Across the U.S., schools are facing budget cuts as property values decline. Property taxes based on assessed values are the primary source of funding for local schools. Additional funding from Federal and state sources could offset the drop in property taxes, but this funding is unlikely to be provided. Why?
Defense spending, already more than a half trillion dollars, will increase by four percent next year. On top of this, spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will exceed $300 billion this year, an amount that is projected to decline only slightly in future years. These two wars continue a trend stretching back over 100 years that has left the U.S. with more than 770 foreign military bases.
As long as our government continues to spend so heavily on war and preparations for war, schools will face inadequate budgets. What to do? Military budgets suggest an answer: programs are ranked in importance so that funding goes first to those with the greatest contribution to the mission of the organization. Schools will need to do the same.
When schools rank their programs, athletics will necessarily be assigned a lower priority than teaching academic subjects. And athletic programs are expensive: coaching salaries, travel, equipment, and maintenance can range from three to five percent of school budgets. As a result, schools and colleges are cutting athletic budgets by eliminating teams, reducing travel, and cutting the number of coaches for remaining teams.
But providing opportunities for physical exercise is important to the health and well-being of students. In addition, athletics provide entertainment for students and their families. One solution is to develop a program of intramural athletics with participation for all students. Intramural programs can be operated with volunteer coaches and without travel between schools.
Each students can be randomly assigned to a Red, Blue or Green team for the duration of his or her school career. In every intramural sport or activity, these teams can practice and compete on as many levels as are needed to give every student the chance to participate.
Before schools cut any academic teaching positions, we need to find creative solutions that will first apply cuts to non-academic programs. This process won’t be easy, but over time we’ll learn to do it well.
John Merson, March 4, 2009
John Merson speaks on the subject of war at universities, churches, and veterans groups. His topics include the effects of war on foot soldiers and civilians in war zones, war crimes, and ways to prevent war.