Category: Blog

Can Small Businesses Survive This Christmas?

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[Supported by] Black Friday, Cyber Monday and, [now], Small Business Saturday, [sales made in] November and December […] represent as much as 40% of yearly retail stores sales, according to the National Retail Federation. [With] Thanksgiving [falling] so late on the calendar [in 2013], [though] there are six fewer shopping days between [then] and Christmas. […] On top of that, Hanukkah fell on Thanksgiving [this year], which last happened in 1888 and won’t happen again during our lifetime. This leaves only 26 shopping days left to buy stuff. […] Can small businesses […] survive into 2014?

Who are these small-business owners [who] may not be around next year? One section is immigrants who, since the beginning of America, have been the backbone of small-business retailers. [F]or centuries, there has been a merchant class [in Europe] that had a long history of selling products into established clientele. Many laws [there] protect these small retailers against bigger competitors. In America, [though], the desire to throw yourself wholeheartedly into your business by putting in long hours and becoming a beacon where relatives follow you and work for you to have room and board is part of the price of entry into retailing for many […] immigrants. Much like the family farm, [this] has become the family store for the immigrant classes to start their life in the “New World.”

Another section of small-business retailers who have emerged are entrepreneurs. […] Some may have worked for big stores and felt they could do it better; [and] others may be following an idea they have been honing since they first started shopping. These entrepreneurs are disciplined and […] focused on making their business work. These individuals are confident and don’t ask questions about whether they can succeed or are even worthy of success, because they know their business will succeed. They [know] that every situation is a business opportunity [and] that if something needs to be done, they have the ability to start it themselves. They are competitive, […] creative and can make a connection between seemingly unrelated events, [b]ut, most of all, they are passionate and genuinely love the products they sell in their stores.

We know we have to support small businesses. The government has an important division known as the U.S. Small Business Administration. Retired, successful business people know that our small businesses must survive, so they have formed [the] Service Core of Retired Executives, [or SCORE], whose mission is to mentor and grow small businesses across America. […]

Americans have tried not to forget about their neighbors running the small businesses in their towns. In 2012, when Small Business Saturday fell on November 24, [before Thanksgiving], $5.5 billion was spent at small businesses. [Last year], 100 million people participated in Small Business Saturday, […] but, obviously, this number is surpassed by the 247 million who shopped on Black Friday.

Retailers know that an increase in sales cures most problems, and, evidently, a decrease in sales creates most problems. None of us want to see more and more of these small businesses going out of business, [b]ut unless all of us step up and buy locally rather than have these local dollars go to an unknown chain corporate office outside of our city, we will see more and more of our neighbors’ businesses disappear. Local retailers give a city its character. When you think America is the true melting pot of characters, we have to support small businesses.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/can-small-businesses-surv_b_4361763.html

It Really Does Take a Village

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The partial government shutdown for 16 days caused some Americans to lose hope in our democratic way of life. If our elected officials can’t get along, what does that say about how the normal citizen can get along with their neighbors? If we can’t take care of ourselves and the basic functions of daily living, how can we even expect [to] take care of others? […]

Even though Congress postponed the inevitable with the recent passage of the funding of the government and raising the debt ceiling, both issues were just kicking the can down the road until Jan. 15, 2014, for the budget and Feb. 7, 2014, for the debt ceiling. Through all of this, the country forgot about the sequestration that started on March 1, 2013.

As reported in The Washington Post, the impact of this sequester has become very harsh to those in our society in the most need. […] Head Start,[for instance], [plans to cut] 177,000 children from their program, which [was designed to help] young children from low-income families. […] President Johnson [launched Head Start in 1965] as part of his “War on Poverty” [campaign]. In addition to the suffering we are inflicting on Head Start, 1.3 million fewer students will receive Title I education assistance, which distributes funding to schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families. On top of all of this, […] there will be 9,000 fewer special-education staff [members] in our classrooms and $291 million less [in] childcare subsidies for working families.

