How Much are We Spending on Public Education

Public Education: You Can't Have Everything

The Rapid City School District is facing some significant budget cuts, and a lot of people are upset.

About a week ago, according to the Rapid City Journal, some 1,000 people attended a meeting to discuss these cuts. That same article says the district faces at least $2.9 million in program and staffing cuts.

Short-changing our children's education should upset us, especially since we're paying taxes to finance that education. But it seems the greatest angst at the meeting last week was toward plans to cut programs that have nothing to do with academics. The school board is looking at dropping elementary band and orchestra, which would save $161,925. The athletics program was looked at, too.

I have appreciated music since I was a child--listening to it, that is. I grew up too poor and too far out in the country, and not having anyone in the immediate family who played an instrument, I never learned to make music. But I married a beautiful pianist (yes, she's beautiful physically and plays piano beautifully, too), and my daughter is turning into a beautiful pianist (in the same ways as my wife:-).

But when it comes to a choice of academics or music, academics should win out every time. Our world grows more complex every year, and so does the job market along with it. Even more important than the job market is a sound understanding of life and the world around us; we need a good understanding of the world, regardless of where we work.

And while athletics promote physical fitness, teamwork and (hopefully) healthy competition, they're even lower on the scale of important skills.

Jim Kent's column in the Rapid City Journal today is a much-needed dose of perspective.

Let’s get real. School is for an education — it’s not a 12-year sports camp. Start with providing the basics. After that’s been