California Teacher of the Year laid off

March 14, 12:29 PMProgressive Politics ExaminerJay McDonough

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Debbie Winsteen was chosen California's "Teacher of the Year" last year.  Yesterday she was laid off.

"My immediate anger, right now, is with our state legislators and the governor, and my board of education," Winsteen told KFWB. "Our fate, and the fate of our kids, is in their hands.

School districts have handed out more than 25,000 pink slips statewide in the face of about $11 billion in state cuts to education funding, according to the California Teachers Association.

The state Legislature approved deep budget cuts -- including to education -- and raised taxes last month to cope with a budget gap of nearly $42 billion over the next 18 months.

With budget shortfalls reaching $718 million for the 2009-10 school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District announced possible layoffs for 8,846 teachers and administrative staff. (Link)

Hey, what do you expect?  You want the state of California to place more priority on education than it does making sure some pot user does serious time?  Get a grip.