I hate falling behind...
I really do... cuz things always happen that are important at the time, but then by the time I get around to writing about it, I either forget things or I'm not as into it b/c other things have happened since.
Take for example the fact that I have not really updated you all on my Grad school situation. I've told some of you in person, but I really didn't feel like writing about it. Hell, I still don't. It's a LOOOONG story, so I'm not gonna go into detail, but in a nutshell the final result is that I need to re-apply to the program, and everything I did this past semester will not count (yeah, it SUCKS). Luckily, I obviously don't have to pay anything, so all I lost is time, but dammit time is very important, especially with my job being eliminated in about a year...
And yeah, that's another thing, I've gotten lots of info about Bush's new budget (which they publicly released on Monday) and his plans to cut tons of money from education. I read a huge 2 page article about it in the New York Times, but you can all see for yourselves what he's planning to do with the nation's money over at this website.
Here's a direct quote from the site itself:
"To provide funding for States under the High School Intervention Initiative, the Administration proposes to consolidate narrow-purpose programs that support a particular high school intervention strategy. These include Vocational Education, Upward Bound, Talent Search, GEAR UP, and Smaller Learning Communities. Most of these programs have not proven effective in improving our secondary students’ academic achievement or ability to obtain a job."
-To which I "OH PLEASE!"
They are so full of it. These programs do not have "a narrow-purpose." We serve students of all kinds and help them in many different ways in order to better prepare them for college and life beyond High school. I don't know about ALL of those programs but I work for Talent Search and I also know about Upward Bound and GEAR UP (a program started by Hilary & Bill Clinton), and all are excellent programs that really reach out to students, especially those who are first-generation college-bound and low-income. Those are some of the students who need the most help! But sadly Bush will probably get away with this b/c of the ONE "good thing" he did for education and that was to FINALLY increase the FUNDING of Pell Grants. He increased it by 45% to which he can now boast "Oh look I gave Pell the biggest increase in history!"
Well lemme drop some knowledge on you.
As I have stated before, it is a FACT (look it up) that he never increased funding to Pell the previous four years of his administration. What he did was increase the amount of students eligible for aid, but since the budget was never increased, what that meant was each student got less money. But that was STILL going against his word on his initial campaign. Because during his first run for office he was the "President for Education" and he made lots of promises he did not keep. And not only that, he has continued CUTTING from the Department of Education. He was supposed to increase Pell a certain amount every year (according to his promises) and never did, so now he lumps it in to one big sum all of a sudden. Thing is, he's taking that money from other important educational programs by flat out ELIMINATING them!
He is not supposed to be getting money for Pell from OTHER educational programs, that money was supposed to be already set aside as part of his previous budgets. But I guess he's too damn preoccupied with pumping billions of dollars into Iraq to worry about education.
But wait, there's more! Did you know that Bush also made huge cuts (by more than half!) to Stafford and other such federal loans? Thus, making it even harder for students to afford college. Bet you didn't know that!
So now he'll gloat about the huge increase to Pell and his plan to put more money behind the idiotic "No Child Left Behind Act", and democrats will most likely wuss out and not call him out on what he has done, and the idiotic American public will fall for Bush's lies once again. Not realizing that what he's done boils down to this- students don't pass the harder tests, federal ed. programs are no longer around to help the student, so they don't go to college; OR students pass, want to go to a good school, get Pell but not that much of an increase (even with the bigger budget) b/c more students are eligible, loans are severely cut so they can't afford to go to college, so they don't go.
Oh, but look what looks nice and enticing!! Those nice army and marine guys going around the schools extoling the benefits of the U.S. Armed forces. "We'll help you pay for college! Just give us 4 years... and maybe even your life." And since the students only choice is either that, or trying his/her hand at the terrible economy and job market (without the benefit of a college education), the Armed forces might not seem so bad. And BAM, Bush gets his soldiers for his stupid war...
Tell me I'm wrong!
If this new proposed budget upsets you as much as it does me, please get active. Tell your family, friends and co-workers. Have them all write to their local congressmen and senators to tell them how you feel and to vote against this terrible budget. Only our united voices have a chance of making a change.
