California Legislature Fails Arithmetic
The California legislature is scrambling to fix the snafu that is forcing two Southern California elementary schools to stay open an extra 34 days. Susie Lange, California Department of Education's deputy superintendent of fiscal services, said "To the average person, it sounds like crazy bureaucracy that we count the number of minutes,"
As a couple of us have worked in the educational system, it does sound like crazy bureaucracy. But that's because they aren't counting the minutes.
It's not a matter of the schools being short of the state allotted 54,000 minutes in school. The students made and even exceeded that requirement by the end of the scheduled school year. It's a matter that, because their Fridays were 5 minutes short at Dickson Elementary in Chino and 10 minutes short at Rolling Ridge Elementary, those days weren't counted at all. As far as the legislature's tally goes, the 170 minutes and 175 minutes students spent each Friday at those schools never happened. In arithmetic as figured by the state legislature, 180 - 5 = 0.
Yes, the school district made a serious error in miscounting the minutes. But how could the legislature intentionally make a law that ignores time students actually spent at school?
Estimates are that even if the state legislature works at maximum efficiency, it will be at least another eight days to fix something that should never had been made broken. Perhaps we need to send those legislatures to those elementary school students. Maybe one of the kids there can teach them how to do their arithmetic.
Comments
"Stupid is as stupid does."
Forrest Gump
Posted by: Mad Greg | June 25, 2009 08:15 PM
I'd give them an A for assinine.
Posted by: Rev. Bootie | June 27, 2009 05:03 AM
It's sad that those kids, their parents and families had to choose between keeping their plans, or going to school because of a misguided law. Even if the lawmakers fix it, they've still lost that time. And what of the teachers and staff? Are they being paid extra? Either they're working without being paid, which isn't fair, or the district is having to pay much more money than it planned, which isn't right. Either way, many people suffer.
Posted by: TawTew the Naturally Perfumed | June 28, 2009 03:41 AM
As someone who understands math, I can saw quite definitely this doesn't add up. They have to make up imaginary minutes because lawmakers are pretending minutes they already did don't exist? Why don't the lawmakers imagine that school is open and everyone else can go home.
Posted by: William the Pickle | June 28, 2009 01:23 PM
Why do students get let out of school? Why don't they stay in school all year long? Think how much more they could learn.
Posted by: Allen Ginsing | June 30, 2009 11:44 AM
Allen, keep kids in school all year, and that means teachers are working 33 percent more. That means an increase of 33 percent in their pay, and of principals, etc. That's a huge increase in spending. Who's going to pay for that?
Posted by: Orville Greenfield | July 1, 2009 04:46 PM
School Admins: F
Legislature: F-
Students and Parents: Screwed
Posted by: The Flash | July 5, 2009 06:27 AM