“just plain inadequate for the job"

Yesterday was informational; this one's just from me.

What's it going to take?

We have the Constitutional commitment.

We have the legal decision.

We have the numbers.

We have the report.

And we have no action.

I'll be honest: I don't expect any better of this governor. He's made it abundantly clear that his vision of education is for the kids who look like his own experience can peaceably go on with their education, while those kids who look very different need to remain voiceless and have their educations disrupted.

I do expect better of the legislators, however.

What's it going to take?

I fully expect that the Legislature will pass an increase in regional transportation. Those districts are organized, they are loud, and, frankly, they are accustomed to being listened to.

I fully expect that the Legislature will bump the per pupil increase. Those districts--in some cases, the same districts--are likewise organized, loud, and accustomed to being listened to.

But that isn't the greatest need. It never will be.

The greatest need is in the districts that are skating along the edge of foundation funding, the ones that depend on the boost from a few more kids, the ones where the state is supposed to be ensuring that every child "rich or poor" is educated.

I don't think most of us have a good handle on just how great the disparities are. I know I didn't. It's been years since I've been in any classroom outside of Worcester, until I visited a few classrooms in a Boston suburb a few weeks ago. And the difference was breathtaking.

It isn't that those districts are spending money madly. There are things that many districts, even as they are tense around budget time, take for granted that we never, never discuss in Worcester.

Things like recent novels for elementary reading.
Things like periodicals for language study.
Things like funds to repair and restore fields.
Things like replacing the flooring that's failing rather than patching.

The list is endless, but the point is this: the budget is based on asking the question: "What can we do to ensure these kids have the best education possible?"
The cities that run on foundation can't afford to ask that question.

But as a state, we can't afford to not be asking it for them.


The title is from Senator Chang-Diaz, quoted on the Governor's education budget.