In Proper Perspective

To put this in proper perspective; saving 250 million out of a trillion dollar budget is like saving twenty-five cents out of a thousand dollar bill. We should be so impressed. For the federal government to tell us that they will save 250 billion out of a trillion dollar budget is a pipe dream. That would be a 25% savings. Do any of us really believe the government can actually save 25% of anything? A trillion is a million million. We simply cannot afford trillion dollar budgets or multiple trillions of dollars of indebtedness. Sadly, we are already there and getting worse daily.

We need to get the federal government out of our lives. Case in point is the relationship of our schools to federal tax monies. Our schools have sold their souls to, and are held hostage by, federal tax dollars. A simple example is the attendance requirement. To qualify, schools must adhere to strict attendance levels to the point that has little connection to common sense.

Parents get threatening letters and seniors are threatened with an ineligibility to graduate, not based on grade average but on attendance levels. No matter that the students have made up the work and passed the required tests. All of that takes a back seat to attendance. One can have a perfect grade average, miss too many days (excused or unexcused, does not matter) and suffer through no diploma.

On the other side of this arrogance is the force used toward teachers by, first the coaches, then the principal, to pass failing athletes. Tied to federal tax monies? Probably.