A cartoon that isn't funny

[Nevernose]

78. I hope, for your sake, that you go to a nice school

Between my wife and me, who are both teachers, I can quickly come up with a few things our schools and school district needs.

Roofs that don't leak.
Reliable air conditioning (the Mojave gets pretty warm).
Paint
Textbooks.
Novels.
Computers.
School supplies.
ELL teachers.
Full day kindergarten.
Special Ed teachers.
Better pay for teachers so we can attract better teachers -- and keep the many good ones we have.
Busses.
Lower class sizes.
More schools to reduce crowding.

If you think that all schools are funded equitably or adequately, I want you to picture this: 55 kids from the hood, some of whom are gang members, in a classroom designed for 25 students. There are 15 textbooks that refer to "our current President, Bill Clinton." 95% of the kids are on free and reduced lunch, the free lunch today is chips and salsa, and you're providing four or five of them with food for the weekend. At the end of the day, you will give one student a ride to the local homeless shelter. Also, all 55 of them (15 of whom are sitting on the floor) are freshman. There is no Sped teacher to help those who are Sped, nor is there an ELL person to help with the roughly 40% who are still learning the language. None of them are at grade level, because there weren't the resources available to help them ten years ago.

Is isn't some feel-good movie, this is my life and the life of thousands of children I've known through the years, and it's the reality in many districts. It's usually not that bad in the suburbs, but many rural and urban schools are far worse off than most people realize.