What is wrong with our government??

This is another one of those times when I am oh-so-glad that I am not teaching right now.  In the past several weeks, there has been much talk of budget cuts and some pretty crazy ideas of how the government is going to overcome its financial shortfalls.

Crazy talk that scares me:

• More teacher cuts.  More teacher cuts???  Didn't we just lose 2000 teacher positions in Wake and Durham counties?  Class sizes are already too big, and several schools have cut arts programs.  Now we're going to do it again?  Don't they understand that they are lowering the standards of education by giving students less one-on-one time with their teacher, offering fewer elective opportunities, and overworking their teachers to the point that many will burn out and leave?
• Frozen teacher salaries.  Actually, this one has been going on for a while now.  But while teachers put in tons of hours outside the workday and continue to do more and more work without even a raise to compensate for inflation, "higher up" officials in the school system are making $90,000 to $120,000 a year.  If money is so tight, why don't we even up?  Take a little off of all of these big salaries and share it with the teachers.  Yes, officials do a lot of work.  But, I bet you can find a ton of teachers working just as hard for less than half their salary.  And don't tell me it's because those folks work 12 months/year and teachers work 10, hypothetically (we all know teachers do planning over the summer).  A difference of $40,000-$70,000 does not justify the 2-month work period.
• Getting rid of "extra-duty supplements".  Yes, a few weeks ago, my Durham arts friends received an email stating that they would no longer be compensated for their extra duties (All-County/All-State events, extra-curricular plays/musicals, etc.).  Make no mistake, they are still expected to complete these activities.  But now, it's on their own time, without the measly $1800 supplement to "cover" all of the hours spent in afternoon, evening, and Saturday rehearsals and performances.  (They better be cutting coaches' pay, too, if they're cutting arts teachers' pay!)
• Oooo, and here's the REAL KICKER!  State government officials have suggested an incentive program to improve education results!  They want to PAY students for getting good grades!!  Yes, that's right.  They want to take money away from the teachers providing the education and give money to the kids instead.  Students could earn up to $1000 in reward for their grades.  WHAT????  Oh, I could write about this one for PAGES, but I'm guessing anyone reading this is having the same reaction and I need not spell out the ridiculousness of this abhorrent proposal.

The only good idea I've heard so far?  They are now suggesting that students pay up to $75 to take Drivers Ed.  YES!  Driving is a privilege, not a right.  You SHOULD have to pay for the class.  I mean, someone has to pay the instructor's salary, right?  And anyone else who wanted to use a school room for something not directly related to that school's on-campus curriculum would have to pay rent to use the building.  Why shouldn't driver's ed?  Yes, pass this expense on to the students who desire their privilege to share the road.  This should have been done years ago!

So, you can see, I am very passionate about this stuff.  There's plenty more that I haven't mentioned.  I can only imagine how stressed I would be if I was actually working for the state right now.  It gives me shivers just to think of it!