Topic Proposal

For many years now, education has been on a downhill slope, fighting for funds and respect from both local and national government. It's a resource often drawn from and neglected, never truly having any sense of stability. For me, I always heard of this, but it never seemed to effect Iowa. I was under the impression that education was secure, it's funds locked up tight and invested straight into the youth. That is, until about two years ago, when Cedar Rapids schools were shocked by the city's decision.

Early in 2016, my junior year, many within our high school community were shocked to hear that the district had chosen to cut a significant amount of funds from all the local high school's library budgets. At face value, it was insulting to many to see the local government taking away from our education. Was the idea had taken hold though, teachers and students alike saw this would mean many librarians jobs would go out the window, including our own Mrs. Neff, who everyone loved and respected. Many rallies and protests took place, but in the school and downtown Cedar Rapids, in hopes that the city would provide more funding, but no such thing happened. My school, Kennedy, was forced to scrounge for enough money to pay Neff for another year, and was barely able to do so. 

This is a nation wide problem, one that's even effected the University of Iowa. High schools and lower, however, are completely at the mercy of their respective cities, and they need to be protected. There are steps we can all take: adults; teachers; and students alike. Citizens need to protect and prioritize our education system, and to invest in our next generation.

http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Students-start-petition-to-keep-librarians-job--377057471.html

http://littlevillagemag.com/state-budget-cuts-lead-to-loss-of-librarians-in-cedar-rapids/

http://www.cr.k12.ia.us/our-district/school-funding-support/

http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/politics/election/iowa-statehouse/branstad-first-budget-cuts-then-two-years-of-growth-20170110

http://crcsf.com/foundation-programs/fiscal-agent-program/
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2017/04/22/iowa-legislature-adjourns-what-bills-passed-2017-session/98798986/
https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/spending/
https://www.oecd.org/sweden/EAG2012%20-%20Country%20note%20-%20Sweden5.pdf
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=US
https://www.oecd.org/edu/Finland_EAG2013%20Country%20Note.pdf