This […] sequestration not only affects kids, it is affecting other parts of our society. [Approximately] 760,000 […] households will receive less heating and cooling assistance under the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program. [Additionally], $2 billion less is being sent to the National Institutes of Health, which corresponds with 1,300 fewer research grants. [I]t goes on and on. […]

We are approaching another holiday season, [and while it doesn’t feel very] festive after living through these 16 days of dysfunction, […] the spirit of America seems to be alive even though our leaders can’t get along. The boots-on-the-ground Americans are rising above the fray in Washington, D.C., to help those who need help:

  • WGGB in Springfield, Mass., reports the “Coats for Kids” campaign has begun to collect gently used coats to help families in need. The Salvation Army has been doing this campaign to help those who need it most for 33 years.
  • WKRC in Cincinnati reports how local law enforcement officers are getting child seats into the hands of those who cannot afford them so all children will be safer on the roads. […]
  • The Coshocton Tribune reports about the “Rags to Riches” clothing drive, where Ridgewood Elementary has taken the lead in helping to collect clothes for the underprivileged children in their town in Ohio.

Helping others who are struggling is a core American value that […] has to get stronger. […] Volunteering is great, but we are at a point that people will not survive unless all of us step in to help financially. We have all seen image[s] of the Great Depression in the 1930s, where America looked like a third-world country, and none of us have the desire to see that again in 2014. Most communities have The Salvation Army and The United Way. […] Nationally, the Children’s Defense Fund and Kids in Distressed Situations help get the funds where they are most needed. […]

NBC reported that [in] Marion, Iowa, [many women] have stepped in to help low-income mothers who depend on WIC, the federally funded nutrition program for women, infants and children. They are handing out baby food, formula and cereal to those who used to rely on the government to help them. This scene needs to repeat itself in every city and town across America. We have to take care of each other now, because […] we can’t [always] count on our government to take care of those most in need.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/it-really-does-take-a-vil_b_4254526.html

Brother, Can You Spare a Milk-Bone®?

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The effort in the recent Colorado floods shows our rescue missions for animals have come a long way since the pet loss disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, where people would not evacuate for fear of leaving their pets. CBS reported that some helicopters rescuing people in the Colorado flooding carried more dogs, cats and fish than people. Rescuers, using zip lines to evacuate people over the enlarged raging rivers, also risked their lives to make sure the animal members of the families were safe. The National Guard took the posture that including the pets in the rescue helped convince reluctant residents to leave their homes. Once the pets were on dry ground, the Red Cross shelters had water bowls, on-site kennels and other supplies so the already anxious evacuees would not have to be separated from their pets.

If we can rally around a disaster to ensure our four-legged companions are safe, why can’t we do the same in our day-in, day-out regular life? You have an ex-marine in Glennie, Mich., accused of torturing five dogs and six horses. In August, we had the second-largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history affecting 372 dogs in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Georgia. These dogs ranged in age between a few days and 12 years old and were left to suffer in life-threatening heat with no visible fresh water or food, while some were tethered by chains and cables to cinder blocks and car tires. [T]hen you have an animal control officer in Long Island facing multiple charges because he had 850 snakes in his house and garage. When does our morality [related to] the sacredness of kindness in life kick in?

There are success stories. In Monticello, Ky., 80 dogs were rescued from a puppy mill. The Brown County Animal Center near Cincinnati was going to have to euthanize eight dogs at the end of the week, so they started a campaign for adoptions, and 10 dogs were adopted in time. [I]n all reality, [though], there are just not enough success stories to brag about.

The fourth quarter of the year is when we celebrate all kinds of holidays that reinforce our commitment to each other. We also should be taking care of the cats and dogs that are not as fortunate to have secure homes. We can help those suffering in Colorado from people to animals, [and] if you […] want to volunteer to help all animals in all cities, The Humane Society has a wonderful program to join their animal rescue team, where you can help save animals who are the victims of illegal animal cruelty and natural disasters. […]

In 2012, according to Statistic Brain, there were a little over 5,000 animal shelters in the United States. Five million animals entered these shelters, and 3.5 million were euthanized. […] Taxpayers pay $2 billion annually to round up, house and dispose of homeless animals. […] [T]hese numbers are mind-boggling, [y]et we only think about these poor victims when there is a flood in Colorado or a dog-fighting raid in Alabama. Since the majority of us are pet owners and pet lovers, these blameless animals that need our help every day should be at the top of our minds. Helping to support animals in need is the core of our decency. These innocent animals give us much happiness; let’s do everything we can to eliminate their pain and suffering and get them into loving homes.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/brother-can-you-spare-a-milkbone_b_4037328.html

