Patting themselves on the back.

The local Stand for Children group is patting themselves on the back for their work in pushing through an increase in the education budget for Metro Nashville schools. The following is from their July 1, 2005 newsletter just released.

From http://www.stand.org/tn/metrobudget.asp

In recent months, Stand for Children members wrote over 4,000 postcards and made hundreds of phone calls to Metro Council members, pressing them for a public school budget of no less than $540 million. Members distributed 3,000 yard signs, and gave presentations to PTOs, neighborhood associations, and churches. We helped organize a well-attended rally at city hall and turned out in impressive numbers to seven public hearings and Town Hall meetings.

They also credit their coalition partners:

Congratulations to Stand for Children members and leaders, and to all of the coalition partners advocating for increased funding for Metro Schools: Community Impact, Democracy for America, MNEA, Parents Advisory Council, SEIU, Steelworkers, Tying Nashville Together.

Stay tuned. I predict this was only one battle in a much larger effort that's really only begun. Both parents and taxpayers are beginning to exhibit their frustration at the current public school system and this debate, like a zit before prom, is going to come to an ugly head if school boards and administrators don't get serious about submitting to real accountability and remembering that they are servants not bosses.

Parents are not selfish in seeking the best education possible for their children. They have embraced the educrat mantra that education equals freedom and opportunity and so in the face of a system that isn't meeting their needs they're going to do what they feel they must to ensure their children obtain those freedoms and opportunities. They're not going to continue to accept that if they'll just wait a bit longer the system will improve. They know their children don't have that much time.

Taxpayers are tired of being told that they're selfish when they put the needs of their families ahead of the needs of other children. That only goes so far. Those who are paying taxes to support the public education system and paying for a private education--are not going to tolerate it much longer. They're paying twice and that ain't cool.

Finally, I suggest that those 'coalition' partners that make their money off of the education system tone down there rhetoric, be thankful for jobs at all and actually encourage paying employees based on merit. Great teachers deserve great pay.