Rising Cost to attend Public Schools

The poorest of families cannot participate in the cost of school activities.

(CFN-Memphis TN Sept-2008) - 40 years ago, one of the biggest costs to attend public schooling was a subscription to the Weekly Reader. While on a tight budget, many families found the funds to support their children with this joyful addition to their education.

Today the cost to participate in many of the public schools activities are out of reach for many families. While skyrocketing energy, medical and the basic cost of maintaining a household has increased drastically, the public schools has their shar of increased cost to bare as well.

The result has put participating in schol activities even moreso out of reach for the lower income family.

So is the same with basic education numbers of reading and math as compiled by national organizations. For example, did you know that the Memphis City Schools under performs in every area of reading and math as compared to students on a whole in the State of Tennessee? The only group that out performs as it relates to reading and math are caucasian students. All other groups are under performing as of 2007.
(see this online website)

40 Years later...and Still No Pension
No clear answers on how to include sanitation workers into City's Pension

(CFN-Memphis TN 7-2008) - The most recent developments in the Memphis sanitation workers plight seems to be the unknown cost or procedure for including new or existing sanitation workers into the city of Memphis' pension plan and getting the city's administration to engage in these talks along with other pressing health and safety issues within the Public Works department.
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