What's up?

Oy vey. The White House has directed agencies to develop plans to trim at least 5 percent from their budgets, according to an article on MSNBC.com.

Here is one more story on MSNBC.com and an important topic to discuss with your teenagers: sexual harassment in the workplace. Apparently, teens are very vulnerable to sexual harassment because they are not aware of their rights, or are afraid to rock the boat on their first job. What a timely story for the summer break.

The New York Times had an interesting story on the harm multi-tasking -- especially the digital variety -- has on your brain. Unfortunately, that story compared DH and I to a T. Our golden years should be interesting. :)

Good news from Texas: the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rolled out a $3 million grass-roots movement to promote a college-going culture throughout Texas, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Known as "Generation TX," the movement is encouraging every student in the state, regardless of income or background, to pursue an education beyond high school by attending an information session that gives out the criteria for college and workforce readiness standards, as well as admissions and financial aid information.

Laurie Puhn over at the Expecting Words blog had a great column on toddler toys -- without having to buy toys.

What else is in the news? What's up with you?

Considering all the glowing news stories on how it is practically giving away educations to middle class families, I was shocked to learn in Vanity Fair that Harvard expanded so quickly that its $36.9 billion endowment has collapsed.

‘There are going to be a hell of a lot of layoffs. Courses will be cut. Class sizes will get bigger,” conceded a Harvard insider, who, like every other administrator on campus, was not permitted to speak openly to me on the classified subject of alignments and resizements and belt-tightenings.

Radical change is coming to Harvard. Fewer professors, for one thing. Fewer teaching assistants, janitors, and support staff. Shuttered libraries. Less money for research and travel and books. Cafés replaced by vending machines. Junior-varsity sports teams downgraded to clubs. No raises. No bonuses. No fresh coats of paint or new carpets. Overflowing trash cans.

The recession has been hard on most Americans. We know that. At Harvard, however, adjusting to the end of the gilded age, the champagne age, is proving especially wrenching: the university’s endowment has collapsed, donations are down, budgets are overstretched. With so many enormous fixed costs—and with much of its endowment restricted by the narrowly defined wishes of donors—there’s almost no room left to maneuver.

What’s more, the university is facing the onerous financial consequences of over-building. Consider this: Over the 20-year period from 1980 to 2000, Harvard University added nearly 3.2 million square feet of new space to its campus. But that’s nothing compared with the extravagance that followed. So far this decade, from 2000 through 2008, Harvard has added another 6.2 million square feet of new space, roughly equal to the total number of square feet occupied by the Pentagon. All across campus, one after another, new academic buildings have shot up. The price of these optimistic new projects: a breathtaking $4.3 billion.

I love the headlines at Vanity Fair, by the way. While I hope Harvard's predicament does not extend to slashing financial aid, I did get a chuckle from this headline: "I.V. League: If Harvard is so smart, how come its record $36.9 billion endowment has collapsed?"

Oh snap!

What's up?

In a move to compete with Starbucks, McDonald's is giving away a hot or iced McCafé mocha every Monday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until August 3, according to MSN Money. No purchase is necessary to get the free coffee.

As if California's economic crisis could not get any worse, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed "cuts-only" budget includes eliminating the poison control hotline, according to the MomsRising blog. We may become the only state in the country without such a hotline. Even more disturbing, Schwarzenegger's proposed $90 million cut to the Healthy Families Program would mean that as many as 570,000 children could lose their health insurance, according to MomsRising.

This is depressing, too: President Barack Obama says unemployment will continue to rise for "several months," according to the Associated Press. He said it on his way to Michigan, which has the country's highest unemployment rate at 14.1 percent.

In celebrity gossip break: 80s icon Molly Ringwald gave birth to twins on Friday, according to People magazine. As a HUGE "So You Think You Can Dance" fan, I enjoyed the video clips in this Open Salon article. Please do check out the Argentine tango by my favorite couple Brandon and Janette!

What else is in the news? What's up with you?

Some years ago, I recall then Florida Gov. Jeb Bush rallying against state amendments that limit class size. He did not see why the number of students in a classroom had any impact on educational outcomes.

As Anne Fitten Glenn -- aka "Edgy Mama" -- over at the Mountain Xpress newspaper pointed out, it does. And it has become especially obvious today where schools across the country face massive budget cuts and have had to do everything from fire teachers to increase the sizes of classes.

Study after study confirms that students in smaller classes are more focused and have fewer behavioral problems than students in larger classes (a recent study in the Journal of Educational Psychology reports that small class size in elementary school raises the likelihood that kids will graduate from high school). In almost all cases, regardless of the ages of the students, smaller class sizes lead to better overall achievement.

