Something Rotten in the State of Colorado...

Here's a quick quiz for Monday morning...

What are the most important elements to a school, the things without which a school could not function:

a.) A gym
b.) A computer lab
c.) Teachers

If you guessed c, you are correct. Although many elementary and secondary schools these days boast elaborate amenities, when you get right down to it, the basic elements one needs for a school are simple: Students and a trained, dedicated professional to instruct them. For example: Laura Ingalls' little one-room schoolhouse may have lacked Mac Powerbooks and an Olympic-size swimming pool but it still was considered a school.

Last week, the St. Vrain school district in Colorado found itself in a budget shortfall of millions of dollars. St. Vrain includes Boulder County, where the median home price is one of the highest in Colorado.

What did it cut?

Teachers, of course.

Why? "Costs in energy, health care and compensation"

Because teachers are notoriously overpaid, of course...

"The layoffs will ensure that the district maintains a balanced budget."

Isn't that the job of the administrators who were supposed to manage the budget in the first place?

Then why are the teachers the ones getting the axe?