Government in America was developed by, of and for the people.Cheating the government that protects us, everyone should agree, iswrong. Moreover, for the government to cheat honest, taxpayingcitizens, especially in our schools, is equally wrong. Yet impropertax distribution and improper use of tax dollars happens every dayand affects our future – our children.

Beware, taxpayers – especially parents – what government affordsyou and your children in the name of “education.”

The Mississippi Department of Education has now asked formillions more tax dollars to be added to a budget of billions. Itis absolutely mandatory that intelligent, concerned voters ask andreceive answers as to how these billions will directly help ourchildren. As you discover how the money in the state budget isused, you will be amazed.

Evaluate, also, what is decided for twelve years of a student’slife, only to face a job market of minimum wage jobs.

Would you consider it wise decision-making for children ofdifferent talents and abilities to be taught the same skills,tested by the same criteria, and forced to prove mastery of theseskills for twelve years? What kind of world would it be if everyoneknows the same things, no matter what diversified talents areinvolved?

Have you tried to find a reliable skilled plumber lately? Thankschools for disappearing trades. All the plumbers are “booked up”locally.

Beginning now and in the next decade you will see the results ofyears of unwise decisions by politicians, top state education”officials” (called “experts”).

And every four years teachers are at the mercy of anotherpolitician’s “plan.” Are politicians trained to work withchildren’s minds? No.

A government that controls or mandates what a teacher must teachevery day is as close to communism as I want to imagine.

Since it is impossible to define exactly what “intelligence” is,it is equally difficult to measure, by tests, intelligence, genius,or expert. And so, education also becomes likened to an abstractnoun just as the word “normal” when used to describe behavior.These abstract qualities can only be measured in concrete numberswhich are indicators, at best.

Life and survival are the real tests. And, so, test scoresbecome a gathering of data depending upon opinions just as “mostlikely to succeed” or “valedictorian.”

“Experts” can never predict what a child is capable of, nor howthat child will endure in life. Qualities such as exuberance,honesty, personality, spirit of determination – not computer skills- will likely determine success. And “success” and “failure” arejust as relative to measure.

And, bring “education” down to the local level. Mark Twain oncequipped, and I agree, “First, God created the idiot. That was forpractice. Then He created the school board. I’ve often wondered whypoliticians control ideas of teachers rather than vice-versa. It’sall quite backward, you see. Why, I would question, do thepoliticians not go to school and become teachers?”

They all have such great “plans.” In the classroom they couldplan to their heart’s desires. And their plans would be due everyFriday by noon. Add to that the benefit of moving up the politicalladder using their dedicated years of service on the school board.It’s a genius idea!

As school begins, ask and find answers as to what experts defineas “education.” As facts are crowded relentlessly into young minds,don’t necessarily blame the teacher for homework that carries yourentire family into the early morning hours! The teachers may nothave devised the plan.

And No Child Left Behind means it takes extra time for everychild to catch up. And, maybe that child wanted to be a fireman -not a literature major and a college graduate. Guess we don’t needfiremen or plumbers. We all need to know the same things. Don’t weall need to look the same, too? Don’t need any dress designerseither! Wear a uniform! Spend time and jobs defining khaki! Taketime to count black and white people.

Though I, too, dread April 15, I want to pay my taxes to theAmerican government that protects me, makes me free.

Education should provide the groundwork for our government – ourdemocracy.

What is education if it doesn’t teach you to discern some sortof values, to teach the importance of teamwork and not theimportance of the self-centered views of “I” and “me” and that “noman is an island entire of itself?”

And, as you ask questions, as you should, about where taxdollars are used, ask and discover what you think about:

* A government that badly needs streamlining.

* A government where unrealistic salaries take away tax dollarsfrom your own children’s education.

* Wasted trees in the form of unbelievable wasted paper ingovernment plans and documentation testing.

* Wasted teacher time in nonprofitable repetitive meetings.

* Days of missed classes for your child while teachers meet andtry to survive boredom.

* Government-funded cafeterias which provide starch-laden mealsand popular, yet non-nutritious foods.

* Schools with no emphasis on health and physical education.

* Hiring of the younger, less qualified teacher to save districtmoney.

* Extended sessions, repeated extended sessions with nosuccessful conclusion and no accountability for constituents.

* A bicameral Legislature in Mississippi that is too large andcould suffice unicamerally.

* An extended session that destroys teacher morale every Marchwhen the Mississippi Legislature nightmare reoccurs.

* An antiquated closed primary of voting that costs unbelievabletax dollars and insures business as usual as contributions buy ourvotes and protect only lobbyist interests.

* And last but not least, a state commissioner of highereducation with a salary of $325,000 a year and a housing allowanceof $25,000.

What do you think?

I think all of the above represents cheating the taxpayer andmisuse of taxpayer dollars. And, this is not even scratching thesurface. So, don’t be fooled by the phrase “fully fundingeducation” while $325,000 is “fully-funding” one man.

Pity IHL Commissioner Tom Meredith, who can’t afford a house on$325,000 and has to have $25,000 extra. How many firemen would thatbuy? Or policemen? Or plumbers? Or cooks? Or housekeepers?

So, herein lies thought for pondering:

“Tirelessly be on guard, or lest it be said, later of theintellectually elite of the land, timidly and without a struggle.They surrendered the heritage handed down to them by theirforefathers, a heritage of which they were not worthy.”

I wish I had said that!

Dr. Albert Einstein did. And we could agree that he was nodummy.

As usual, I write this in the spirit of concern, for educationis still my passion. And public education is absolutelynecessary.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Even worse, so is democracy – freedom. And a democracy shouldefficiently use your taxpayer hard-earned dollars, or freedomslowly, but most assuredly, erodes.

Jan Smith Busby is a retired English teacher who lives inBogue Chitto.