That’s why we all should be extremely concerned about North Carolina’s plan to add two students to each classroom in grades four through 12. Two students may not seem like many. But that, plus the proposed cuts to personnel (including teachers’ assistants, assistant principals and counselors), results in both increased class size and decreased teacher-to-student ratios (even though there may be only one teacher in the classroom, ratios are based on all personnel who work with students at a school)....

As an Asheville City Schools parent, I noticed problems when my daughter’s class size increased from 19 kids in third grade to 23 in fourth grade. Additionally, there was only one part-time assistant teacher, shared among three classrooms.

The results I saw (and those reported by my fourth grader) affected the quality of her education and that of her classmates. Teachers had less time for more students. In other words, the one-on-one time deemed necessary by educational researchers decreased for many students. Behavioral problems increased. When a teacher’s in the hallway talking to a student who’s been misbehaving, she’s not teaching — only one kid’s getting her attention, and not for the right reasons. No teacher should have to spend 40 percent of his time dealing with 2 percent of his students (yes, I made up those statistics, based on hearsay, but I’m actually downplaying what I’ve heard). So the state says, “Let’s add another 2 percent to each class.” Do we really want to experiment with our kids’ educations?

For those of you who have witnessed larger class sizes, what issues have risen? Do you think class size is an important consideration?

Because we have a dysfunctional state legislature and warped attitude towards taxes, California continues to face some scary budget cuts in healthcare and education.

Most recently, a concerned dad and basketball coach wrote a diary in Open Salon proposing the state cut athletics before academic programs in public schools. It is sad we even have to have this conversation. As the writer noted, this feels like the show Survivor and we are all its participants.

As the state’s economic crisis has developed, thanks in large part to our legislators and governor, school districts have undertaken a process of belt-tightening that is matched only by the gradual emaciation of the participants on CBS’s Survivor.  

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District, where I coach, and where I once attended middle and high school, announced that it must cut $28 million from its upcoming three-year budget.  This action will need to be taken on the heels of the defeat of local Measure D, which sought to increase property taxes by $99 per year to raise $7 million of funding for five years, and which would have replaced funds the school board was forced to cut earlier this year.  All the while, state funding for the district has been reduced.

Four hundred teachers have already received pink slips, and school board members have projected the loss of reduced class sizes, elimination of programs for fifth grade music and science and art programs, not to mention the postponement of maintenance projects that have already been deferred.  The return to larger class sizes is, indeed, a sad thing.  Forty percent of the district’s students are English language learners, who won’t be able to receive the support and attention they need in larger classes and from over-burdened teachers.  

The status of high school athletics is uncertain for the beleaguered district, but the school board plans to consider funding after-school athletics through private donations.

My question is rather than cut sports, including presumably the almost non-existent phys ed, why can't the district raise private funds for academics, too? Also, I was peeved that folks in the district didn't think their schools were worth an additional $99 in property taxes. What is that -- 30 cents a day? Our priorities are pretty warped.

How are your school districts dealing with these devastating cuts?

Cross-posted at Daily Kos.

Good morning fellow moms, dads and caregivers!

I am back with your weekly parenting news update. Here are some topics we recently discussed here at MotherTalkers:

This week we sadly mourned the loss of one of our moms, Janet Carol Lane Eaton, who was known as "Janetle" at both MotherTalkers and Daily Kos. She died of colon cancer at the age of 56.

For those of us fortunate to have known Janet either virtually or offline, she was an attorney by trade who left a job at a law firm to raise two children who are now in their 20s. She was smart, thoughtful and not afraid to hold back on her opinions. She was an inspiration to all of us and will be missed.

We were also shaken by the death of actress Natasha Richardson who died at the age of 45 from a freak skiing accident. She left behind her husband and two teenaged boys. While there is much talk in the media whether a helmet would have saved her, one thing we can all agree on is to hold our children as often as we can and never hold back from our loved ones.

Another topic that dominated the news this week, was the birthrate in the United States. More children were born in 2007 than at any other time in our country's history, even at the peak of the baby boom 50 years ago. Some of the increase was due to the number of babies born to single, teenaged and Hispanic mothers. About 40 percent of those births were to single moms, again, more than at any other time in our history. But analysts expect less people to have children now that we are in a recession.

Also, in case you missed it, Eric Carle's famous book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is 40 years old. Newsweek had a story about the author, who is now 80-years-old and living in Key West, Florida. Anyways, La Oruga Muy Hambrienta, Colores and Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí? are three of my children's favorite books. I found two of the three books in the foreign language kid section of Barnes & Noble. They also like the Dr. Seuss books, the "dinosaur" series by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague, and some "junk" books we found at the Scholastic Book Fair like Star Wars and Dora. What are your children's favorite books?

