Tuesday...

Riding in a town nearby yesterday noticing the signs on peoples lawns imploring people to vote "yes" for the budgets on Tuesday I realized there is nothing of the sort in the towns near work. The signs I saw were simple but to the point: "A vote yes for our schools is a vote yes for our children." I happen to know that this district does not pay well - just like PV - despite the fact that it is a wealthy district. However, I have noticed a great deal of homes for sale in this town. Tells me that there must be a great deal of people hit by this recession. But they still see the value in a good education for the kids. They also are not foolish - good schools means good property values. I would be surprised if this town votes down the budget. I do not live in an area where the people expect something for nothing.

However, I do work in an area where the majority do expect everything for free. The fact of the matter is that education is not cheap. You must pay people to teach you. Those people must be qualified to do their jobs. The expertise that is expected comes at a price. We get a salary that many of us can't even live on - not the number of teachers with second jobs. But people will still vote down our budgets. Then complain when the class sizes are out of control and decent teachers leave the state to go where they are paid well enough to live and treated with respect. They will complain that the sports and special things like clubs are gone, that there is nowhere for the kids to go once the bell rings. Nothing is hitting anyone now, so it may seem like a good choice to vote no. Save a few bucks on your taxes. I wish my taxes increased a little as those in the Totowa Triangle. You would shudder if you heard the amount my taxes increase each year.

But I will still press the "Yes" button on Tuesday. Sadly, I don't think the majority of the people where I teach will. Prove me wrong.