5000 Indiana teachers may lose their jobs.

[Bluebear]

There's always money for the Pentagon, though...

INDIANAPOLIS — Despite official assertions that Indiana school districts should be able to weather $300 million in statewide spending cuts without laying off teachers, school districts are putting thousands of instructors on notice, the Indiana State Teachers Association said Friday.

ISTA spokesman Mark Shoup said the union believes up to 5,000 teachers could lose their jobs by next fall -- about 8 percent of public school teachers statewide. And that doesn't include another 1,500 teachers the union estimates may retire without being replaced.

“The cuts appear to be fairly substantial and there appear to be cuts where we haven't seen cuts before,” Shoup said....

The fast-growing district has opened three new schools and a high school addition in three years, but Bourke said the school board already has agreed to close two elementary schools due to money problems. Officials have also cut 77 non-teaching jobs, reduced benefits for teachers and administrators, closed an alternative school and are looking at charging fees for athletics.

We're not anticipating this is the end of … reductions,” Coopman said. “We're anticipating this is the beginning.”

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100319/NEWS02/3190371/Union+says+education+cuts+are+costing+teachers+jobs

[nickinSTL]

1. while that's terrible, Indiana's not alone - it's even worse in IL

A quote from an article on the Illinois governor's new budget:

Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to fill the biggest deficit in Illinois history includes cuts so severe that 17,000 teachers could lose their jobs

Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2010/03/06/1162961/ill-budget-to-hit-schools-police.html#ixzz0ikWo0lyH

17,000

General education spending would drop $1.4 billion (11% decrease).

Illinois public libraries are also being hard hit, as are many other service jobs that depend on state funding. I work at a library system (which provides support to all types of libraries - public, school, academic and special libraries) and we are essentially getting a pay cut as of the beginning of the next fiscal year (July 1) - I don't know if public libraries are quite to the point where they're feeling the direct effects of this year's budget cut of 16.5% - but it will come soon. And I doubt next year will be better.

The Illinois legislature is a complete disaster.

[Bluebear]

2. Libraries. Senior centers. Schools. The list goes on and on.

[OhioChick]

3. Wow....who unrec's a thread about 5,000 losing their jobs? n/t

[Bluebear]

4. Yeah, that was fast, eh?

[New Dawn]

9. DLC hacks are scared of "bad news" articles.

[readmoreoften]

5. Scumbag lazy rotten conniving teachers probably deserve it. They should all be fired and replaced

by a new crop of scumbag lazy rotten conniving teachers who will work for less.

(:sarcasm:)

[Maat]

6. Oh ... I'm sad.

"There's always money for the Pentagon, though..."

Exactly.:-(

[upi402]

7. Corporatist utopia. I wont comment on DLC today

But in a few days... :grr: :evilgrin:

[Bluebear]

8. .

[nickinSTL]

10. someone just posted this on FB

"Yesterday over 23,000 teachers were given pink slips in Cal. Another 17,000 in Ill."

[AwakeAtLast]

11. Daniels is eyeing the White House in 2012

He's trying to show that he has a surplus when it's time to enter the campaign. What better way to do that than on the backs of teachers?

:puke:

[Contrary1]

13. Daniels has created jobs too. That will look great on his resume.

:eyes: It's the Republican way.

From earlier this month:

"The 6-month Eyewitness News investigation did not focus on any new jobs announced during the past year. Instead, WTHR's statewide job analysis included only jobs announced by the state in 2006, 2007 and 2008. 13 Investigates examined what the Indiana Economic Development Corporation calls "Indiana Economic Successes" to determine if the projects were on track and if the companies listed as successes actually hired new workers.

That's when WTHR discovered empty fields and deserted factories across the state where state leaders claim there are supposed to be new jobs. 13 Investigates found job commitments that fell through years ago are still being counted in the state's job numbers. Those broken job commitments show up in state performance reports as if they were real jobs when, in fact, they are not..."


http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=12073296

[AwakeAtLast]

14. Yeah, I saw that the day it aired

and laughing my butt off. :D

You would not believe the people I hear saying things like, "I sure won't be voting for him again." Um, of course you won't, he can't run again! <sigh> :banghead:

[Contrary1]

12. Actually, much of the blame falls on the state of Indiana

I live in one of the school systems named in the linked article. They are also talking about charging students to ride the bus, and for participation in sports programs.

"...“We’ve been fighting this battle for the three years I’ve been here. We don’t have a budget for the last two years. We’ve cost this township a few million dollars to pay our bills because the state hasn’t given us our money. I find it hard to believe that the children of Franklin Township are any less valuable than others,” Randall said.

Property tax payments to schools and other public entities have been months — and in some cases, more than a year — behind schedule because of a court-ordered overhaul of property-assessment rules in 2006 and a reassessment ordered by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2007.

The state then imposed a 1 percent cap on property taxes to help homeowners, some of whom saw their taxes double when the new rules took effect.

The state payment delays have forced school districts to repeatedly borrow money from the state, and pay interest on it, until property-tax monies could be distributed — a situation that has angered school officials.

While the delays should eventually be remedied, the district said the uneven distribution of funds must be addressed.

Randall said state Rep. Michael Murphy and state Sen. Patricia Miller, lawmakers who represent the area, have been of little help.

Randall said state legislators have been unreceptive to the district’s situation because of decisions by past administrators and board members, such as the building of a $4.3 million football stadium at Franklin Central High.

“We can’t unbuild what was built five years ago,” Randall said of the stadium, which many consider extravagant..."

http://www.indy.com/posts/funding-formula-blamed-for-franklin-township-lawsuit

[AwakeAtLast]

15. And that blame starts at the top: Daniels

I have absolutely no use for him. He could have taken ISTA's (Indiana State Teacher's Association) suggestions and saved over 500 million, but declined to even talk with ISTA leaders.