We need to insure that the children have adequate tools to meet their classroom needs are justified. This is a critical need. Teachers in California (and elsewhere) have a plight now that is seriously affecting the empowerment of children. In California schools, there is not enough budget money to adequately provide classroom supplies in enough quality and quantity to insure excellent education. And for decades, many teachers have provided such supplies at their own expense. In some cases, paper, pencils, ink cartridges and yes, even books, have been provided at the expense of the teacher! In past years, there has been both a Federal and a State tax allowance that helped teachers with this effort. But recently both the State and Federal tax breaks have been abandoned. Parent groups and others do donate supplies (I did), but there is still a significant shortfall. And with the explosion of class sizes, additional faculty means new (and younger) teachers... hardly able to add the burden of providing supplies to their own personal budgets. Teachers spend large sums on school supplies that, in times past, were provided by the School Districts. The administrators are not to blame... budget crunches have serious impacted their ability to maintain current instructional levels. There are a few organizations around the country that are helping, but not enough. Abstracted from "Empowering Children" by Dr. Stuart J. Malkin. Much more in the book at: http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/description.asp?ISBN=0-7414-2331-6 |
