Aug 1, 2018, WLRN, Miami: Broward School Board Approves First Version Of Razor-Thin Budget http://www.wlrn.org/post/broward-school-board-approves-first-version-razor-thin-budget Broward County's School Board has approved the first version of a budget for the 2018-2019 school year, with more than $15 million in cuts compared to last year. At the first public hearing for the budget on Tuesday evening, board members discussed the proposed budget - that would total just over $4 billion- with the Chief Financial Officer for Broward County Public Schools Judith Marte. Multiple board members expressed frustration with the extent of cuts needed to balance the budget. … The state increased certain education funding this year but, in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February, most of that extra money is dedicated for specific security expenses, such as more school resource officers and mental health counseling services. That allocated funds are not enough to pay for all of the school resource officers the district needs. The school board has had to add an armed guardian program to fill the gaps that law enforcement cannot. …
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.