It’s Too Expensive to Go to College Anymore

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According to the [United States] Census Bureau, there are 59 million people 25 years or older who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Business [remains] the most popular major, with 12 million [graduates], while [e]ducation [is] the second most popular, with 8 million [graduates]. The median income for high school [graduates]—[those] who [have] never [gone] to college—is $28,659 [annually]. [F]or those with some college [education] but no degree, it is $32,036 [per year], [while] those with a college degree [earn] $49,648 [annually], and those with professional degrees [bring home] $87,356. This translates [into average] lifetime earnings of $3.3 million for a doctoral degree, $2.3 million for a college degree and $1.3 million for a high school diploma.

According to CollegeData.com, the average yearly budget to attend an in-state public university is $22,261, [and t]he average [to attend] a private college is $43,289. CNN reports that the average college student in the class of 2013 faces $35,200 in debt. Putting that into perspective, the profile of the average U.S. household consumer debt shows we all owe $15,263 in credit card debt, $147,591 in mortgage debt and $31,646 in student loan debt. In total, American consumers [currently] owe $11.15 trillion in debt, of which $994 billion is in student loans, a 4% increase from 2012.

In an article in The Huffington Post this summer, [the author] predicted that student loan debt will exceed the median annual income for college grads by 2023. This is on top of the wages of college graduates actually dropping 5.4% over the last decade. Considering that Congress [has] finally agreed […], after months of haggling, to stabilize the interest rate for college loans, […] at least the uncertainty of future interest [rate] hikes has been eliminated for families facing this huge debt.

Just about every parent (94%) says they want their child to attend college, [s]o, with that encouragement, nearly 68% of high school graduates [have] started out for college (44% of these kids to community college). Compare that to 43% of Americans [who] attend church regularly and 50% of adults [who] are married [currently, and] [c]ollege is now more popular [than] religion or spouses!

In the end, only 54% of these kids actually graduate within six years of starting college, [s]o we have all these students with high hopes and dreams going in, but only about half graduate and join society with crazy student loan debt.

We would all love scholarships for our kids, but that does not happen to most. This weak economy of ours is forcing institutions to limit their generosity in scholarships and financial aid, so the average student takes on more debt than the generation before. Anyone wanting to go to college needs to explore every option for help. The Council for Opportunity in Education is a nonprofit organization […] dedicated to expanding college opportunities for low-income, first-generation students, veterans and students with disabilities. Sites to help find money and scholarships include Fast Web, FinAid and Student Aid Alliance. If you want to help fulfill kids’ dreams of going to college, look into Scholarship America to help with a donation. […]

America is the land of dreams and opportunity. Anyone who is passionate enough to want a college education should be afforded the opportunity to at least try. It would be just great if we could make a college education free just like we do a high school education, but each of us in our right mind knows this is a pipe dream, [s]o the $35,000 in student debt will turn into $45,000 for the next generation and so on. A college degree is worth a million dollars more than a high school degree over your lifetime. Being well-educated is priceless. I guess the risk of adding to your debt may be worth the reward of being a strong contributor to our economic future. I just wish it did not hurt so much.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/its-too-expensive-to-go-t_b_3935231.html

Teachers Have It Rough, but Kids Are the Ones Who Suffer

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With the start of the school year, we have yet another terrifying shooting incident—[this latest], at the McNair Discovery Learning Academy […] in Decatur, Ga., [occurred] less than a year […] from the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. Between Newtown and Decatur, the United States has [witnessed] 12 other shootings at schools.

I just can’t [imagine] how much stress this puts on all teachers. Our dedicated teachers do what they do because they have a passion to help mold the future of this country, foster creativity in young people, develop character in students and help people lead productive lives. They become teachers because of their sense of service. Having to protect kids from shootings was not part of their original job description—but it is now.

[O]n top of the stress to protect our kids, salaries have not moved much for teachers during the recession […], [b]ut what has moved […] is the money teachers take out of their own pockets to help their kids. According to USA Today, teachers will be spending an average of $400 out of their own pockets for classroom supplies […] this fall, […] up 3% from last year.

Mallori Lucas, a language arts teacher in Valparaiso, Indiana, says, “Of course we’re not forced to spend our money, [b]ut some of these kids don’t even get breakfast before they come to school, so we buy those snacks and treats.”

[T]he National Center for Education has school spending on supplies at 4.1% of the budget today compared to 8.1% [a decade ago]. Kids still need the same amount of supplies and learning materials they needed 10 years ago, but it does not look like our schools have this in their budgets.

Teachers by nature are resourceful, considering that last year, they took $3 billion out of their own pockets to help their kids, and they are going to spend even more this year. You can see this inventive behavior with what happened all over the country this summer as teachers anticipated they needed to help their students more than ever.

  • Elementary school teacher Mary Loung started Educycle, which helps other teachers sell or pass along [usable] school materials and shop for supplies they need in their classrooms. Businesses can also donate any surpluses to schools through Educycle.
  • The Chicago Sun Times reports that David Zine and Peter Baker, high school social study teachers from Aurora, rode their bicycles to Seattle to raise money for Best Buddies, a nonprofit that partners special-needs and general-education students to help forge friendships.
  • The Memphis Business Journal talks about […] Elizabeth Monda […], one of the first teachers to use the [crowdfunding] site PledgeCents […] to raise $4,000 for materials for her students. […]

How did we, as a well-educated society, get ourselves into this mess where we are putting so much stress on the teachers who we entrust with our kids every day? School should be a sanctuary of learning, maturing and growing our children into the next greatest generation. Instead, teachers worry about bullets and having enough money for the basic functions needed to educate the leaders of tomorrow.

Our current leaders have raised taxes, have us in a sequestration and can’t agree on anything to help move this country forward. Nothing has changed since Newtown, except we are spending less to help our teachers teach our kids to be decent and honorable. It is the teachers of today with their dedication and determination who will set the example for their students by their actions of caring and giving. The rest of us need to support these public servants and ease their personal burden of doing the right thing for our kids.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/teachers-have-it-roughbut_b_3805308.html

Back to School: It’s Make-It-or-Break-It Time for the Economy

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Spending this fall for students K-12 is expected to drop 12%, according to a National Retail Federation survey reported in The Wall Street Journal. The average that will be spent on each kid is $634.78, down from $688.62 in 2012. Even those going to college are expecting decreases from $836.80 this year [compared to] $907.22 last year.

[I]t looks like the payroll tax hike, the sequestration and the continued sluggish job market are finally going to rear their ugly heads during the first major sales season of the year. This is troublesome news for retailers, because the back-to-school (BTS) season is like the canary in the coal mine; BTS sales trends historically predict how the holiday fourth-quarter sales will turn out. [I]n another BTS warning about the economy, 47.7% of college students expect to live at home [in 2013], up from 42.9% in 2012.

These depressing numbers tell us that the American family has begun to focus on the needs of their children for BTS rather than the wants of their kids. If working Americans are having trouble getting their kids ready for BTS, what about the children in families stuck in poverty or not working at all? According to The Hechinger Report, poverty is getting so concentrated in America that one [in] five public schools is classified as “high poverty” […] by the U.S. Department of Education. To be classified as [a] high-poverty [school], 75% of [its] elementary, middle or high school students must qualify for […] free or reduced-price [lunches].

Moyers & Co. reports that […] poverty affects 46.2 million people [in the United States], [including] 16.1 million children. […] Deep poverty, [or a household income below] $11,510 [annually] for a family of four, hits 20.4 million people, [or] one in 15 Americans. On top of all this, we have 1,065,794 homeless students enrolled in U.S. preschools and K-12 schools, and […] only 48% of poor children are ready for school by the age of five, compared to 75% of children from moderate- and high-income families.

[W]e have parents who are going to be spending less on their children for BTS, [a]nd we have poverty creating a major burden for schools to figure out how to deal with accommodating these kids’ needs. This is a bleak time for not only our economy but to the answer of how we cope with an all-inclusive society so that no child is left behind.

