My nomination for this week's biggest losers are Joe the Plumber of presidential debate fame and the students of Dallas ISD (thank heavens we are not in that district).
Let's take Joe the Plumber. Obamamama was at a campaign rally in Toledo earlier this week where he met a plumber named Joe Wurzelbacher. The conversation regarding taxes was recorded and woven into the all the bunk thrown around during the final presidential debate, Joe the Plumber came to symbolize middle America. Last night, on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer, it was reported that Joe has been enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. This morning, I heard on NPR that the press went sniffing around in Ohio only to find Joe isn't licensed to plumb toilets in Toledo and further, he owes back taxes and subsequently has incurred a lien on his house. Sorry, Joe, fame will never be worth, at least to me, having your personal, private details splashed about for all to see. Sorry, Joe.
Now, to the students of DISD, who are the real losers of the up to 450 teacher pink slip pass out today. DISD is laying off a cadre of teachers and other employees in order to close a projected $84 million budget shortfall. Seems Accounting and Human Resources were not speaking last year and now the students have to pay for it. What in the world will happen to these students? For the last several weeks they have been paying while their teachers worry about a possible layoff. Now, what will happen? When you cut 450 teaching positions in a district, what becomes of the student/teacher ratio? What kind of curriculum disruption do they experience? Yes, children are resilient, but aren't we asking a little too much?
At the end of the first week of school, in our district, enrollment numbers were tallied and Tiny Toes's teacher was shipped off to a neighboring elementary school; the class was divided throughout the rest of the first grade. Although she is adjusting well, it has been a long transition. And although she is in a new class, she and her original classmates still travel together to specials -- I get irritated just thinking about it. There's nothing fun about being different in elementary school (trust a red head with freckles and an uncommon name to know).
This corruption in Dallas is a real tragedy; many teachers may loose their jobs, but the loss to the students is incalculable.
