The Total Package

Twenty two years ago I had my dream job. I was a television producer for the award-winning Teen Summit on Black Entertainment Television. Although I had a very small on air segment, the BET glam squad took time to make sure that every stitch of my weave was in place, make up was flawless and that I had on the latest fashions.  Even when they weren't around, they had equipped me with the skills necessary to maintain the professional look of a journalist.

Fast forward to NFL Sunday football and Pam Oliver. There have been enough jokes and I've even seen a few prayers for her to make a change so no need to deploy any comedic talents to fuel the fire.

I think this does deserve some serious commentary. I've become more of a sports fan partly because of the female presence of all of the sports journalists who have been able to maintain stability in one of the most male dominated industries.

To this end, I know in my heart that Pam Oliver has read the commentary, seen the pictures and is tired of it, but truthfully, I also know that Pam knows better.  My thought is that an individual's  presence as a journalist is comprised of more than your knowledge of the field in which you are reporting/covering.  To me, Pam Oliver is a pioneer and quite possibly an inspiration not only to women who may want  to someday walk in her shoes but she may be inspiring all people to have the courage to pursue career aspirations in fields with a history of gender, age, and racial inequality. Her success can't be ignored, but how she's been looking for the past two Sunday's is overshadowing these great strides.

I've probably read as many posts or articles about Pam's hair as you have in the span of a week and critics are being outed for tearing a 'sista' down, being harsh and sexists (one commentary stated that this would never be an issue for a male broadcaster) and making much ado about nothing as it relates to Pam Oliver's weave situation. Of course there are stark comparisons to the Gabby Douglas hair commentary from the Summer Olympics but the difference here is that 1) Pam is a grown woman and 2) she has a job in which appearing on camera is front and center.

Your skills are important but how you look on camera is just as important. I don't think I've ever seen a journalist (male or female) that appears 'not put together from head to toe' time and again.  I don't want anyone to walk away from this post thinking that I'm superficial but I do think Mrs. Oliver has a career in which her outward appearance is important. 

I dare not venture into any commentary talking about how touchy the 'black hair' issue is or how this is just one of those cultural issues that we can't seem to let go of, because for me this isn't really about black hair.  It's about a female journalist who knows that she is held to different standards than her male counterparts (which is TOTALLY wrong) in a male dominated industry that just so happened NOT to put her best foot forward, in terms of her appearance, two Sunday's in a row.  

I'm not going to get all churchy on folks as I bring this post to a close, but I'm reminded of a story my husband told me that he heard Joel Olsteen share on a radio program.  Mr. Olsteen's wife asked him to run to the grocery store and get something for dinner.  He had just finished working out and was sweaty with an old  t-shirt and gym pants on.  He hopped in the car with the hopes of running into the store without being noticed. He said that just as he was getting ready to get out of the car and go into the grocery store God spoke to him.  

"God Spoke to me. I  mean, if God has every spoken to me, He spoke to me right there!  Right down inside, I'm sure He said, "Don't you dare go in their representing Me like that!" He said, "Don't you know that I'm the King of Kings?" (You Best Life Now, page 285)

Joel Olsteen said he went back home, took a shower and but on clean clothes and then went back to the store.  The bottom line for him was that God doesn't appreciated laziness or sloppiness. 

Why is this important here?  We'll for me, it was my husband's way of ministering to me as I was having one of those moments where putting myself together wasn't at the top of my list.  I often think about the conversation my  husband and I had regarding Joel Olsteen's comments and how that applied to our lives. Sure there are moments where I want to put on a baseball cap and dark glasses and run errands, or days when I don't want to put on my best face, but you know what?  I'm obligated to.  As a professional woman, mother, believer and mentor, I have an obligation to be the best me I can be all the time.  This definitely isn't an association with perfection, but I try hard to show that I have pride in myself both internally and externally. 

I'm not saying that Pam Oliver needs to embrace the spiritual teaching of Joe Olsteen (but if you want to, you can read the entire book at  www.slideshare.net/FreeLeaks/your-best-life-now-by-joel-osteen), or that she's not putting her best foot forward but there is room for reflection and improvement in all of us.

I'm sure she knows that she was a trending topic yesterday on social media. She has to know that people will be watching not only to see the Seahawks and Denver battle it out for Football's most prestigious honor but to see if she cares enough about herself to make a return to being the total package every time she's on camera.

