Promote, don’t cut, education

Recent proposals threaten to make huge cuts in education spending. The cuts seem appealing because it looks as though they will reduce taxes. The argument is that by reducing education spending we will reduce taxes for property owners in this state, and we will become a more business-friendly state, thereby increasing taxable income.

I don’t buy it.

I am a music teacher in Bar Harbor. I am not trained in government finance. I am not trained in promoting business. I am not trained in politics. Yet from my perspective, the answer is simple: We need to promote rather than cut education in order to thrive, economically and culturally, as a state. We need to continue to set a high level of education standards and continue the pivotal role local school boards and communities play in supporting those standards. We need to put more effort into the education of our children rather than less.

My perspective is shared by many who are much more savvy and experienced than I. For instance, on April 30, Kay Rand, who is the managing director of Bernstein Shur Government Solutions and the former chief of staff to Gov. Angus King, wrote in the Portland Press Herald that in order to improve our “tax burden” ranking, we have to focus on building incomes through wise economic investment just as much as through cutting taxes. Ms. Rand sets forth education as the primary example for wise economic investment.

We are being asked to provide quality education without the funding, without the educational guidance of our superintendents and without the inspiration of our communities. In my opinion, the quality of our education will disintegrate. The consequences will be dire. With most households scraping by even though both parents work, and with most parents working outside the home, children depend more than ever on schools for every aspect of their education and life.

With decreased spending and lack of guidance, the education that we will impart to our children will become increasingly rote, and the students will become increasingly uninspired. The dropout rate for students will certainly increase.

It is clear. We need to educate our children to be viable participants in modern society.

We should not encourage wasteful spending, however. There is no question that wasteful spending of tax dollars pervades all levels of government. All government employees, including teachers, should be cognizant and vigilant to rout out waste and efficiently and honestly use those funds the taxpayers have put in our hands.

Looking at the broad picture, in addition to Maine’s nickname, “Vacationland,” our state needs to become “Educationland” in order to attract young families that are the backbone of businesses and encourage our students to return to or stay in Maine. With a celebrated, exalted education system, this state could attract the best, the brightest and the most productive families the nation has to offer.

Gov. Baldacci has been irresponsible in his attempts to balance the state budget primarily on the back of the education system. Our legislators have been equally irresponsible not to shun the governor’s proposals for mandatory school consolidation and mandatory spending cuts. Regardless of the outcome of the current and future proposals, the process has been disastrous.

I have been teaching in Maine for 16 years. One year ago I was selected to go to Augusta and participate in the first “Celebrate School People.” This event recognized everyone who works with students, from principals to classroom teachers to bus drivers and custodians – people who have enriched the lives of students as told by the students. This year, I have rewritten my resume, and I am forced to look for another job. This job will likely be out of the field of music education. And I am not alone. Tension among teachers is at an all-time high. Those teachers who wait until they are cut before looking for jobs are going to suddenly be in a job pool with hundreds of other teachers.

The outlook for Maine is grim from many perspectives. It does not have to be. We have so many small miracles and some big success stories in the making, waiting to develop, waiting for inspiration, waiting for a diversified, quality education. The responsibility lies in the hands of our legislators and in the hands of each and every resident of the state of Maine. It is time for Maine to become the state that it should and could be. It is time for the state of Maine to invest in its future. It is time for the state of Maine to encourage and support our communities in the education of our children.

I will never forget the magic the students created in our community’s music room.

Joseph Wainer is a music teacher at the Conners-Emerson Elementary School in Bar Harbor.