Whoops. Forgot the all-important issue o' the day: budget cuts.

I am very, very happy I am a senior this year. I will graduate and flee this town fairly soon. Some of my friends, however, are not quite so lucky. They get to enjoy the post-"We have to cut everything because no one is willing to pay even a tiny bit more in taxes to give our kids a decent education" school system. A school system with fewer teachers, one less class period, fewer advanced classes, fewer electives, almost no extracurriculars (Goodbye, Quiz Bowl. Farewell, Math Team. So long, Student Council, Beta Club, and whatever else is left after last year's cuts), cuts to the sports and music departments' funding (Question: does anyone actually think this will influence Dooley's reign or her method of doing things? Or does it just mean a whole heck of a lot more crappy fundraisers? I'm leaning towards the latter...), and in general, a decrease in the overall quality of education. Heck, they're even taking away art and such from the wee kiddies... No 'specialists'... So if your 2nd grade teacher is arts and craft impaired, your mommy can kiss that refrigerator artwork goodbye.

I feel bad for the people who will be applying for college in the next few years. I can see the admissions officers now: "What, hardly any extracurriculars? (Because if you're not a jock or musically inclined, what's left for you? Nothing...) Not a very challenging classload senior year... (Because after pre-calc, will there be a BC Calc? Or just AB? Or nothing at all? And I fear Problem Solving will fade away... Along with AP Chem and AP Bio, perhaps AP Lit as well... And what will happen to the foreign language department?) Hmm, I guess the test scores are decent, but nothing spectacular. And the essay's a little shaky in spots... Eh, I don't know. Wait-list, maybe..."

Yeah. The future is looking bright indeed.