by David Safier
When I posted yesterday, Brewer's "education reform initiative" was all goals, no plans. Now we have a part of a plan.
Let's cut ten days from the school year and make each remaining day a little longer. Even if teachers and other school employees don't take a salary hit, the cut would save transportation and building costs (utilities, etc.). And of course, it won't take long before we hear how teachers shouldn't be paid as much with all those extra vacation days (even if they spend as many contracted hours), so pay cuts are around the corner. Presto, more savings!
Swell. Except that we've been hearing forever that our students don't spend enough time in school. While other countries have 200 day school years, Arizona wants to go from 180 to 170. Adding more time at the end of the day won't create an equivalent to our 180 day year, let alone increase the amount of instruction.
Here's what's going on. This proposal, as well as the one to allow public school tax credits to be used for classroom needs as well as extracurricular activities, is an attempt to make Republicans look ed-friendly at a time when they're cutting into the muscle and bone of our public education systems.
We're eating our seed corn and they're promising to replace it with half as much Jack-and-the-beanstalk super-seed. It's all smoke, mirrors and fairy tales.