Some organizations are rising to the occasion with drives to provide the underprivileged with what they need to go back to school with dignity—staples like backpacks, school supplies and clothes. Fox News reported [that] in St. Louis, the National Council of Jewish Women brought a “[b]ack-to-[s]chool store” to 1,200 children in need. […] The Broomfield Enterprise in Colorado reports the organization Crayons to Calculators hopes to provide 9,000 students with new backpacks full of supplies [in 2013]. The City Wire in Arkansas reports on [a] “Stuff the Bus” campaign supported by the United Way, where bright yellow buses will be scattered throughout Fort Smith to collect school supplies for children in need [for] the ninth year. We can all help online at Operation Backpack, where they are gathering backpacks for New York City children in need. […]

We have been putting up with this recession since late 2007. It has been close to six years where the poor are getting poorer, the needy are getting needier, and now it looks like our schoolchildren will be getting less. Spending less for BTS is a major blow to our economy, and when word of this decrease becomes widespread, it will be a major blow to the American psyche. As Americans, we have to do what we can do to ensure the long-term survival of our educational system, because all these kids—rich and poor—are our future. Dig deep into your pockets and help out your local backpack drive by donating backpacks, school supplies or cash so they can buy what is needed for the underprivileged. If you are a parent or grandparent, spend a little more on your kids for BTS so we can prove the predictions wrong. If this BTS season is truly less than last year, then we are in for a long, cold fall and winter retail season, which will keep us in this recession for another year.

Original article here:https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/back-to-school-its-make-i_b_3671731.html

To Give or Not to Give

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Every day, we read about famous Americans supporting nonprofit organizations, [whether it’s] Warren Buffett, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, [the] Lilly Endowment, the Walton Family Foundation or the Ford Foundation. [Many wealthy] and middle-class Americans [alike] give because it is the right thing to do, and they do not need recognition because philanthropy is an expression of personal and family values.

The New York Times recently reported about how many buildings in New York [City] have their donors’ names on them. There are many reasons donors want their name on a building, including getting proper recognition for being a philanthropist and inspiring others to contribute to causes you believe will make a difference. On the other side, there are many reasons to give anonymously, such as being able to give credit to those performing the services rather than those providing funding, [as well as] ensuring you won’t be overwhelmed by other [organizations] chasing you for money and [exposing] your [potentially] deep pockets if you […] get involved in [any] litigation.

Judeo-Christian [beliefs] caution us against self-promotion, which would tend to support anonymous giving. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches that “when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets” [and] “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret.” The Jewish sage Maimonides wrote, “It is best that the giver and receiver not know each other’s identities—in this way, the poor person’s dignity is preserved.”

I was recently moved when I saw on national TV a story about “The Kalamazoo Promise,” [a] scholarship program started in 2005 for all graduates of Kalamazoo, Mich., public schools. It is funded by anonymous donors who pay up to 100% of tuition […] to Michigan’s colleges and universities. [As a result] of [this] program […], the school district has grown by 16%, which helps the economy of the city; test scores have improved; and a greater proportion of high-school graduates are attending college. […] There are now over 20 [similar] scholarship programs around this great country. […]

What are the real reasons we give […] our time and money? Helping others who are struggling is an act of compassion that most Americans are taught as we grow up. Community service is not political, and it is not mandated by the state; [i]t is something that comes from deep within our core values. A true definition of this can be seen with the Society of Secret Santas, who give away $100 bills of their own money to the needy to help reinforce the self-worth and image of those they help, as well as [to] show unconditional love to those who feel society has stopped caring about them. We do not know who these Secret Santas are—[t]hey give in anonymity, they [lead] by example, and they [share] their wealth in a humble, selfless way. They show compassion through random acts of kindness, tapping into the human spirit by giving the recipient hope and belief.

“Promise” organizations, the Secret Santas and […] other anonymous givers set the stage to teach our kids about the selflessness of being kind. Whether it is cleaning out your closet to help a charitable organization, spending time to help the elderly, or volunteering to help a neighbor do yard work or shovel snow, the examples we […] set today […] will influence how the next generation views their obligations to others. […]

All of us want our children to be smart, funny and athletic, but much of those traits depend on the child’s genetic makeup. Being kind, though, is an entirely learned behavior that is influenced by how the kid’s parents and mentors react to different situations. Setting an example of how to be kind to others, whether you shout your generosity from the highest building or you give to others anonymously, may be the best lesson we pass on to those who will eventually take our place.

Original article here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/to-give-or-not-to-give_b_3480094.html

Charity is in Our DNA

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Since the beginning of America, we have been a giving people.

