"I don't think the schools are getting as much money as they should"
About this Quote
A straightforward sentence carries a long political and moral argument. The claim presumes a gap between what schools receive and what a just, functional society ought to provide. It points not only to dollars but to values: how communities rank education against other priorities.
From a California perspective, the statement winds through decades of policy. Proposition 13 limited local property tax growth and shifted school finance toward the state, tying classrooms more tightly to Sacramento budget cycles. In high-cost cities like San Francisco, where Matt Gonzalez made his name as a progressive civic leader and former president of the Board of Supervisors, nominal per-pupil figures can mask real shortfalls. Teacher salaries must compete with some of the highest housing costs in the country; staff turnover, larger class sizes, deferred maintenance, and thin student support services often follow.
Saying schools do not get as much money as they should also invites a debate about the baseline. Should equals what is required to provide small classes, competitive pay, safe buildings, arts and athletics, counselors and nurses, up-to-date materials, and robust programs for students with disabilities and English learners. When those elements are missing, appeals to efficiency ring hollow. At the same time, critics argue that spending has risen without commensurate gains, pressing for governance reforms, targeted investments, and accountability. Both views can be true: funding may be insufficient in aggregate and misaligned in practice.
For a local official, the point becomes a call to reorder public spending and pursue creative solutions: bonds for facilities, dedicated revenue streams, partnerships for teacher housing, and advocacy at the state level. The sentence captures a civic ethic that treats education as infrastructure, the groundwork for social mobility and democratic competence. If schools receive less than they should, the shortfall shows up far beyond the classroom, in frayed opportunity and a future mortgaged by shortsighted budgets.
From a California perspective, the statement winds through decades of policy. Proposition 13 limited local property tax growth and shifted school finance toward the state, tying classrooms more tightly to Sacramento budget cycles. In high-cost cities like San Francisco, where Matt Gonzalez made his name as a progressive civic leader and former president of the Board of Supervisors, nominal per-pupil figures can mask real shortfalls. Teacher salaries must compete with some of the highest housing costs in the country; staff turnover, larger class sizes, deferred maintenance, and thin student support services often follow.
Saying schools do not get as much money as they should also invites a debate about the baseline. Should equals what is required to provide small classes, competitive pay, safe buildings, arts and athletics, counselors and nurses, up-to-date materials, and robust programs for students with disabilities and English learners. When those elements are missing, appeals to efficiency ring hollow. At the same time, critics argue that spending has risen without commensurate gains, pressing for governance reforms, targeted investments, and accountability. Both views can be true: funding may be insufficient in aggregate and misaligned in practice.
For a local official, the point becomes a call to reorder public spending and pursue creative solutions: bonds for facilities, dedicated revenue streams, partnerships for teacher housing, and advocacy at the state level. The sentence captures a civic ethic that treats education as infrastructure, the groundwork for social mobility and democratic competence. If schools receive less than they should, the shortfall shows up far beyond the classroom, in frayed opportunity and a future mortgaged by shortsighted budgets.
Quote Details
| Topic | Learning |
|---|
More Quotes by Matt
Add to List
