Georgia Budget Woes - Teacher Furloughs

[doni_georgia]

As a teacher in Georgia, I learned yesterday from my superintendant that I will be furloughed Monday and Tuesday of next week and again Novemeber 3. I also learned from my principal that we will have three more furlough days in the spring and that is just the beginning. Evidentally the superintendants were told by the governor in their conference call that more furloughs are coming, even though the press has only been told about the three this fall. I am angered beyond belief about this.

Sonny Perdue is balancing the budget on the backs of state workers, while protecting tax cuts for special interest groups including insurance companies, private school donors, and pig farmers. He's taking money away from the children of Georgia while giving money to fishing projects in his home town. When will the people of Georgia wake up? I think the one that has me most upset is the tax breaks for individuals and corporations who make donations to private schools. Private school donors get tax breaks, meanwhile public school teachers must take time off without pay, teachers have to pay more into teacher retirement, insurance premiums are up, and in my county, teachers have had their pay steps frozen.

Sonny Perdue's answer to the state budget crisis is to continue to cut spending rather than cutting tax breaks for special interest groups. Georgia is ranked 48th in per capita spending. Georgia is ranked in the top 50% of states in income. Georgia doesn't have a SPENDING problem, Georgia has a REVENUE problem. We have had too many tax cuts for too many years for too many people. That's the problem. The revenue shortfall cannot be blamed entirely on the sluggish economy. Someone needs to take a fine toothed comb to the state's special interest tax breaks and see who is benefiting and who is suffering from our republican government in this state.

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. Send this, in its entirety, to the AJC and all the local papers you can think of.

I think you live next to me in Henry Co right? If so, please send this to the Covington News at http://www.covnews.com/forms/editorletter/
and to the Newton Citizen http://www.newtoncitizen.com/main.asp?Top=1&SectionID=26&SubSectionID=106&TM=46297.8

[doni_georgia]

2. Done - Let me know if it shows up in the Covington papers

I am working on a more extensive version for the AJC and 11 Alive news - will let you know when I am done.

[RubyDuby in GA]

3. Good.

I've been leaving comments on the blogs that I can't believe that now all of a sudden people are outraged. I am thoroughly pissed off that first of all teachers aren't the highest paid people in the land and second of all that those who voted for ol' SonnyBubba can just STFU.

I'm sick of the two trains of thought that seem to be prevalent among the idiots in my neck of the woods - 1. that teachers are glorified babysitters and 2. that this is Obama's fault because the economy is bad. I don't think so.

[doni_georgia]

4. Sounds like what I'm hearing

I have had two teacher friends actually tell me this isn't Sonny's fault - that this is what happens when we elect a "communist" for president! It's unbelievable how they can believe Barack is to blame for the economy. How can they continue to call for tax breaks for the rich and corporations, vote down bond referendums (that's why Henry County's schools are in such a mess), and call for no taxes. Everywhere you go around Henry County (restaurants, businesses, bars even) Fox News is playing on TV. The people around here are so completely ignorant that I have even given up trying to argue with them. I have a Face Book page and everyone just assumes that I share their political beliefs because we went to school together or we work together. Many of these people are really hurting financially, yet they rail against Obama, they rail against any type of healthcare reform. Even the ones who say they sympathize with us teachers still say we ought to just be glad we have jobs. What the fuck?? I just watched Sicko again minutes ago, and I so wish I could get these people to watch it, but they are so brainwashed they wouldn't believe it. They have bought the lies and smoke and mirrors by the repukes for so long they cannot recognize the truth when it slaps them in the face. My husband and I have talked about movie overseas a lot lately, because we are really beginning to wonder if there is any hope for this country or if ignorance is so entrenched that there is no hope. Anyway, thanks for the sympathetic ear!! I'll keep posting on here as things progress.

[Name removed]

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[RubyDuby in GA]

11. From a parent in a neighboring county

Hope you enjoyed your stay...please let the door hit you on the way out.

[aikoaiko]

5. Us college professors just got notified too.

We're in the same boat. We don't know which days it will be yet. I'm sending the President of the university a letter suggesting that one of the days be graduation ceremony. The students and the parents have to be made aware of the severity of these cuts.

In truth we are all professionals the work of education will get done -- we'll just have less time to accomplish it all.

[doni_georgia]

6. Our counselor got cussed out yesterday because of the furlough

A parent had made a reservation to come in and register his child on Monday. The counselor called him and said that they would have to reschedule because of the furlough. The parent cussed the counselor out - demanding the counselor come in anyway. When the counselor said that he wouldn't, the parent threatened to sue to recover HIS day of vacation that he took! Seriously! This idiot blamed US instead of the governor for being furloughed! I personally think they should just cancel school all together on 6 Fridays during this school year. Then all the staff would be furloughed, but you would have the added savings of no free lunch on those days, no buses running, no after school events, etc. Then let the parents deal with their little dears on these 6 Fridays, and see how long it takes for them to start appreciating us a little bit more. There would be an uprising by the parents if this furlough inconvenienced THEM (as seen by the irate parent at our school), but unless it affects them directly, they won't care how much of a pay cut we have to take, so long as they get their free "baby sitters!"

[aikoaiko]

7. I have no hope that the furlough days will be chosen intellgently.

None.

[RubyDuby in GA]

8. I hate to say it like this, but I am glad you all still have your jobs.

I was just let go today. I've been there 10 years and 8 months.

[aikoaiko]

9. I'm so sorry to hear that --

good luck.

"they" say we've bottomed out, but we'll see.