Thursday, February 7, 2013

Your mailman and public schools. – @ the chalk face

Your mailman and public schools. – @ the chalk face:


Your mailman and public schools.

I am sure most of you have heard about the U.S. Postal Service looking to cut Saturday delivery to help fight billions of dollars in losses. While techonlogical changes in society have contributed to some of the issues facing the Postal Service I believe that the USPS has been set up for failure.  The USPS is mandated to contribute billions of dollars each year for future retirees 75 years in advance.  These future postal workers have not even been born yet and the budget of the USPS is being dragged down because of this funding mandate.  We also have to look at the mission of the USPS, deliever mail to everyone in the United States, an important government service  provided to every American.
So why am I discussing the Postal Service on an education website?  Privatization, union benefits and power in the USPS struggle parallel what is occuring in our public schools.
Public Schools are being starved of financial resources while being mandated expensive programs by NCLB and Race to the Top.  These programs divert already scarce money, hammering local school budgets.  The results: