this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
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I was talking to a friend of mine a while back who was interning with a state legislator. We got on the topic of bake sales for schools and my friend just about flipped his lid.
He went on a good 5 minute rant about how school budgets take these "bake sales" into account, with goals and measures. So in essence, bake sales allow for states to lower the amount of money they would normally get. (Let's ignore the fact that schools in affluent districts often have the time and resources to even have bake sales.)
No one wants to pay for schools. Schools don't win elections. Public safety does. You can still win an election if you don't fund a school but you won't win an election if you're "soft on crime".
Our entire system is fucked up.
Just to put a finer point on it, "public safety" is a dog-whistle for "jackbooted thuggery targeting minorities."
Public education alone would be the biggest factor at reducing crimes. But i guess you cant force children to work like you can with prisons.
System? Is that an euphemism for "voters"? Seems from your description that voters want money for police tanks, not school teachers. And then they end up having the day they voted for.
No I mean our electoral system. I'm not saying voters aren't at fault. They completely are.
But fear is a much more powerful motivator than hope or even the future. (Read: conservatives)
It's much easier to get people scared about some nameless boogyman who is going to invade your house than it is to get people excited about a future of rainbows and lollipops.