NASA vs. Public Schools Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

NASA vs. Public Schools Dozens of cupcakes arrive at Cape Canaveral, baked and iced by astronauts and their spouses. The heads of NASA believe this fundraiser will save the space program for the next year. After all, if everyone who cares about the future of the last frontier buys a cupcake, we can save the funding of the space program. Yeah, right! Sadly, our country spends 13.5 billion dollars on space exploration but can't find enough funding for our public schools. (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/congress/budget1.html) The United States is the richest nation on our planet. Yet, parent clubs all over the country spend volunteer time raising money for public schools. Why do we not have enough funding for our public schools and who is responsible for our lack of funds? An article on NASA's website shows me a testimony by NASA Administrator, Dan Goldin, who spoke before the U.S. House of Representative's subcommittee after the NASA budget received an eleven-percent reduction in funding. Mr. Goldin feels outrage that the space program would be expected to function on such restricted funding. Goldin states this kind of cut would "gut space exploration." With closures of NASA centers and significant layoffs, Mr. Goldin predicts this budget cut will affect employee morale. Mr. Goldin poignantly states, "Perhaps most sadly, we will lose the opportunity to inspire a future generation of children." (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/Goldin/2000/testimony) Goldin's issue is the reduction in his budget. In my experience with budgets, reduction of the budget means, Goldin and his team are going to have to cut costs. Reading between the lines of his argument, I presume the eleven-percent are costs he does not want to cut. It must be his beli... ...ronomers, or engineers to further our advancing future. We must concentrate on the educational funding of our nation. I perceive the National PTA to have a valid mission in the lives of our children and education. Instead of raising funds through the community, perhaps we can become political advocates and persuade our politicians to allocate necessary funds to our public education; instead of baking cupcakes. Cupcakes in hand, I head to my next PTA fundraiser. I realize cupcakes are not going to save the education system for the next year, just as they cannot save a space program. After all, we do care about the future of education for our children. We need to analyze our issues and decide how to go about trimming the state educational budget. NASA can live through the budget cuts without cupcakes and so can our educational system. But for now, cupcake, anyone?