My People are Destroyed For Lack of Knowledge

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Hosea 4:6


On Monday night Micah and I were doing as we usually do, watching sports and chatting about what was on our social media platforms.  Suddenly he shows me what is probably the most ignorant and disrespectful event flyer that I've ever seen...An MLK Freedom to Twerk Party Flyer.

He began to read the comments on his Facebook page and most people our age were outraged...as we should be.  After scrolling back up from the comments we noticed that Dr. King's image has been photoshopped onto the flyer adding to our dismay.

Fast forward to Thursday when Micah told me that a host of radio personalities lead the charge to bring attention to this buffoonery and disrespect of one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our time, leading the party promoter to cancel the event.

I can't be help to ask myself how a promoter in Michigan could see nothing wrong with superimposing an image of some held in such high regard with something that has been viewed as culturally-fracturing and degrading. Supposedly the promoter told club owner, Vic McEwen, that he didn't see anything wrong with the flyer...and subsequently McEwen broke the contract and cancelled the event.  In the event that the promoter is, let's say 13...then maybe a true understanding of what this holiday means is absent, however, we all know the promoter is probably  someone who has a modicum of sense and knows what the civil rights movement and Dr. King's efforts and death are all about. I think it says a great deal about Mr. McEwen, a black business owner who took a loss on the event, but my only hope is that he took time to have a come to Jesus meeting with the promoter and used this miscarriage of imagery as a teaching moment.

I often think that young people have little regard for anything that has been done to open doors for the marginalized, lost, broken-spirited  and oppressed people in society.  Perhaps it's because they live in a world with  [alleged] equality, excess and instant gratification and have been lead to believe that the fight is over.

Shame on the promoters parents, teachers, peers, etc. who didn't teach him about his history and struggles of the past.  Or is it shame on this opportunist who chose to ignore those things and who probably throws a Freedom to Twerk party during the weekend of every nationally observed holiday.  Shame on those individuals who got a kick out of seeing our great Dr. King super imposed over a body with low-hanging pants, a medallion around his neck and hands clasped to resemble a gang sign.  Shame on the fact that fifty years later people still don't get it.

The promoter has since opened the venue door for a a positive and celebratory event and yes with an appropriate flyer...but it should have never come to this.  I'm so blessed that I was raised by a father who made it a point to show me the scar on the back of head from which he was hit with a police baton while participating in a civil rights march in Washington, DC.  I'm truly bless to have parents who were raised with a principles of spirituality and community service to which I have committed myself to. I'm grateful for my friends, family and colleagues who are in the trenches everyday making sure that our youth are guided in the right direction.

We owe it to ourselves to not only keep Dr. King's dream alive but to follow the spiritual teachings of those leaders in our homes, churches and communities and do our part (no matter how great or how small) to make a difference.

To the promoters (who probably are the first and won't be the last to inappropriately use Dr. King's image) I hope that this past week has given you time to reflect and redirect your energy.  There is never a reason to put financial gain over honoring the legacy of such a worthy individual.

Enough said.

When They Start Talking Back

As the 13th birthday draws near I’ve noticed something...he’s starting to be more vocal. That’s the politically correct way of saying that Number Two (our son Madison) is starting to talk back.  I noticed it a few days ago when he questioned why I told him to called everyone to dinner when he responded "why...dinner's not even ready?!" I stopped midway in my explanation and gathered myself! Why was I even answering him? I gave him a directive and his job was to do what I said. No explanation needed.

More egregious is the fact that he consistently questions me when he’s given a chore to do. My requests are followed up with statements like “I didn’t do that,”, “why can’t ____ do it?”, or “why do I have to do it?” Mind you, the same can be asked of my husband and he gets nothing more than a sigh.  I’m constantly being told that I have to stop being a pushover and that I’m not tough enough as a disciplinarian but in my own defense I’m not a 6’8” dad who commands respect merely as a result of my stature.

From time to time I even get the stare-down; a silent challenge to my authority and when there’s an audience (the younger members of Team Edwards) they join in.

