In 38 years of teaching, I have never seen such irresponsibility in politicians as I see now. You cannot balance a state budget or a local school budget on the backs of children. As a school board member myself, I grieve every conversation that includes furloughing great teachers. What happens to the budget when there are no more teachers to lay off?

Teachers are the most precious human capital in any state, so why won’t we help them keep jobs so they can do the job they love.

We need to think creatively and ask all stakeholders to helps us think of creative solutions for our schools’ budget problems.

State representatives, will you give up your state retirements or your pay raises for education in Pennsylvania.  I do not think you will.  I recently heard from a friend in South Carolina that a 32 year-old assistant for former Gov. Rendell is working in SC because that is where he is RETIRED on a Pennsylvania retirement.

This is despicable in light of the fact that I might have to vote to furlough teachers who have given the children of this community such a great education.

There used to be an ad that said SAVE THE CHILDREN.  We can do that, but we need to SAVE THE TEACHERS WHO SAVE THE CHILDREN.

The Children’s Defense Fund states that in 2011 that the Pennsylvania annual expenditure per prisoner is $30,668. Pennsylvania’s annual expenditure per public school pupil is $10,723. This means schools all across the state will furlough GREAT teachers and HIRE prison guards. WHAT IS WRONG, WRONG, WRONG with this picture??????

Voters, speak up for the CHILDREN AND THEIR TEACHERS.