3/10    Will something like this help UC Berkeley's fiscal crunch?
        http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/8133259.htm
        \_ no, the only thing to do is follow UCLA's lead and start selling
           body parts from freshmen found drunk after bad parties.
           \_ too bad we don't have a medical school or the facilities
              that UCLA has or it would mean $billions!!
              \_ what? the budget cuts are so steep we can't even afford a
                 UC hack saw?  what more do we need?
                 \_ it's hard to get people to donate bodies when there
                    isn't a hospital.  maybe we can work out a profit-
                    sharing scheme with UCSF?
                    \_ no problem really, just hang out frat row after parties
                       and at all hours during rush and haze weeks.
        \_ One of the most effective teachers I've ever had did this
           regularly, even though the school and area was well-to-do.
           She also made us wash overhead transparencies every couple weeks
           when they ran out.  It's not horrible to expect students to
           contribute a bit toward the day to day operations of the classroom.
           A box of kleenex may not be within the reach of *every* student,
           but I'd bet 99% can afford it.
           \_ no this is bullshit.  my taxes are already paying for the
              school system and I don't even have kids.  the kids and their
              parents shouldn't have to add even more on top of that.  CA is
              about in the middle of the pack for school spending per student,
              how do other states manage to purchase supplies and educate
              their studENTs without trading grades for kleenex?  sheesh.
              \_ I'm not sure about the UCs, I'm having trouble finding
                 comparative data, but K-12 is (cost-adjusted) 46th by
                 state in spending. (32nd in absolute $) unfortunately, your
                 taxes really /aren't/ paying for it, and the teachers (who
                 are not exactly mtakinm that much to begin with -- and note the
                 story is about Palo Alto, where the district is comparatively
                 extremely well funded) are expected to make up the gap and
                 buy all sorts of things. -chialea
                 \_ Stop interefering with the libertarian fantasy that
                    public schools are already receiving too much money! You
                    must not obstruct the march to vouchers!
                    \_ whatever, no one said a word about vouchers.  please
                       try to pretend not to troll. it makes for better trolls.
                       \_ Ah, well I flushed you out into the open pretty well,
                          now, didn't I?
                 \_ Very true.  I have a friend who teaches at an elementary
                    school and is living with two other teachers.  They often
                    have parties where the guests are encouraged to bring
                    school supplies.
                 \_ I don't know where the hell all these poor teachers are
                    coming from or where they're working.  A friend who
                    worked in Hayward for 5 years and quit was taking in almost
                    $80k when she quit.  She wasn't a Berkeley grad or Phd or
                    anything special.  Just someone who couldn't do so she
                    taught.  I get the feeling there's some Big Lie(c) being
                    told and retold but we'll never see real spending numbers
                    broken out.
                    \_ But isn't that curious. I have a friend who is
                        *currently* teaching junior high in Hayward with 5 yrs
                        seniority. He is making about $52K before taxes. I've
                        seen his stubs. Perhaps we should compare notes before
                        you take your Big Lie idea much further. --ulysses