George W. scorns the very notion of "commonwealth"
Our health and education— trashed
Also in this issue
- Gambling with your vote
- Saving our "organic" label
- Give reagan his due
- Percy whops monsanto
- Playing games with public school funding
- Playing games with public school funding
- Fun quotes for the whole family
What the hell's happening here? Why is my bank in the tank? And my house and job? And my retirement money? Even my state's teetering on the brink of broke! Who did this to us? Fair questions, but we're not getting honest answers. 
Playing games with public school funding
Just blocks from the US Capitol, the PTA of Capitol Hill Cluster School held another fund-raiser in February. The PTA of this middle-class school has raised more than $100,000 during the school year. Is the money going to provide special school trips, treats for kids, or other educational extras?
No, the parents are having to hold bake sales and such to buy things like paper, paint, ink cartridges, locker parts, and hardwarethe chewing-gum-and-baling-wire basics to fix the children's wobbly chairs, make structural repairs to the buildings, and provide essential school supplies. AP education writer Ben Feller reports that this money scramble by PTAs is now common, for public schools all across our country have seen their classroom budgets slashed so deeply by irresponsible politicians that there's not enough to cover teacher salaries, sports equipment, art supplies, and other basics that make schools run.
It's also common that teachersthemselves poorly paid professionals doing perhaps the most important job in Americahave to dig into their own thin wallets to buy books, chalk, visual aids, and other classroom essentials for the children.
The same politicians who shortchange teachers and kids are the ones who then cynically accuse the public schools of failing, and who demand vouchers from taxpayers to privatize American education.