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Cutting education spending is just plain stupid. Education used to be the first priority of every community because people knew education was the key to a better future for themselves and their children.
The Republicans have obviously forgotten this point but the rest of the civilized world has learned the lesson well. By one study in 2006, the US ranked 33rd in reading, 27th in Math and 22nd in Science. We have a long way back to go. Cutting funding is not the right direction.
Education is one the top reasons companies will choose to move to NH and while NH does comparatively better than other states, it is still way behind by world standards.
In fact, education should be treated as the number one JOBS bill. Education directly contributes in so many ways to employment from attracting more businesses to equipping workers with the increasingly sophisticated skills required by today's businesses.
It takes much more than the 3-R's to be a productive member of the 21st century economy. Art and music complement the other studies. Often people who struggle in math improve markedly after studying music. Art is a real benefit for many young people to express difficult emotions
I have to believe that the forty year attack on education beginning with Mel Thompson and Will Loeb is intentional. A thinking people is not going to put up with some of the wild ideas we see emerging from the state house.
The attack on education is also a cynical wedge issue that pits people against people; town against town; and taxpayer against taxpayer. The only constitutional amendment should be one that says: "The Legislature, the Governor and People of New Hampshire believe that good, well-funded education should be one of New Hampshire's top goals year in and year out."
The better our education system, the better our economy period. So who's not in favor of that? Take one giant step to the rear if you don't support a strong educational system.
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