More news is coming out about California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger's plans for the state in 2006. After announcing plans for a
minimum wage hike and cutting college cost hikes, it has now been revealed that
Schwarzenegger plans to pay back $1.7 billion to K-12 schools.
This $1.7 billion bonus comes after spending the second half
of 2005 capping state spending with Proposition 76 and stating that he didn't
owe the school any money at all. However, the California School Boards
Association says that the extra money will be heavily spent in Schwarzenegger's
"pet projects"- vocational education, art and music, PE, tutoring,
and teacher training. Furthermore, the CSBA states that many districts feel
another $3.8 billion is owed.
All money is good money for California schools. I am in
support of pretty much all of Schwarzenegger's "pet projects" as the
article states, except for PE. No more money needs to go into PE, just a change
in how it works and some accountability of it somehow. However, if the rest of
them are implemented properly, that would shore up some issues plaguing
education. Better teachers? Good. Exposing students to things they normally
wouldn't experience? Good. Helping students pass required exit exams? Could be
avoided without the exit exam, but good if we're going to have the test. Then
again, it shouldn't be necessary because classroom teaching should suffice.
