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Teacher Who Served as Symbol of Jobs Measure Gets Laid Off

  • OneBuckeye
    This is just another reason why Pelosi and Democrats have to go. They don't even know how their bills will work and affect the long term status of their poster child for their bills. They just like spending our money without data and proof of the effectiveness they will have.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703927504575540433878595318.html
    For a while, it looked like a federal measure aimed at supporting teachers and other state and local workers had helped save Amanda VanNess's job. It turned out it was only a temporary reprieve.

    In July, the 25-year-old Ms. VanNess lost her job teaching kindergarten at Pickett Elementary School in Toledo, Ohio, as a result of cuts that came after voters rejected an income-tax increase aimed at shoring up a budget deficit at the Toledo Public School District.

    In August, the White House had contacted Ms. VanNess's union and invited her to Washington to watch as the House, in a special one-day session, passed a $26 billion plan to save teachers' jobs, and then to stand by President Barack Obama as he signed the bill in the Oval Office.

    "The idea was, with this bill passing, it was going to give teachers a better chance of being called back," Ms. VanNess said.

    Indeed, Ms. VanNess's district received $7.6 million of federal funds. And the day before school started in late August, the school district called Ms. VanNess back to work, on a one-year basis, teaching second grade.

    But even with the injection of federal dollars, the district's budget troubles have led it to increase class sizes, cut athletics programs, fire crossing guards and reduce bus services. Some parents have responded by pulling their children from Toledo's public schools. High unemployment in the area also is prompting some families to move away.

    The upshot is that with enrollment down by 5.4% this fall from last year, the school district just put through another round of cuts: Ms. VanNess was laid again off last week.

    One of the hardest things was leaving her students, she said, who were split between two other classrooms.

    "I really love teaching," said Ms. VanNess, who hopes to remain in the Toledo area. "I'm hoping if I wait this out, I can get back into the classroom."

  • ptown_trojans_1
    Huh, sounds like a local and state education funding problem to me. Pinning education to tax increases on local ballots=bad idea. Yes, the federal money did help for the short term, but the long term issue of school funding in Ohio makes no sense. This is what happens.

    The next Governor has got to tackle a new way to fund and address education.
  • OneBuckeye
    ptown_trojans_1;517353 wrote:Huh, sounds like a local and state education funding problem to me. Yes, the federal money did help for the short term, but the long term issue of school funding in Ohio makes no sense and what happens is this.

    Right, so why just throw money at the problem and not fix the root cause. That is my gripe.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    OneBuckeye;517358 wrote:Right, so why just throw money at the problem and not fix the root cause. That is my gripe.

    Agreed. But, the administration stated this was a short (1 year) fix. Obviously that year sped up as the economy stagnated.
    Also, no one has even a plan on how to address the problem.
  • FatHobbit
    ptown_trojans_1;517361 wrote:Agreed. But, the administration stated this was a short (1 year) fix. Obviously that year sped up as the economy stagnated.
    Also, no one has even a plan on how to address the problem.

    How do other states fund their schools?
  • Manhattan Buckeye
    I'm not sure this is new news (no pun intended)...the same thing happened with the Columbus PD, the stimulus "saved" their jobs for a year. What is going to happen after that, are we going to pass near trillion dollar spending bills to keep public workers employed yearly? Of course not.
  • BGFalcons82
    Manhattan Buckeye;517446 wrote:I'm not sure this is new news (no pun intended)...the same thing happened with the Columbus PD, the stimulus "saved" their jobs for a year. What is going to happen after that, are we going to pass near trillion dollar spending bills to keep public workers employed yearly?

    If we send Dems like Kilroy and Paula Brooks to Congress, it's exactly what we'll get.
  • FatHobbit
    BGFalcons82;517532 wrote:If we send Dems like Kilroy and Paula Brooks to Congress, it's exactly what we'll get.

    Seems to me that Bush was backing the banking stimulus. The republicans are just as guilty.
  • CenterBHSFan
    FatHobbit;517584 wrote:Seems to me that Bush was backing the banking stimulus. The republicans are just as guilty.

    Agreed. Time to clean house next month; if they're currently in office, I'm probably not gonna vote for them.

    As an aside, will Bush still be making his way into debate 20 years from now?
  • FatHobbit
    CenterBHSFan;517588 wrote:As an aside, will Bush still be making his way into debate 20 years from now?

    My guess is that whichever party is in power (and there will still only be two choices) will blame whoever has just left office. The party not in power will blame whoever is. But nothing will change.
  • BGFalcons82
    Originally Posted by BGFalcons82
    If we send Dems like Kilroy and Paula Brooks to Congress, it's exactly what we'll get.

