There Are No Simple Solutions to Problems of School Financing

We are writing this letter to tell you about how we, a fourth-grade bilingual class, feel about Gov. Pete Wilson cutting the money for education in California. We’re concerned about our education as well as the education of many others.

We feel badly about many teachers losing their jobs. They studied long and hard to become teachers and help children and their futures. As kids, we know how important our teachers are to us. They teach us many things that a child needs to learn for the future.

If Gov. Wilson cuts money for education this year, we will lose our PE teachers, music teachers and instrumental teachers. The classes will also be bigger than last year.

A school needs an instrumental music teacher. We need them because they help us to play instruments and have a career in music. Many families cannot afford an instrument or lessons for their kids. These kids will never get a chance to fulfill their dreams in music.

Our PE teachers help us understand how our muscles work and how to use them. They teach us fun activities like volleyball, capture the flag and soccer. But more important, they teach us how to win or lose a game fairly.

Our music teacher is very kind to us. She talks to us about feelings and how to express them in music. Our music teacher will be leaving at the end of this year because there is no money to pay her. We will miss her and all the wonderful music she has taught us. Our classroom teacher is great, but he never studied to be a music teacher. Besides, he has a terrible voice.

We want our teachers to stay. Please help us keep them.

Mr. Rodriguez’s Fourth-Grade Class

Topaz Elementary School

Placentia Unified School District