Speaking of Dora, what do you think of the new doll to be introduced in the fall? Here is a picture of her at 10-years-old.

Also, we discussed the desperate measures some schools are taking to make up for budget shortfalls such as leasing cell tower space on school premises and selling ad space on exams. You have got to read some of our reader comments especially in regards to the ad space. They are funny!  

Finally, we discussed at what age children should receive allowances. There seemed to be agreement, at least on our site, that children should learn to earn and save money at around 7 years of age, but no money should be tied to household chores. This made sense to me.

What else is in the news? What's up with you?

I am not sure how widespread this is, since the Washington Post largely relied on anecdotal evidence. But the newspaper recently ran an article about desperate measures schools are taking to deal with budget cuts such as selling ad space on exams.

In suburban San Diego, a teacher raised eyebrows in November when he started selling ad space on exams after his supply budget was cut by a third. Last year, Montgomery County schools installed a school bus radio program that forced student passengers to listen to commercial jingles; it was halted after parents protested. Fairfax County schools decided in November to allow buildings and facilities to be named after corporate sponsors, although they have yet to receive an offer.

Prince William's Web ads started in October and have brought in more than $50,000 from sponsors, including a car dealership, power companies and defense contractor Lockheed Martin....

(Executive Director of the Prince William County Public Schools Education Foundation Sharon) Henry is hoping for at least $25,000 more by the end of the school year. The ads are on 17 school Web sites, and she is hoping to get them up on all 87. The 73,900-student school system, the second-largest in Virginia, is using the money to offset the costs of a $120,000 Web-hosting program that officials said makes it far easier for teachers to post homework and communicate with parents. Each school used to run its own site, officials said, which led to an uneven experience and a burden for schools that didn't always have tech-savvy employees.

The Alexandria School Board next month will consider allowing ads on school Web sites. But officials at other area school systems surveyed said they haven't discussed them.

As the article noted, corporate sponsorships at sporting events and let's not forget the vending machines at school, are nothing new. Fundraising is now prevalent in both private and public schools.

But schools are coming up with new and innovative ways to make money -- like implementing cell phone towers on campus. Check out this recent letter in Berkeley Parents Network:

I just learned that the landlords of my daughter's Oakland private school is allowing a cell phone tower to be constructed on the property. The tower overlooks the school and playground; there is a public elementary school just down the street. We found out about this in the construction phase. Apparently, there was a public hearing in October but the school was not made aware of the hearing.

I understand that the research on the health effects of electro-magnetic fields are inconclusive for a number of reasons. But I am still uncomfortable with the idea that out children will be spending 6 hours a day, 5 days a week for 5 years in the shadow of this tower. Is there anyone out there who has successfully blocked construction of such towers? I could use whatever advise you have to offer.

Finally, I understand that cell phone towers are necessary for cell phone service so I don't need a lecture on my own cell phone use. I don't allow my child to use a cell phone because there is concern about adverse health effects. And I will gladly put up with spotty service if it keeps our kids and the kids across the street safe.
No Tower of Power

Landlords and homeowners are also allowing construction of towers -- they are 4-foot tall antennas or "base stations" -- on their properties for the same reason: money. I don't need to tell you it is tough out there.

But can you think of a situation, in which a school takes its fundraising too far? What do you think of the prevalence of ads, towers and other new fundraising tools at school?

Public education, which is a free service guaranteed by the California Constitution, is no longer free. According to the Los Angeles Times, various school districts are asking parents to fork over cash in an effort to hold onto teachers after proposed budget cuts by our Governator.

South Orange County families are being urged to donate $400 per student to save the jobs of 266 teachers in the Capistrano Unified School District.

Parents at Long Beach's Longfellow Elementary are among countless statewide who are launching fundraising foundations.

Bay Area parents launched a campaign featuring children standing in trash cans; the theme is "Public Education Is Too Valuable to Waste..."

"Public education is free, but an excellent public education is not free at this point," said Janet Berry, president of the Davis Schools Foundation, which recently launched the Dollar-a-Day campaign, urging citizens of the city near Sacramento to donate $365 per child, grandchild or student acquaintance.

Gov. Ahnold Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting about $4.8 billion in education this year and next. In the meantime, about 20,000 teachers, librarians, nurses and other school positions have been alerted that they will be fired.

In an effort to save money, school districts are looking at increasing class sizes, closing down some schools and eliminating programs such as International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement. Don't worry, sports will also be eliminated so this budget crisis affects everyone. Everyone except those who live in wealthy school districts and can raise the funds to keep their programs.