Our Elected Representatives in Lansing Should Hang Their Heads in Shame

Today, a Michigan State House and Senate Conference Committee voted to reduce per student funding to our public school districts by $218 per child. Intermediate School Districts will have their funding reduced by 44%. Taxpaying citizens of Michigan should not put up with this bullshit. First thing in the morning, I will be calling my elected officials. If we can't provide the public schools with the tools they need to educate our children, then we are doomed as a state. These cuts are completely unacceptable, and elected officials who support this nonsense ought to resign. These officials have been elected to solve these problems, not balance the budget on the backs of our children. If they don't have the dignity to recognize that they are out of their league by voting in favor of these cuts, then they ought to be recalled. I will also be calling Governor Granholm in the morning to tell her she must veto this budget. I hope you will join me in putting a stop to the nonsense that masquerades as our state government. UPDATE: Ypsilanti Schools will lose over $800,000 if this budget is approved. We are talking about a retroactive decrease in funding after the start of the school year that will very likely mean reductions to existing programs and layoffs of teachers. Our school district's budget was due prior the start of the fiscal year (July 1, 2009). These cuts are now being made two months after our schools had to put together a budget (with a deficit reduction plan) based on another $800,000 the state thought we would get. This whole state-imposed process is nonsense, and it needs to be changed. Our children deserve better than this.