On March 22, 2011 we were honored with the Arizona Small Business Development Center's Success Award. The ceremony was held on the lawn of the State Capital in Phoenix.
Even though mine is the name most often mentioned, it has been a team effort the whole way! Success never happens in a vacuum and I would like to again offer sincere gratitude to everyone who has helped, supported, and believed in us over the past 15 years.
I chose to highlight our 'Education Is National Security' sticker at the end of the speech because the children of Arizona clearly don't have much of a voice at the Arizona State Capital. Less than a week before the award ceremony on March 17th, Arizona Senate Republicans passed a budget with the 'steepest cuts' delegated to public education:
"The steepest cuts are to education. Universities are targeted to lose 26 percent of their state funding; K-12 education faces reductions of about 7 percent, even as money from a temporary sales tax is being collected in the name of preventing deep cuts to K-12 education."
"Jennifer Loredo, lobbyist for the Arizona Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, said the $242 million in cuts to K-12 will force layoffs at schools that already are dealing with crowded classrooms and skimpy equipment budgets."
-Arizona Republic March 17, 2011
Seriously? I know it's bad, but is this really the best we can do?
Trying to solve the problems of today by short changing our childrens' chance of a better tomorrow is folly! The generations coming up must be fully educated, engaged, critical thinking individuals if they are to be prepared for the challenges that await them! Fully funding education is the least we can do... and the true definition of 'National Security'.
jeff
ps. thanks dad for taking the video and capturing this moment!
CustomStickerMakers.com
CSM on facebook
neverbetter.com
Infamous Network on facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment