" Cynically speaking, demographics show that those with a lower education level are more likely to vote Democratic. This little trick dumbs down the next generation so they become more dependent on the government for handouts. SwatrzenKennedy just did the opposite of his "children first" campaign. "

" Education. Spend less on administration and subordinates and put it in the classroom.

Most of us call that a no-brainer. "

" Ok lets protect Prop 98. It says the schools get 40% of state general fund revenue. Revuenue is down so schools get less. The schools are ok with that? Good, then your income goes down like everyone else when there is no money. Live with it! Its time for the teachers, staff and administration to take a cut in pay and benefits. Just like the auto companies, United Airlines and other entities that are losing money...scale back lay off the dead wood and economize. But first - stop your whining! "

" this is response to musicluvr. Without teachers, our children will not be able the decisions that will effect you in your later years. You suggest them to take a paycut. Would you be so willing to do so? Not likely. It's not the teacher's fault that California is wanting to cut their budget. That teacher is here to teach our children to grow up and be responsible. Did anyone teach you music when you growing up? They would be the first to get layed off and I guess you would have to have a passion than music. "

" Okay I am not a teacher thank god with people like you out there. Did you see that CA is 46th when it comes to per pupil spending and the classroom size is growing. Our teachers do not make a ton of money. Do you know that the average teacher spends 2k out of pocket on supplies.... come on if you office said. well you have to buy your own pens now what would you say... OH yeah about what about No Child Left behind taking every dollar out of our school funds as well. wake up people this is our future we are talking about. And Dwayne by the way democrats do not have a lower education. You are only getting part of the story.

wake up people. our future generations need our support!!! "

" I can not believe this. I simply can not believe the responses that JimClark and musikluvr have made. You are joking, right? Musik, you say “Its time for the teachers, staff and administration to take a cut in pay and benefits”. WE ARE 46TH IN THE NATION IN PER PUPIL SPENDING. You clearly have absolutely no idea of what goes on in a classroom today. Teachers work many more hours than their contracts require, often using their own money to subsidize their classroom materials for the benefit of their students. School family clubs raise thousands of dollars to help pay for librarians, computer aides, reading specialists and more. All of these devoted teachers and parents do this because they know it is needed to educate the children of our community. If not for this sacrifice, we would not have made the remarkable gains that have made to this point. For the governor to take the problems of the state budget and make education pay the brunt of the cost is as short sighted as your comments. JimClark: clearly “putting it in the classroom” means putting the best and brightest teachers IN the classroom to educate our children. This does not come without a cost. And if you think we can “scale back” on the quality of our educators, then I know we will have even bigger problems than our governors’ budget proposal. "

" Amelia: I don't believe you get it. It's not the teachers!!! Most of them agree with the reduction/elimination of government intervention. We have uneducated and often dysfuntional citizens and non-citizens matriculating into our society every year. Why? Well, people like you just don't seem to get it. "

" Pat: I have done many hours of volunteer work in classrooms. I share your thoughts on education. I'm sorry if I left some message that I did not have a strong position on education. I don’t believe the "government" is equipped to manage education. Government, today, is political as opposed to moral/ethical.

School districts should dictate what their students are provided as far as education. Properly educated students will be capable of making their own decisions regarding their future. Global warming? Tree hugging? The only reason those and other politically correct shams are promoted is due to an endless insertion of PC into the classroom where basic education has become politically incorrect. "

" Think about this...we are also allowing these morons in highly paid administrative government positions are determining the curriculum. Why do we allow these idiots to teach what our children learn. The government needs to go and the entire system scrapped. It's so broken that it simply can't be fixed. Start over and this time make the president of the United States of America take the proper oath of office. George Washington became the first of many Presidents of the United States and began the fateful trend of taking an oath to "defend" the US Constitution. The Article VI oath is different in a very subtle yet significant way. The president of the United States of America takes an oath to "support and affirm" the US Constitution. This is why GW calls the US Constitution "just a god#$@^% piece of paper" because according to the oath he took, that IS all it represents. George Washington was a battlefield seasoned general who wanted to be the ruler of the new world and the US Constitution crimped his style so he avoided it altogether only he failed to elaborate on this crucial point and let the people know the truth. Learn the truth and it will set us free. Will our next president take the same ineffective oath or will he or she continue this 219 year deception. This is what is wrong with the system. this si why there can never be any justice in America. This is what we all must know to be free. Any questions? "

