Education Cuts in California

California needs to face reality. We like to look at ourselves as the way "education ought to be." California, according to statistics, ranks as number 48th for the amount of money spent on education. Incase you didn't know, there are 50 states in the U.S, #48 is not a number to boast about.

It is necessary for California to recognize the need to change. Our public universities ranked #1 in the world are now suffering from lack of funds, packed classes that people can not get into because they're full. Our elementrym middle and highschool's are suffering as well.

California must recognize the need for prison reform. Calfornia may be short on good schools but they certainly have no shortage of prisoners. California has legal policies that make us end up with an unecessary number of criminals in prisons and jails packed tight as clowns in a VW Bug. It is understandable that the state is trying to keep its citizens safe. However, is the state so sure that this is what is going to keep the state safe that they can not modify the prison laws at all? There is a rule, for example, that if one commits grand-theft (yes, I am aware that grand-theft is serious, but just wait) three times then one is sent to prison for life. Are you sure there is not an alternate solution for that?

Our classes are suffering; that is the truth. Highschool classrooms are loaded with students who don't want to be there, who don't want to learn the material and feel that school and education is forced upon them (by the way, this is not the problem). The difference with universities and colleges is that they're classrooms (save for a few) consist mostly of students who are there because they want to be. Cutting down on education funds reduces the number of classes availible in colleges and universities and fewer students intrested into attending.

Look at it this way; students are the future. We will be the people who start new buisnessess, the people who innovate and invent new technology, we are the ones who will continue to handle the global climate crisis, handle epidemics, research for cures to terminal illnessess -- don't send us out there (into the world) confused as where to begin.

Prison reform is needed. Education is a necessity.