**UPDATE: Just found out that Prop 100 passed, by a long shot. Thank you, Arizona voters, for valuing education and being willing to support it!**
(Ooh...this is my first ever post update! Exciting!)
Today, voters in Arizona will decide on Prop 100, which is a proposed 1% temporary sales tax hike. If passed, funds collected will go towards K-12 education, health and human services and public safety.
I debated writing about this issue earlier and decided that I didn't want to try to sway people one way or another. But, now that the vote is over, and you've (hopefully) made your decision, I'd like to share a bit about my thoughts.
I know that people who are opposed to Prop 100 say things like, "I shouldn't have to bail out the state when they got themselves into this financial mess" or "I don't trust that this sales tax increase will actually be temporary, and I don't trust that schools will actually get the money"or "Schools don't really need this money - they should be encouraged to prioritize and not spend money they don't need to spend."
Reasonable arguments. I don't want to be taxed because Arizona lacks good spending habits, and it certainly would lose the trust and heart of Arizona voters if the state found a way to direct this money elsewhere.
But, what I don't agree with is that last statement. Schools need money. Desperately.
I hear people say all the time that schools spend too much money on sports, or technology, or P.E., or field trips, or [whatever]. They live with the mindset that schools are primarily academic in purpose, and don't need any of that "extra stuff." I totally disagree.
Schools today have become more than academic. Schools today are held responsible for turning out well-rounded, well-adjusted individuals, who can problem-solve and critically analyze the world around them, who are unique thinkers that stand up for themselves and their beliefs rather than be crowd-followers, who can stay organized, stay healthy and stay informed, who can interpret the millions of messages that they encounter each day, who are college ready and work-force ready, who are tolerant of others and capable of dealing with people they don't like, and who will eventually run our nation.
And, you can't do all that without "extras." You can't do all that without money.
A teacher friend of mine said on Facebook, "While I disagree in principle, it is NECESSARY in practice. PLEASE vote YES on Prop 100 today! My students will thank you!" Well said.
What are your thoughts?
Experience teaches only the teachable.
Ok....so don't hate me. I forgot. :S
ReplyDeleteI saw the signs on my way to work and realized it was voting day but I was late for a meeting and I left work and had to head to an appointment so I didn't have time to run to the polls then either AND I had left my mail-in ballot at home. Yes, lots of excuses, but it boils down to I didn't pay attention.
I never really decided how I wanted to vote. I mean, I wanted to have schools get the money, but I would have been nice if there had been a clause or something about how it was to be managed. Vail seems to have a great track record there. The same cannot be said for all the other districts.
I agree that you're constantly asked to do more with less - take on the role of the parent almost. Money makes things easier, but sometimes I think not having it makes us more creative. It's not that I want people to lose their jobs and stuff, but I don't think throwing money at all of this is necessarily the right answer either (speaking in general of course, not about Vail).
Anyway, in retribution for my inaction, I have decided to recruit for you. I figure that extra $200 donation per tax payer could really help out some of these things so please let me know when the forms are available and I'll be talking to friends and family about it!
I think that Prop 100 is a good idea. Even if the need is due to the state and financial problems within and outside of the schools, ultimately the ones who suffer are the students. As a person who thinks that every child should be given the opportunities to succeed in the world, I think that denial of opportunities due to a small budget is sad, and if Prop 100 works to help students, then I'm for it.
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