On February 14, 2009, an article was posted on msnbc.com stating how many public schools are suffering from financial problems. The public schools federal funds are being have been suffering through out the whole recession, but this is the time when things are beginning to get worse. “Experts say the cash crunch will get a lot worse as states run out of stimulus dollars.” Although the financial cuts are hitting the classrooms in many negative ways, such as larger class sizes, fewer classes to choose from, and slim to none summer school programs, they are leading to tremendous amounts of job losses and much smaller pay checks.
These financial cuts on education are occurring all over the states, but California is especially struggling, and parents are worried their kids will not receive the education they need. Although teachers have already been cut from their jobs, the state of California states that “the worst is yet to come because the state ahs already handed out most of its $6 billion in stimulus money.”
I believe that California, along with all the other states, are so in debt that they don’t know where to place the stimulus money they are receiving. The thing that struck me the most was in the article they said how these cuts are hurting poor and needy kids. Education is all these kids might have a chance of getting at the moment, and these financial cuts are affecting them tremendously.
Marx look on this situation would be that it is unjust that these teachers’ wages are being cut. The result in their wages being cut may cause them to struggle with their costs of living. Even though they are still doing the same amount of work and working the same hours, they are getting paid less. He may also argue on the fact that because of the division of labor, which would be different teachers teaching different subjects, causes an increase in unemployment. If one teacher taught all subjects they would have no choice but to keep the teacher employed.
Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35395750/ns/us_news-education//
Although Marx would argue that one should be payed for the ammount of work they have done. I am not sure how much he took in to account the fact that we are in a recession. Although teachers are doing the same ammount of work,I would argue that they are payed enough to survive comteriably compare to other such jobs (working in a resturant/selling news papers)There is no direct answer of taking on the recession and like everything else, there has to be cuts.Is it right to cut the cost of education? probaly not as we are relying on the next gerations to dig are way out of this horriable snow ball like effect we call "debt".
ReplyDeleteEducation is the most affected in this economy because our future generation, the ones who are suppose to get us out of this hole, are the ones losing the chance to learn. I never knew California was hurting the worse from this recession and how much the poor and needy kids are getting stripped away the chance to learn. The only thing kids have right now besides family and friends is school and no one should be denied the right to learn. I agree with Josh about how Marx believes people should be paid for the amount of work they do, not what you are getting from doing the work. But we have no idea how Marx would respond to this recession and all the debt in this society. He says when people are unemployed, they cut people down to get any job because people need to sustain their families. These teachers are doing anything they can to keep working because even though, they are getting paid very little, it is better than being umemployed and having to fight for a job. Marx knows that when the division of labor reduces the cost of production, people are going to get paid less and there is nothing anyone can do about it. If teachers taught all subjects, they wouldnt be as many jobs, but they would keep their jobs. Marx knows people need to sustain their lives, but how can they do it when their pay is getting reduced due to the increasing need for jobs.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that marx describes his philosophy based on the work of people. Depending on how much one works, that's how much he/she should be paid. But this article you provided applies to marx's thoughts and reflections on wage labor in a different way. Although I don't know what Marx would say about this issue, my personal opinion is that the wages that are cut are affecting the teachers in many schools, which in return affects the work done by those teachers.
ReplyDelete