My challenge is to gain control, limit the amount of yelling that it takes to get this control, and yet exert a level of authority.  I can’t pop my kids in the mouth every time they talk back to me (ahhhh, many of you just screamed “LIKE HELL YOU CAN'T!!!”) because we live in a different day and time, but looking back I can count the number of times I talked back...two (or maybe three)! And I remember exactly where I was in my childhood home when I got slapped square in the mouth. As a 44 year old, I’m still afraid to smart off to my mother, even though she is paralyzed on one side and can’t react as quickly as she used to because I have a level of respect for her that is unwavering. Just this past Christmas, she told me to sit down and as I was getting ready to fire off an explanation as to why I couldn’t (me being the gracious host that I am I was focused on entertaining our guests) I stopped. I looked at mom and said “yes ma’am,” and quickly respected her request. Again, how times have changed.

In the words of Barney Fife (younger readers may have to Google him) I’ve gotta “nip it in the bud,” before it spreads like cancer in our home. While I wax and wane between humor and my genuine concern this is a serious issue.  My kids see sassy characters on the shows they watch, witness meltdowns and disrespect in public and often watch their peers talk back in school (and I dare not blame this latest hurdle in motherhood on the media or society although both tend to be contributing factors) but it’s no laughing matter.

I know that finding a balance between how I react and respond and trying to understand the root cause of why my kids talk back is important.  Child psychologist suggests that talking back is a natural inclination for children who are testing their limits. Other research suggests that children talk back for two reasons: when things are going their way and when things are not so good; thus the window of opportunity for kids to break the rules as they relate to their communication is wide open.  I want my children to understand the importance of being able to speak up, ask appropriate questions, and engage in constructive debate because it is a skill that needs to be developed.  Empoweringparents.com suggests that parents don’t react to backtalk as it leads parents into prolonging arguments in which they do not need to engage.  Lehman (the author of the article) goes on to say that the focus should be on accomplishing your objectives as a parent and not so much on the fact that backtalk is often viewed as a challenge to authority.  My challenge is figuring out how to facilitate the development of healthy, age-appropriate communication in a way that builds respect for authority. I am well aware of the fact that my job as a parent is to get my children to follow the rules set forth in our home but I can’t help but to acknowledge the sense of powerlessness and frustration that my kids sometimes feel when they are trying to express themselves and I cut them off because I know that the conversation will lead down a sketchy road between backtalk and defending one’s position.  As I scoured the internet for reasonable discussions about this topic (mostly from licensed professionals) most of what I found boiled down to this; the tweens and teens are very formative years and ignoring this behavior will create a bad attitude and disposition that will last a lifetime, thus as parents it’s our job to find a way to develop and display health behaviors.

 

courtesy: www.picsbox.biz

I want to empower my kids but I also want to maintain my power at home. Some say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but I’m hoping this doesn’t apply to children because in my experience, a snide, disrespectful teen has the potential to become a pretentious, mouthy and sarcastic adult.

Peril at Week Thirteen

This was originally written as a Facebook post in the midst of final exam week and I was bless to have my wonderful Soror (and LS), Pamela Anthony who is Dean of Students at Iowa State University provide a response to this commentary.  Please share and repost especially if you have children or are an educator. 

Peril at Week Thirteen

Dr. Francine Edwards

Associate Professor

Delaware State University

It never ceases to amaze me that in my 12 years of teaching, there are always students who wait until week 13 to emerge. I’ve done everything from using official channels of communication (Blackboard and emails copied to my department chair) to texting and posting on Facebook. When the dreaded week 13 arrives, these students miraculously appear…excuses and all. I’ve heard everything; some excuses have lead me to campus police to help students resolve a serious issue while other excuses have truly enraged me because the student has the impudence to shovel me a load that they – themselves don’t even believe.

I am always dumbfounded by the student who expects to be given one or two week to complete a semester’s worth of work for full credit as well as join his or her classmates for a final examination. I am even more angered by the student who is not granted the opportunity to complete the course requirements, but informs me that he/she will go to the Dean to further discuss this issue…ah, but then they ask me who the Dean is (and often confuse the Dean and the Department Chair). You’d think that after matriculating through a university for three or more years that one would know the pillars of the campus community before threatening to solicit their support in assisting with what may be deemed a lost cause but that’s not the case. To this you might say, “The audacity of those students,” but I’ve grown immune to this behavior. Of course, we’re talking about generation Y and generation iY - - young people who demand instant gratification and responses, live with a sense of entitlement, and don’t understand accountability.