  • [I]n 1630, [Pilgrams] relied on each other to survive the harsh winters. The settlers raised each other’s barns, hosted quilting bees for the community, and built common areas in their towns.
  • Benjamin Franklin, the founding father of American volunteerism, […] gathered volunteers to sweep the streets of Philadelphia, organized the nation’s first volunteer fire department, established a voluntary militia and organized a philosophical society. His philosophy was “individuals working together, un-coerced, for the common good.”
  • In the 1830s, two groups who felt their lack of power—women, who had no right to vote, and the clergy, whose political authority was weakened by the constitutional separation of church and state—formed benevolent societies to focus on issues [like] slavery, cruelty, drinking, illiteracy and more.

[Our passion for giving] continues [today] with the forming of the Red Cross, local libraries, community parks, defeating polio with the March of Dimes, and Paul Newman’s Foundation donating $300 million of [its] profits to his “Hole in the Wall” camps for kids with serious diseases and helping the nonprofit, Feeding America. […]

Many of us participate in charity in some form. It can be as simple as taking cookies to an aging neighbor or donating items you no longer use to a good cause. The Corporation for National & Community Service reports that 64.3 million Americans volunteered in a formal organization [in 2012], an increase of 1.5 million from [2011]. This is 26.8% of the population giving 7.9 billion hours, which has a value of $171 billion. The four most popular service activities were fundraising or selling items to raise money (26.2%); collecting, preparing, distributing or serving food (23.6%); engaging in general labor or transportation (20.3%); and tutoring or teaching (18.2%). One in three volunteers is […] age 55 and older, giving this group a lifetime of experience to tap into to help those in the greatest need.

According to the World Giving Index, the United States was the fifth most charitable nation [in 2012]. Australia was first, followed by Ireland, Canada and New Zealand. […] We [Americans] like to be No. 1 at everything, so it’s surprising [to me] we don’t even finish in the top three! Is it because we have lost the passion of our forefathers, or are we just too selfish to help others because the “me” generation stretches from birth to death?

This country has been so successful because it reaches out to others through immigration; government-sponsored help like social security, head-start [programs] and food stamps; and nonprofit organizations who coordinate projects from feeding the poor to aiding the homeless to providing for the sick. More of us have volunteered this year than last year, but we are still not at the point where we lead the world in kindness.

[The year 2013 is when] we need to pull the charity gene out of our DNA and use it to help our fellow Americans. Our economic recovery is still quite tough, and we are many years away from [returning to] where we were before [the] recession. More people need […] help now because [of] the [recent] implementation of […] sequestration. […] If you can’t make the time to volunteer to help others, at least give some financial support. Online, the Network for Good and Just [Giving] are a good start to help nonprofits needing our backing. […]

More than 200 years ago, [Benjamin] Franklin felt the average citizen must share in a commitment to the greater good of their community and their country. [Today], volunteering still forms the core of the American character. It is who we are and how we pass on freedom and caring to the next generation. Maybe that is one reason that seniors volunteer at a higher rate than our children. […] Now, if we can teach the younger generations to care more about others, perhaps we can become the No. 1 most charitable nation, just like our forefathers [envisioned].

Original article here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/charity-is-in-our-dna_b_3385806.html

Sequestration: Public-school Kids, Teachers the Big Losers

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Here we are at the end of another school year, and, once again, teachers throughout the United States are facing uncertainty. Will they have a job next school year, and, if so, will their classroom balloon to unmanageable sizes? Congress has not acted, and now the impact of sequestration on federal educational programs is beginning to take hold.

According to The Atlantic, the worst victims of the education sequester are special-needs students and poor kids—the students who need our protection the most. […] Title 1 (federal support for low-income school districts) and Head Start […] serve these children. The Department of Education’s financial support is up to 25% of educational spending for special-needs students. Of the $78 billion in federal spending on elementary [and] secondary schools, half goes to Title 1, special education and Head Start. [One-]third goes to support school lunches, improvements and aid. The National Education Association estimates that 7.4 million students and 49,365 school personnel will be affected as the sequester takes hold. School districts are obligated by law to provide services to special-education students, [b]ut with these cuts, […] children with the most needs may be crammed into crowded, unsafe classrooms and […] receive less speech or physical therapy. Other consequences of these cuts may be more subtle—school districts becoming more reluctant to classify kids with disabilities […] and local districts reducing art and music education for non-special-education kids to make up for this budget gap. […]

So why would anyone in their right mind want to be [a teacher], a job that is constantly under attack? […] We all know that when there is uncertainty in our job[s] or in our lives, we don’t perform [as well]. We worry about getting a paycheck at the end of the week, how we are going to pay the mortgage, and what [e]ffect all of this will have on our family. Uncertainty creates doubt, which undermines our performance and, in the case of teachers, will rob our kids of the quality of education they deserve.

With Congress involved, [as well as] state and local politicians, how can one parent or concerned citizen make a difference and help our teachers help our kids? There is a wonderful group, the National Teachers Assistance Organization, that is taking donations for professional assistance for teachers. At Donors Choose, public school teachers post classroom project requests, and you can donate to the project that most inspires you. At Start Donating, they match donors with teachers in need of supplies. […]

This is also the time ordinary Americans need to be communicating with their representatives in the House and in the Senate. […] [A lack of] action on their part has caused […] crucial programs like Head Start and special education to fail [those] needing the most help. Just about every teacher I have ever known teaches because they want to help others and are passionate about what they teach. We need our teachers to focus on their passion and not have to worry about if they are the next ones to lose their jobs because our political leaders could not act to protect the educational system [that], for so many years, has been the backbone of our society.

As our teachers finish this school year and start to prepare for the next school year, let’s hope our leaders come to their senses before it is too late for our kids and, in the long run, the future of this country.

Original article here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/public-school-kids-and-te_b_3211596.html

Pet Care: Why Don’t We Care Every Month of the Year?

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April has more pet-awareness events than any other time of year. It is the ASPCA’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, [the] American Red Cross’ National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, National Heart-worm Awareness Month, National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, National Pet ID Week, National Kids and Pets Day, National Hairball Awareness Day, World Veterinary Day, International Guide Dog Day, and National Adopt-a-Shelter-Pet Day. Why do we care so much about our animals for us to celebrate them so often in just one month?

[Nearly every day], the news [reports] a bizarre story of humans’ disregard for animals. Today, it may be the 100 animals rescued at a home in Howell, N.J., or the 20 horses in Larimer County, Colo., rescued from a ranch; tomorrow, it could be the 60 malnourished dogs rescued in Monroe, Conn., or the pet groomer accused of aggravated animal cruelty in Slidell, La. County by county, state by state, human cruelty to animals happens every day, everywhere.

According to the ASPCA, there are 5,000 community animal shelters nationwide, and close to seven million animals enter these shelters each year. Sixty percent of the dogs and 70% of the cats are euthanized. Only 2% of cats and 20% of dogs are returned to their owners from shelters because they are identified with tags, tattoos or microchips. More than 20% of people who leave a dog at a shelter adopted [the dog] from a shelter.

Now consider that 62% of American households have a pet. We own 78.2 million dogs and 86.4 million cats. The average cost of basic food, supplies, medical care and training for dogs and cats is $750 each per year. Inc. magazine reported that in 2012, the pet industry did $52.87 billion in sales, and [the publication] rank[s] “pet care” as the seventh best industry to enter if you are an entrepreneur looking to start a business. This industry includes grooming, pet hotels, online sales, retail pet stores, innovative pet product manufacturing and even pet funerals.

So how come such a large industry can’t step into our daily lives and help all these poor animals in need? Why do we even need to have a month like April, filled with reminders […] cruelty to animals [is still at] the forefront of the news? I don’t have the answer to this because it cuts to the core of human nature, and it’s not only about how we treat our beloved best animal friends but […] how we treat each other.

If the pet industry can’t step up and use some of their profits to help the less-fortunate animals and to help fund the 5,000 animal shelters, then it falls back on all of us. […] The people of Dallas County, Texas, have stepped up and […] funded a [new] unit in their District Attorney’s office that strictly focuses on cases involving harm to animals. All the major animal rights groups—the ASPCA, the Humane Society and the American Humane Association—gladly will take your donations to support their humanitarian causes. […]

The majority of us own pets. […] The unconditional love our pets give us transcends work issues, family conflicts, death and divorce, [s]o, during this month-long celebration honoring our best friends, do the right thing. Give […] your money to help these shelters and caring organizations ease the burden for these defenseless animals. Volunteer at your local shelter to help these animals cope with being alone. None of us want to be alone, and your simple act of kindness goes a long way for animals who can’t talk for themselves.

Original article here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/april-animal-awareness_b_2964019.html