the racetrack at Hastings Park and the Edgewater Casino).

More than a dozen other cities and municipalities now rely significantly on gaming money. According to the B.C. Lottery Corporation, Burnaby got almost $10 million from gaming in 2007/08, while Coquitlam received a similar amount.

The biggest winner of them all in the municipal world is Richmond, which takes in an eye-popping $11 million a year as its share of revenues from the glitzy River Rock Casino.

Gambling: critical for sports, schools

I think there are better ways to finance education. For starters if the casinos deal honestly with their patrons there shouldn't be enough money in it to subsidize education. Any money the gov't does realize from gambling would be better spent rehabillitating addicts or making good the damage done by addicts ripping people off. Don't get me wrong I enjoy casinos, frequent them fairly often but ALWAYS spend money that if left over after the bills are paid & I only take as much cash to the casino as I feel I can reasonably afford.

 

[Machjo]

I think there are better ways to finance education. For starters if the casinos deal honestly with their patrons there shouldn't be enough money in it to subsidize education. Any money the gov't does realize from gambling would be better spent rehabillitating addicts or making good the damage done by addicts ripping people off. Don't get me wrong I enjoy casinos, frequent them fairly often but ALWAYS spend money that if left over after the bills are paid & I only take as much cash to the casino as I feel I can reasonably afford.

Good points. Also, I do believe taxes should reflect their purpose as much as possible. Seeing that the purpose of education is to develop persons to serve society, then all of society ought to pay for it. As such, income taxes earned through a trade or profession for which we must than our education could be appropriate for that.

Gambling has nothing to do with education, and so any gambling tax should go towards helping gambling addicts and such. Just like a resource tax like a gas tax could go towards building roads, etc.

Make the taxes fit their purpose at least to a reasonable degree.