So what is a professor to do? I’m still looking for answers. I’ve tried restructuring my courses to incorporate social media, off-campus experiences, and peer-led learning groups, all with the hopes of encouraging students to come to class. Further, I work for a university that has several layers of support in place to ensure student success; everything from early academic alerts to special student services to the creation of university-wide learning communities. In some cases these tools have worked but in other instances, as a professor, I believe I’m still falling short. Or am I?
We all know that students become exponentially busier during the last two weeks of the semester (as do faculty). Full time employment or work study commitments coupled with other courses and extracurricular involvement make it challenging for students to manage tasks throughout the year, thus one might ask, why a student would pack a semester’s worth of learning (roughly 45 hours of classroom contact time, not including the recommended 1-2 hours of study time for each course) into one or two weeks.

Blogs, articles from journals like Chronicle of Higher Education, and several research papers all focused on one common theme; the lack of accountability. According to psychologist Dr. Linda Spadin, the constant stream of praise and enabling has created a generation of youth who are conditioned to being affirmed which often is accompanied by an intense sense of entitlement. This may address why a student would go over my head [breaching the corporate hierarchical chain of command] to handle an issue directly related to their own lack of accountability and expect a favorable outcome. This generation (and I say that as a purposeful generalization) seemingly refuses to take responsibility when a mistake is made. In the college environment there is the perception that students are paying the salaries of professors, thus professors are here to serve the students; a perspective likened to the customer service environment. This is not Wal-Mart or Applebee’s people! Sure a college or university is a business, but we are here to provide more than a service; we are in the business of growing intellectuals, creating channels of learning that enhance critical thought and engaging students in global consciousness, and yes, developing their understanding of self-accountability.

These students didn’t just come to college with the inability to be accountable. The absence of accountability was there at the high school level, but becomes more self-destructive as the apparent lack of interest continues at the collegiate level. There is a compelling yet sobering picture of what could happen to our society if we don't work to change the way today’s youth think. It’s no longer feasible to just sound the alarm or call this generation ‘lost’. Collectively, it is our responsibility as educators to set boundaries, pledge to stop enabling our students and to hold them accountable. Week one of the semester should be the beginning of a semester-long contractual agreement in which the student takes charge of his or her own academic destiny or suffers the consequences.

So here are my final words (mostly for any college student who suffered through this long post): Your time is ticking away. Don’t squander it. You need a road map to reality and many of today’s professors care enough to provide that. While much of the world believes that this generation lacks the self-discipline to stand strong as the future of this country, a university environment is the one place in which this perspective is refuted. Making excuses for why you can’t hit the ground running during week one of an academic semester (with the understanding that there may be a few hiccups along the way) and making a commitment to follow through for 15 weeks is no longer acceptable. You come to college because you believe you have skills, talents, and curiosity that will enable you to be successful and contribute to your own prosperity as well as the prosperity of the world in which we live. Embrace and face the challenges of college life and make this a meaningful time by doing what’s necessary to ensure that you don’t fall victim to the perils of week thirteen.

Response to Peril at Week Thirteen

Pamela Anthony

Dean of Students

Iowa State University

As a dean who regularly receives students’ complaints, appeals and grievances regarding how they are treated (rather than how their behavior has caused a particular situation), I wholeheartedly endorse this post. I often find myself in discussions with students about accountability and specifically as it relates to consequences. You see, many students understand accountability in its purest form; that is, “I am responsible for my actions”. However, they lack (or fail to apply) the critical thinking skills that equate responsibility to consequence, i.e. the very basic principle of “for every action there is a reaction”.

Yes, the student acknowledges they waited until the last minute to complete their assignment but their hard drive crashed the night before, so you (professor) should allow them extra time to submit their paper. Yes, the student admits to cheating but college is much harder than high school, so you (administrator) should be understanding and not cause them to fail the class. Of course the sorority president accepts responsibility for her chapter having served alcohol to minors while hosting an unregistered party, but you (judicial officer) should not suspend them because you will negatively impact the recipients of their chapter’s philanthropic contributions. Sure, the graduate student recognizes the multiple past due notices sent regarding their balance but they lost their job earlier in the semester and don’t have the money to pay the bill, so you (financial aid counselor) should lift the hold on their account (waiving the late fees of course) because they have to register today in order to get the requisite classes to graduate next semester.