Take for example the fact that I have not really updated you all on my Grad school situation. I've told some of you in person, but I really didn't feel like writing about it. Hell, I still don't. It's a LOOOONG story, so I'm not gonna go into detail, but in a nutshell the final result is that I need to re-apply to the program, and everything I did this past semester will not count (yeah, it SUCKS). Luckily, I obviously don't have to pay anything, so all I lost is time, but dammit time is very important, especially with my job being eliminated in about a year...
And yeah, that's another thing, I've gotten lots of info about Bush's new budget (which they publicly released on Monday) and his plans to cut tons of money from education. I read a huge 2 page article about it in the New York Times, but you can all see for yourselves what he's planning to do with the nation's money over at this website.
Here's a direct quote from the site itself:
"To provide funding for States under the High School Intervention Initiative, the Administration proposes to consolidate narrow-purpose programs that support a particular high school intervention strategy. These include Vocational Education, Upward Bound, Talent Search, GEAR UP, and Smaller Learning Communities. Most of these programs have not proven effective in improving our secondary students’ academic achievement or ability to obtain a job."
-To which I "OH PLEASE!"
They are so full of it. These programs do not have "a narrow-purpose." We serve students of all kinds and help them in many different ways in order to better prepare them for college and life beyond High school. I don't know about ALL of those programs but I work for Talent Search and I also know about Upward Bound and GEAR UP (a program started by Hilary & Bill Clinton), and all are excellent programs that really reach out to students, especially those who are first-generation college-bound and low-income. Those are some of the students who need the most help! But sadly Bush will probably get away with this b/c of the ONE "good thing" he did for education and that was to FINALLY increase the FUNDING of Pell Grants. He increased it by 45% to which he can now boast "Oh look I gave Pell the biggest increase in history!"
Well lemme drop some knowledge on you.
As I have stated before, it is a FACT (look it up) that he never increased funding to Pell the previous four years of his administration. What he did was increase the amount of students eligible for aid, but since the budget was never increased, what that meant was each student got less money. But that was STILL going against his word on his initial campaign. Because during his first run for office he was the "President for Education" and he made lots of promises he did not keep. And not only that, he has continued CUTTING from the Department of Education. He was supposed to increase Pell a certain amount every year (according to his promises) and never did, so now he lumps it in to one big sum all of a sudden. Thing is, he's taking that money from other important educational programs by flat out ELIMINATING them!
He is not supposed to be getting money for Pell from OTHER educational programs, that money was supposed to be already set aside as part of his previous budgets. But I guess he's too damn preoccupied with pumping billions of dollars into Iraq to worry about education.
But wait, there's more! Did you know that Bush also made huge cuts (by more than half!) to Stafford and other such federal loans? Thus, making it even harder for students to afford college. Bet you didn't know that!
So now he'll gloat about the huge increase to Pell and his plan to put more money behind the idiotic "No Child Left Behind Act", and democrats will most likely wuss out and not call him out on what he has done, and the idiotic American public will fall for Bush's lies once again. Not realizing that what he's done boils down to this- students don't pass the harder tests, federal ed. programs are no longer around to help the student, so they don't go to college; OR students pass, want to go to a good school, get Pell but not that much of an increase (even with the bigger budget) b/c more students are eligible, loans are severely cut so they can't afford to go to college, so they don't go.
Oh, but look what looks nice and enticing!! Those nice army and marine guys going around the schools extoling the benefits of the U.S. Armed forces. "We'll help you pay for college! Just give us 4 years... and maybe even your life." And since the students only choice is either that, or trying his/her hand at the terrible economy and job market (without the benefit of a college education), the Armed forces might not seem so bad. And BAM, Bush gets his soldiers for his stupid war...
Tell me I'm wrong!
If this new proposed budget upsets you as much as it does me, please get active. Tell your family, friends and co-workers. Have them all write to their local congressmen and senators to tell them how you feel and to vote against this terrible budget. Only our united voices have a chance of making a change.
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