Kudos to the superintendent for doing his job. Whatever validity you think his point has, there's no doubt he'll get a lot of attention thanks to the clever way he's approached the problem.<p>I'm one of those people that, whenever they hear about economic problems, always thinks individuals are responsible. I want to know, am I wrong? Nowhere does it say you need a house with a spare bedroom and a bathroom for each person. You aren't entitled to a car, let alone two. It isn't some birthright that you go on vacation or buy a flat screen through credit.<p>Education is important. It's also expensive and difficult. Why aren't parents more on the hook? Yes, some parents really, really can't. But most could. It might take substantial life style changes, but the amount of money an average westerner can free up is staggering.<p>I know michigan is particularly hard hit, so this might not be the most sympathetic example to ask, but I just can't help feeling this way. (and that doesn't change the fact that I think the superintended did a great job, whether I think it's the states problem or not).
First I agree the cost Michigan pays per prisoner is too high. Texas manages to get by at $13,000 per prisoner Michigan shouldn't need $40,000. But that's for all the expenses to keep them alive (room, board, medical, etc...). So the comparison isn't an accurate one.<p>But let me ask this:<p>Michigan is a state where the average teacher makes $57,958 per year BEFORE benefits (<a href="http://www.teacher-world.com/teacher-salary/michigan.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.teacher-world.com/teacher-salary/michigan.html</a>). Benefits that include a lifetime pension after retirement. This is in a state with a median income of $44,627 (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan</a>)<p>Yet they rank 30th in education: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/5wwq8ep" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/5wwq8ep</a>.<p>I'm not saying teacher's shouldn't be well paid. If they were making 10% over the median income I would have no complaints. But they're well above that and that, as much as the prisons, is why the schools in Michigan have no money.
"Education funding is being slashed left and right" - uhm no - most states aren't getting the increases they want. The University of Minnesota loves to use this tactic in press releases that their funding was cut, when actually, their increase in funding was cut. I hate politics for the acceptance of lies as standard practice.
Not at all what I expected when I saw the title. And I tend to think that spending that amount per student now would result in a future with (a) less prisoners, (b) citizens with the tools to really improve themselves and the world around them, and (c) taxpayers able to pay more.
I wrote a novel (titled Alcatraz: The College Years) in 2004 where in an imaginary version of 1985, a group of kids in a troubled school get sent to Alcatraz (which in the story has been refurbished like a comfortable prison). I was told the story was unlikely to happen...