I could provide numerous other trite examples but suffice it to say, I am inundated with excuses that fail to connect consequence to behavior. I find that while it may take some prodding for a student to finally admit their shortcomings or at minimum, a poorly made decision, they vehemently reject the subsequent recourse of levying punitive sanctions upon them because after all, they are sorry for their actions, and isn’t that enough? Sadly, it isn’t. Expressing remorse, claiming ignorance of university policies or just failing to use good ‘ole common sense does not negate one’s behavior or its personal and/or community impact.

Every professor, administrator, judicial officer and financial aid counselor was once a college student, albeit in the Stone Age before many of our currently matriculating students were born. Nonetheless, we understand the academic rigor, student organization obligations, social life options, family pressures, financial stressors, interpersonal relationships, career decisions and everything else in between that occurs in the nexus of a university campus. Guess what? We survived! Some of us were scraped and bruised, and others have permanent scars but we made it and so can today’s college students.

I absolutely love college and the entire collegiate experience. I especially appreciate its unique ability to teach invaluable lessons that often do not manifest or resonate until more life is experienced. I unapologetically demand (“strongly encourage”) students to take responsibility for their actions and moreover, accept that these choices are not devoid of consequences. The harsh reality is, sometimes the answer is (and should be) NO and the world owes you NOTHING.

A Age-Old Conundrum: Commercialism vs. Christ (Struggling to Focus on The Reason for the Season)

Every year we say we're not going overboard, we're not gonna get everything on their wish list, but what happens...we end up doing just the opposite.  Society, commercialism and even being in a a blended family make the challenges of not competing to give the best gift or please the masses a difficult charge. This year we attempted to keep things simple by telling the children to write down one dream item and 3-5 sensible items.  They complied but it was us; the parents who couldn't stick to their lists.

We still have two that believe in Santa (and are having a great time with Redd the Elf of the Shelf) and two that know they have to 'believe' in the presence of their younger siblings.  Madison, even asked if he could use his own money to buy what he wanted for himself because the dream item (a cell phone) was stricken from the list.  We decided to wrap up our shopping and begin the process of wrapping the gifts.  As we get closer to Christmas we will continue to discuss the true meaning of the holiday season with our kids with the hopes of them being focused on that as they open gifts and spend time with family and friends.  I'll also prepare myself for the not so pleasing reactions that may come as a result of them not getting what they wanted.  This actually happens every year; children walking away from the mountain of wrapping paper and retreating to their rooms to complain about what they didn't get or even worse, to remind us that they wrote down specific things that didn't miraculously appear under the tree. Micah will go full throttle into his lecture about the unfortunate children right here in our midst and how appreciative we all need to be, but some of his talk may fall on deaf ears.  You see, we have done our part to contribute to the sense of entitlement that resonates with many of today's youth and I think the holiday season only exacerbates this.

I chuckled a few weeks ago when Nayada Cowherd posted on Facebook that her son asked what he was getting for Black Friday.

Sure, culture has created some of this but we add fuel to the fire. Micah saw a news report that said we should only give three gifts.  I laughed and walked away and I heard him exclaim "We're taking all this other stuff back."  "Yeah right!" I said under my breath but the question I ponder is why it's so challenging to create a culture that would accept this as a season of reflection and selfless giving to those in need.  Some of us try really had to keep the true meaning alive, but the distractions keep coming.  Case-in-point: I'm sitting in the driveway and on comes a Toys R Us commercial.  "Buy one get one free...50% off all dolls and accessories!"  I'm thinking, I can take the stuff back to Wal-Mart and head to Dover to Toy R Us and get even more stuff.  Luckily enough the huge brace on my leg kept me from wanting to venture out; when it should have been the Holy Spirit that kept me from a day trip to a toy factory. 

As parents I think we do a good job year-round keeping our family grounded spiritually, but I'm not sure why it becomes difficult to keep this same focus from November 26 or so until we ring in the new year. Out of guilt I grab a mitten from every giving tree I come in contact with, I volunteer and bake cookies and treats for those who provide a service for us throughout the year, but what I'm really praying for is the courage to really scale back and one day have a humble Christmas.  Yes, I said courage.  It's a frightening thought to be known as the parents who gave their children nothing for Christmas, but the necessities - -boots, coats, hats and the traditional undergarments. Even worse, is the disconnect that this may create between  us and our children who try as they might won't understand why they didn't get a bunch of stuff like they've grown so accustomed to getting in the past.  For now, I'll have to chalk it up to commercialism, push-over parenting and just plain getting caught up in the frenzy of shopping at Amazon.com and getting free shipping.

