About This Page: (This is Main Street by Angie, who is working on art goals here on the blog!)
This has been a personal project to blog every day for a school year on goals and dreams. My hope was that I could find a group of people to work with me.
I was lucky enough to find a small, but sincere group of inspirational people to keep me company. We've been using Walt Disney's philosophies or creations as inspiration.
I am no longer blogging daily, but I am notified if comments are posted, and I'll be happy to keep the discussion going!
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Are there enough nickels to get from Point A to Point B in a shaky economy?
It's no secret that we were sticking just about every nickel we had on the chance that people would really be interested in something totally new and unique in the field of entertainment.
Walt Disney
I really like this particular quote and I think, while not everyone can relate to taking a chance on an innovative idea, most people can relate to the concept of "every nickle."
Whatever the goal or desired outcome may be, in these economic times, it seems as if we are really looking at a finite number of nickles!
This morning, my 1996 Saturn sputtered and died as I started it. Somehow, I managed to get the engine to turn over but, there is just no way around the fact that this car is not going to last forever! A few years ago, I was looking for something new because it would be shinier. Now, I'm thinking I just have to stick close to home until I have a few more nickles. AND, I'm not asking you to feel sorry for me because I have friends who are taking the bus, carpooling, and biking to work. When the goal is to get from point A to point B, the method can be varied.
There are also fewer nickels to be spent on schools and education. I'm used to stressed-out parents this time of year...worrying if schools are going to put finances above the true best interests of their child. The parents of the gifted children worry that funding will be cut. The parents who value arts, sports, and music worry when those programs are cut.
The biggest upheaval, it seems, is in the area of Special needs, though that may just be because I am working in that area.
This thread, started by one of our PassPorter members, is one good example.
http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...hool-vent.html
There are, though, a thousand stories and, somehow, the answers are harder in this economy.
Now, here is my personal opinion.
I can decide to keep driving a questionable car because, when it finally does die, I can buy a new one. My goal is to get from point A to point B and the day when that is no longer possible in this car, I can junk the car and get on with my life.
BUT, deciding to cut back on the quality of programs for developing children, I think, is a scary thing. We don't just junk a kid when it becomes apparent that they are unable to meet the goal of getting from point A to point B. On the other hand, if there are not enough nickels to fund the program, what do we do?
Can anyone share their thoughts on this?
Walt Disney
I really like this particular quote and I think, while not everyone can relate to taking a chance on an innovative idea, most people can relate to the concept of "every nickle."
Whatever the goal or desired outcome may be, in these economic times, it seems as if we are really looking at a finite number of nickles!
This morning, my 1996 Saturn sputtered and died as I started it. Somehow, I managed to get the engine to turn over but, there is just no way around the fact that this car is not going to last forever! A few years ago, I was looking for something new because it would be shinier. Now, I'm thinking I just have to stick close to home until I have a few more nickles. AND, I'm not asking you to feel sorry for me because I have friends who are taking the bus, carpooling, and biking to work. When the goal is to get from point A to point B, the method can be varied.
There are also fewer nickels to be spent on schools and education. I'm used to stressed-out parents this time of year...worrying if schools are going to put finances above the true best interests of their child. The parents of the gifted children worry that funding will be cut. The parents who value arts, sports, and music worry when those programs are cut.
The biggest upheaval, it seems, is in the area of Special needs, though that may just be because I am working in that area.
This thread, started by one of our PassPorter members, is one good example.
http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...hool-vent.html
There are, though, a thousand stories and, somehow, the answers are harder in this economy.
Now, here is my personal opinion.
I can decide to keep driving a questionable car because, when it finally does die, I can buy a new one. My goal is to get from point A to point B and the day when that is no longer possible in this car, I can junk the car and get on with my life.
BUT, deciding to cut back on the quality of programs for developing children, I think, is a scary thing. We don't just junk a kid when it becomes apparent that they are unable to meet the goal of getting from point A to point B. On the other hand, if there are not enough nickels to fund the program, what do we do?
Can anyone share their thoughts on this?
0 Pixie Dust
Pixie Dust
Tags: advocacy, autism, education cuts, no child left behind
Total Comments 4
Comments
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The way my advocate (who has also worked for the school system in the past so has seen both sides of the coin) explains it to me it goes like this: Schools get X amt. of dollars for all the kids in the sped. program. Instead of giving boy A everything he needs, Girl B something she needs and Boy C nothing they spread it out evenly so every kid gets something although it's most likely not going to cover everything he needs. As it is, in reality, it covers comically little that they need. I'll give you an example. Perry desperately needs a full OT program thru the school that covers his sensory needs, mood swings etc..They give him 1/2 ONCE a week that covers something generic like pencil control. He also needs behavioral therapy and he gets none of that. Now, I'm in the process of fighting the school system in order to get Perry out of there and into a much more effective private school (which the school system will have to pay for). Now, I know some people w/o a spec. ed. child will be annoyed that this amount of money will be spent on my child (afraid it will take away from areas their child will be involved with) they don't understand that in order for Perry to have some sort of life that will not involve on tons of government money being spent on him in his adulthood, he needs the help now. I think there should be far more funding for schools and maybe if America stopped giving money to countries who would eventually try to attack us, we'd have it. And no, I'm not trying to start a political debate and I'm leaving it at that.0 Pixie Dust
Posted 03-20-2010 at 11:59 AM by Christine43 
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I really don't have any answers on that, but I sure can feel your pain!
I've heard variations of the same story so many times.0 Pixie Dust
Posted 03-20-2010 at 06:46 PM by Sandra Bostwick
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I feel the same way Christine about the school system not getting the money we need to help our children.0 Pixie Dust
Posted 03-21-2010 at 08:36 PM by TNTWheels
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Todd said:
I feel the same way Christine about the school system not getting the money we need to help our children.
Posted 03-21-2010 at 08:36 PM by TNTWheels
You know, Todd, this is a tough one! I'm actually at the point where I think I'm going to stop following the news on school budgets because it is just ALL bad for EVERYONE!
Students develop year-by-year in academics, sports, and arts skills and when I hear these programs being cut, I just feel awful.
The worst part, I think, is that the school superintendants, business people, and supervisors who are making these cuts are DEVASTATED! They are losing sleep, chugging Maalox, and feeling awful because they are being given $10 to run a program that currently costs $20.
THEN, they are being yelled at and blamed for the cuts that they were forced to make.
There are two sides to stories and I hear them both. The only similarity is that NOBODY is happy!0 Pixie Dust
Posted 03-26-2010 at 07:47 AM by Sandra Bostwick
Updated 03-26-2010 at 07:56 AM by Sandra Bostwick