" The school mantra is to play to and hid behind our sympathies for our schools, our kids and our future. Its hard for the average person and legislator to stand up to that and to ask the tough questions and demand quality education. No one wants to do that, but I am happy to. Truth is we need to start holding schools accountable for the gross "miseducation" of our children. By defeating Measure L this community began the job of piercing the veil of so called purity in our local education system. We have only just begun to find the mismanagement and wasted tax dollars and Napa Valley College. This article clearly states that the schools want to preserve Prop 98, but then it seems they don't want to live with the terms of Prop 98 when the state is in recession. Even while Prop 98 gave schools an increase of 170% since it was enacted the schools have whined about needing more money. We have the worst schools in the nation yet we give them $billions in funding and, right here in Napa we have 4 school bonds on our taxes to pay for reparis and neglect of our school facilities by school administration. Yet, there is no remorse from the schools for their failures. The teachers union spends hundred of millions annually to buy political political offices while fighting to retain the worst teachers. Everything is wrong in our schools! "

" What you teacher supports fail to admit is that teachers get 2.5 months off in addition to the "in service day", school holidays, 3 week break at christmas.

So yes they do get paid well for working 9 months a year.

I have seen what happens in the schools. The new teachers, who do not have tenure, work like dogs. The tenured teachers, administrators, etc all are gone by 3:00. Forget the "I go home and work" I have seen many shopping at target, starkbucks, etc.

I think we need alternate forms of education. KIPP, etc.

There is more PC training in school rather than the basics.

Also how much does the top brass make in salaries. John, Sharon, Deb, etc.

Remember this is a public agency. Should their salaries be equal to the private sector. NO

If the want the private sector pay go there. I guarantee there is some on who is willing and capable of doing your job for les. "

" I agree that we should not cut teacher's salaries. They are already underpaid as it is. However, the administrators are ridicusously overpaid and so are their support staff! Administrators get such perks as car allowances and their staff earns a tremendous amount in overtime. Why doesn't the grand jury ever pick up on this? "

" My view is that where all the money goes is mystifying. It is never enough. We have had multi billion increases in education funding year after year ahead of inflation and yet we continue to see schools deterioate. California spends almost half its tax revenue on schools, that is huge. Napa County, 65% of every tax dollar goes to schools. We have funded schools while we let infrastructure go, ridges are unsafe to drive over, everything else we have let go and still the schools are mired in mediocrity. I just don't get it. My father was a high school teacher, my brother is one now, both english teachers. My brother teaches 59 students a day in a brand new building with all these amenities, my father taught 150 in a falling down cold building, I think my brother is a far better teacher than my father ever was, and his students did far better than my brothers do. Taxes were about 10% on average of income back then. What in the world has happened? Does anyone really know where all this money is going? "

" NCLB should be changed to NACLB. No AMERICAN Child Left Behind. "

" Napablogger et al. - what percent of dollars goes to administration here in Napa and Statewide? Any idea? How many employees are there in NVUSD? Compare the compensation of top management at a comparable private sector company with that of NVUSD. Also - compare the levels of management at a comparable private sector company. What you will find is that the typical right wing complaint that admin cost is way out of whack is complete bunk. "

" Napablogger, school budgets are public information. In fact, they advertise in the paper before they adopt a new one, just to solicit public input. If you don't know where the money is going, it's because you're not looking. "

" California's public school system is deplorable no matter how you slice it! We have the economy of a small nation but are near the bottom in every category when compared to other stated in our own country. That's just one of the many reasons I'm looking to move out of California even though I'm a native napan. "

" First maybe if NVUSD did not have so many people running the office maybe their would be more money to spend on students. Their are to money people in Human Resources that there jobs over lap each other and most don't even give the people doing the work with the students the right information.Than look at the people running the special ed department to many just run around but never helping the teacher. And also look at the transition part of the school and how to make it better instead of worst. NVUSD needs to cut Admin REALLY BAD!!! Maybe a State Appointed Person should come in and cut cost and do a clean Sweep. I mean look you have a possible Killer Teacher?! "