My utopia-like holiday would be one with  no bells and whistles, just a wonderful Christmas Eve/Christmas Day with family and friends and few necessary gifts under the tree Oh...and Jesus not American Express or Visa charges on my mind.

I'm Back...and Looking Back.

I can’t believe it's been almost a year since I've posted to my blog.  I remember when I first started Mahogany Mom; I had a vision of blogging bi-weekly (or realistically, monthly) and someday turning my blog posts into book with a dual purpose - - raising scholarship money (as all proceeds would do towards a scholarship fund) and creating a platform for moms, dads, parents, mentors, etc. of all shades to engage in a discourse that empowers and motivates us to take it back to the old school where the village in deed did its part to raise our children and support  families.  Well a dream deferred but for good reasons.  This past year was spent in the academic abyss of tenure submissions and scholarly publishing.  For those of you who share my beloved profession, you know exactly where I've been for the last 10 - 11 months.  Writing and reading journals, calculating and thematizing data for content analysis (I hate quantitative data collection but was forced to embrace the numbers this time around), crying after a myriad of rejection letters and struggling through revisions only to prevail in the end...the very end, or so it seemed. 

After submitting my tenure portfolio earlier this year and waiting almost three months for a decision, I received that ever-important 'confidential' envelop with the embossed school crest!  To God be the glory for enabling me to navigate over 800 pages of documentation and I'm so very thankful for having an old as hell IBM Thinkpad laptop which is the only device in my tech-savvy home which has PDF merging software that works. 

 

In between teaching, managing my busy household, pageant mentoring, girl scouts and sports and a few Applebee's nights with the fabulous MOT Moms, I managed to write two training workbooks for a community college and an athletic department, I published articles in three journal and joined the ranks of many of my colleagues by publishing my first research textbook "Empirical Communication Research:  Letting the Data Speak for Themselves".

I really had no time to write, although there were moments in which I truly needed to purge, I stayed focused on the career journey for most of the year.  That’s often one of the biggest challenges for moms; finding that balance between career/self and others.  This year, I didn’t dive head in and take over science projects, I didn’t make last minute shadowboxes or storyboards or write essays for homework assignments that were forgotten. I relinquished the ironing of school clothes for the older boys to them (and yep, there were days when they went to school looking as wrinkled as an old piece of aluminum foil, but they were clean), and I threw a pizza in the oven a few times and didn’t care if there wasn’t a vegetable in site.  I couldn’t and refused to try and do it all.  My brain literally hurt and to make the journey even more challenging…yep you guessed it, my flash drive with EVERYTHING crashed.  After downloading a bunch of retrieval programs (which I think have infested my computer) I prevailed. 

I taught all summer, which is something I rarely do and we spent our weekends at the beach instead of our usual big family vacation.  As each day of summer faded; as the sun gently set over the rolling hills of the 11^th hole behind our house, I can honestly say this was one of the best years of my life.   

By the time August arrived, I was anxious to start a new academic year, but I also wanted to get back to my word therapy. There’s never a true break for those who have a vision, but this year, I can step away from the scholarly world and return to a part of my life that I truly enjoy. 

I appreciate those in my life who offer unwavering support, those who offered patience and kindness and even those folks who were realists and reminded me to incorporate a bit of fun. I hope that you will rejoin me on this journey because this Mahogany Mom still has a lot to share! 

Funding Cuts…No Fun for Students

I submitted this article to an online publishing site however it was rejected because it was 'academically' heavy but I believe it is worth posting.  For those of you living in Delaware, remember this as the vote for the State referendum approaches in February!


How Budget Cuts in Education Impact Students

It is not unheard of for school systems to face budget cuts, but what often happens is that cuts are made and very little is done to reestablish priorities for school with limited financial resources.  At the primary and secondary school levels, budget cuts mean fewer teachers, reliance on dated textbooks, cutbacks on extracurricular programs, and larger class sizes. At the collegiate level, budget cuts mean that students end up paying more for less and campuses find themselves stretching their resources in ways that they might not recover from.