    Seems to me that Bush was backing the banking stimulus. The republicans are just as guilty.


    The Repubs were guilty last time and Bush wasn't the economic conservative he claimed to be. The current candidates claim to have learned their lesson. We'll see...but Kilroy and Brooks are pretty much guaranteeing more generational theft, pork barrell spending-as-usual, and no spending cuts whatsoever.
  • believer
    FatHobbit;517419 wrote:How do other states fund their schools?
    In Pennsylvania there are no school levies...just school boards. In other words, the school boards elected by the voters determine when, if, and how much taxes will increase for property owners to fund the local schools.

    Personally I don't like the system but school funding doesn't seem to be nearly the same issue here as in Ohio where voters can vote DIRECTLY for or against school levies.
  • FatHobbit
    believer;517660 wrote:In Pennsylvania there are no school levies...just school boards. In other words, the school boards elected by the voters determine when, if, and how much taxes will increase for property owners to fund the local schools.

    Didn't the Ohio Supreme court determine that it's unconstitutional to use property tax to fund schools?
  • Little Danny
    FatHobbit;517705 wrote:Didn't the Ohio Supreme court determine that it's unconstitutional to use property tax to fund schools?

    Yeah and Ted Strickland promised to enforce the ruling back in 2006. :) Of course he hasn't, that is why the democrats think you should re-elect him.
  • Thread Bomber
    CenterBHSFan;517588 wrote:Agreed. Time to clean house next month; if they're currently in office, I'm probably not gonna vote for them.

    As an aside, will Bush still be making his way into debate 20 years from now?
    Sure... They are still blaming Carter for stuff that happened in 1979.....
  • Ghmothwdwhso
    Thread Bomber;517744 wrote:Sure... They are still blaming Carter for stuff that happened in 1979.....

    Uhhhh. He was President in 1979. No Shit they are blaming him for stuff that happened in 1979.
  • believer
    Ghmothwdwhso;517997 wrote:Uhhhh. He was President in 1979. No Shit they are blaming him for stuff that happened in 1979.

    Facts rarely influence the thinking of hardcore leftists.
    FatHobbit;517705 wrote:Didn't the Ohio Supreme court determine that it's unconstitutional to use property tax to fund schools?

    I dunno....I've been paying Pennsylvania property taxes for the past 7 years! In Pennsylvania taxes of all shapes, forms, and sizes are not only constitutional, it's a way of life. lol
  • believer
    FatHobbit;517705 wrote:Didn't the Ohio Supreme court determine that it's unconstitutional to use property tax to fund schools?

    I dunno....I've been paying Pennsylvania property taxes for the past 7 years! lol
  • Gblock
    my first teaching job in 1996 was at that school.....lot of hardworking teachers there i hope they can fight through this rough time until the state of ohio finally fixes the school funding issue
  • jmog
    FatHobbit;517598 wrote:My guess is that whichever party is in power (and there will still only be two choices) will blame whoever has just left office. The party not in power will blame whoever is. But nothing will change.

    Maybe I'm mistaken, but I don't recall Bush II ever blaming Clinton for anything.

    I'm not saying some repubs didn't, but Bush himself did not (to my knowledge).

    Obama does it nearly every speech.
  • CenterBHSFan
    Who, or rather what sector, is supposed to have job security?

    IMHO, that is long gone and isn't coming back.
  • believer
    CenterBHSFan;518083 wrote:Who, or rather what sector, is supposed to have job security?

    IMHO, that is long gone and isn't coming back.
    Let's hope the morons in Congress get the same message in 20 days. ;)
  • CenterBHSFan
    believer;518534 wrote:Let's hope the morons in Congress get the same message in 20 days. ;)
    Cheers!
  • Little Danny
    jmog;518075 wrote:Maybe I'm mistaken, but I don't recall Bush II ever blaming Clinton for anything.

    I'm not saying some repubs didn't, but Bush himself did not (to my knowledge).

    Obama does it nearly every speech.

    GWB never publicly criticized the Clinton Administration. What's more, he has yet to criticize Obama. One of the classiest things I have ever seen was on the day the Bush's left the White House. The whole country saw George and Laura give Barack and Michelle a hug and wish them well.

    Will Barack and Michelle do the same for the Republican who takes their place? We shall see....
  • tk421
    Little Danny;519480 wrote:GWB never publicly criticized the Clinton Administration. What's more, he has yet to criticize Obama. One of the classiest things I have ever seen was on the day the Bush's left the White House. The whole country saw George and Laura give Barack and Michelle a hug and wish them well.

    Will Barack and Michelle do the same for the Republican who takes their place? We shall see....
    You can hate on his politics all you want, but Bush is/was a nice guy.