November 1, 2005

School funding and income discrimination

I've been following a story in Omaha, Nebraska about how the Omaha Public School district wants to integrate all the city's schools into one district, making it easier for students to transfer between schools, and also easier to reallocate funds to the poorer schools.

I think it's a great idea, but those in the richer parts of town don't. (obviously)

Today, a man wrote this in the paper- "The other main argument in favor of the initiative is the disparities in funding between school districts. In San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez, a U.S. Supreme Court Case, the court ruled that it is absolutely within the law for school districts that get funding from local property taxes to have different funding levels. Since there is no 'purposeful discrimination,' there is no legal basis for the claim that the differences in funding have to be leveled out."

It makes me so mad. I don't have kids, never will, so I pay property taxes that go to pay for other people's kid's education. I am perfectly ok with that- I understand that these kids need it. But I've seen the poorest school in Omaha- half the toilets don't work, there's NO technology to take advantage of, textbooks are out of date. In the richer Omaha schools, they have laptops that the kids can check out, sparkling clean facilities, and an environment that encourages learning. I don't see how this can be fair. It may not be specifically discriminating on race- though it does that, since the poorest kids are also mostly minority kids, but it is definitely discriminating on basis of income. What's so wrong with taking all the $$$ and divvying it up on the basis of students per school, within the whole city.

People in the richer neighborhoods tout that a state law allows kids to transfer to a more affluent school, and some even help with the kids transportation costs, but why should a kid have to take a 30 minute bus ride to and from school every day to get a decent education? What about the kids who, for whatever reasons, can't take that trip- the ones left behind in the under funded schools will have it even worse.

I can't believe how overwhelmingly selfish people are, to deny a good education to a large number of kids, and then justifying it because it is "perfectly within the law." It's the same where I live, though not quite as dramatic as it is in Omaha- the rich kids get all the newest equipment, and the air conditioned schools, and the indoor pools, etc etc etc.

Sorry this is rambly, it's a subject I care deeply about, and I feel powerless to change anything.

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Posted by Karin Dalziel on November 1, 2005 4:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 3, 2005

More stuff about how I am never gonna make it in life

I was talking to a coworker yesterday about how I just don't envision myself ever making money. I've kinda resigned myself to being poor. Not that I'm that poor, but if I think I am, I don't spend as much (shhhh! don't tell me that I'm not really poor!) Obviously, I have enough to have a roof over my head and enough to eat.

If it were not for Geoff, though, I'd be destitute. I just can't suck it up and work a job I absolutely hate, and I can't get anything near a job I would like. So continue to work at an art supply store, making not much above minimum wage.

The thing is, I'm happy. I love school, I like what I'm doing- I'm making work I like, and a lot of it. I have enough free time that I'm not feeling super stressed all the time, and that is doing a lot for me. I don't care anymore if I never "make it." It'd be nice to have money, but I'm not going to sacrifice my sanity or my artistic life to have it.

So I think I misrepresent myself. When I say I have let go and figure I will be poor, it's not a bad thing. If I do "make it" that's great- and I'm not going to stop trying. But my self esteem and my self image aren't going to hinge on how much money I make or what galleries I am accepted into, or how many people buy my work. It's ok if no one buys anything, though I will need to start giving stuff away soon, I'm running out of space to store it.

Anyway. There's nothing wrong with not chasing after the ever elusive dollar.

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Posted by Karin Dalziel on November 3, 2005 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 15, 2005

lax

sorry I've been lax about updating... been sick and my brain is muddled.

I set up a shop at nirak.etsy.com and am selling various things I have lying around. The listing fee is only .10 for 6 months, so I figure I'll spend about $2 and see how it goes. Let me know what you think, and please help spread the word- I can use all the help I can get!

School is great, and this semester is almost over already! Next week is thanksgiving, in which half my classes have been cancelled, and then there's two weeks left. I don't have any finals- horrah!

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Posted by Karin Dalziel on November 15, 2005 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)