Slashing educational funding in the U.S. has far-reaching implications for everyone.  Let’s look specifically at the primary and secondary school levels. In February of 2012, it was reported that 120 school districts had moved to a four-day school week while others were forced to cancel field trips or charge students to play sports. In Keller, Texas, the school systems opted to charge students for bus transportation rather than cut busing all together and in numerous states, programs like drama and art are dwindling because of limited resources.

In a 2011 interview Steve Ellis, principal of Fike High School in Wilson, North Carolina said that many teachers find themselves using the funds they do have in unique ways.  For example they do not have textbook money anymore, so they make workbooks. Teachers often spend their own money to furnish classrooms or provide students with needed supplies.  In many school districts, parents also subsidize the classrooms by providing everything from tissues, cleaning supplies, and snack stipends. Even with federal stimulus dollars, which fizzled out and the end of the 2011 fiscal year, school systems still struggle to find a balance and fill the gaps.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 26 states will spend less per pupil in 2013 than in 2012 and even though several states increased funding in 2012 it was not enough to restore the cutbacks that were a direct result of the recession in 2007.[1]  Hundreds of educators have lost their jobs and vital student services which benefit low-income communities have been terminated.  This ultimately widens the achievement gap even more.

In October, 2011, 1,850 students responded to a survey (http://www.layouth.com/wp-content/uploads/Jan12_Budget_Survey_results.pdf) in which they were asked about how budgeted cuts have impacted their schools. Sixty-seven percent of the students reported that overcrowded classrooms made them feel as if their teachers did not have enough time to teach and another 57% stated that they had to copy information from overheads because there was not enough paper to make copies of a lesson for everyone in class, while 52% reported that there were not enough working computers in labs.  An overwhelming 97% of the respondents said that they were planning on attending college, which ironically may placed them in an environment where financially strapped colleges and universities increase student fees and raise tuition to cover operating costs. Let’s turn our attention to higher education.  

Maintaining educational quality and access for students from diverse backgrounds remains a priority on campuses across the nation, but as states continue to reduce funds, colleges and universities will be forced to raise fees, making it more difficult for students from lower-income backgrounds to afford a college education.  Those students from high-income backgrounds may opt to attend a private school which has a direct impact on public higher education.  Much of the education funding is discretionary – meaning it is not mandatory and does not have to be funded.  Other financial aid programs are being cut as well, which makes it difficult for any student across the board to see the light of day in terms of any financial relief.  To make matters worse, those programs that remain have increase or revised eligibility requirements making it harder for students to qualify for these loans. 

Budget cuts affect public higher education in all areas, not just student access and affordability. Campuses are surviving by using reserve funding but this too will vanish as an option. At the higher education level, if the government does not stop budget cuts future implications include but are not limited to, a decline in the quality of education, increased student debt, more time to complete a degree program, and diminished access for veterans, students with disabilities and people from groups historically underrepresented in higher education.[2]

Overall, the education system in the United States is being crippled because of fiscal challenges. In terms of educational reform, research suggests that teacher quality is the most important school-based determinant of student success.  However, with current budget cuts, it is difficult to recruit the best and the brightest teachers, making it more challenging to prepare students for the future.  While the White House continues to make education a priority to keep America moving forward, cuts in significant building block programs (e.g. head start and the arts) and funding for college students makes the prospect of educational excellence in this country bleak.    

Earlier this year, the National Education Association (NEA) called on educators and friends of public educators to take the “kids Not Cuts” pledge (http://educationvotes.nea.org/KidsNotCuts) – a promise to speak up for American’s kids and working families, and to make sure Congress makes the right choices.  Across the board cuts scheduled to go into effect on January 2, 2013 would cut billions from education.  The NEA recognizes that these budget cuts impact real people and are often hard to bounce back from but their focus is on working to preserve the educational system and fight for a balanced approach to budget reductions without cutting more in education.

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

http://www.layouth.com/wp-content/uploads/Jan12_Budget_Survey_results.pdf

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[1] Education funding drops in more than half of states. (2012, September 09). Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/education-funding-drops-i_n_1855826.html

[2] Newell, M. (2009) Higher Education Budget Cuts: How are they Affecting Students?

http://www.cpec.ca.gov/completereports/2009reports/09-27.pdf