[LM_NET] Skills Act clarification

[LIZANELL BOMAN <lizanellb@MSN.COM>]

I've received a couple of quite heated responses so I wanted to clarify something.  
I am NOT saying we should not support the SKILLS act.  I was merely voicing my 
hesitation and asking for help in educating myself on the issue in a more complete 
manner. 

In my opinion,  another federal mandate with no funding attached doesn't help kids. 
 It merely forces schools to choose the lesser of two evils.  A federal mandate is 
what got us in this mess in the first place!  If the SKILLs act will provide 
schools with the funding needed to 'upgrade' their library services, I'm for it, 
but it does cost more to hire a certified library media specialist than it does to 
hire a para-professional, aide or clerk to  run the library, especially when that 
person doesn't have benefits and is paid hourly instead of salary.  I know Utah 
isn't the only state that does this!  

Certified media specialists are required in the secondary school because of 
accreditation; elementary schools, middle/junior high schools that don't cover 
ninth grade,   Hourly employees (at least in Utah schools, in my experience) have a 
set number of hours the school is willing to pay for, there is no 'overtime'.  
Often, if a project like inventory needs to be done, it's done on the para's own 
time or it's not done because the school admin doesn't want to close the library or 
cancel teacher's precious 'prep' time.

So, really, the point of this post is to ask those of you more knowledgeable than 
me.  IS there funding attached to this bill?  And if there is not, how do we 
convince the legislature that the funding is needed?

Lizanell Boman
Secondary Library Media Specialist
American Leadership Academy
Spanish Fork, Utah
lboman@americanleadership.net<mailto:lboman@americanleadership.net> or 
lizanellb@msn.com<mailto:lizanellb@msn.com>

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
  You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
  by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET  2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL  4) SET LM_NET DIGEST  * Allow for confirmation.
 * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
 * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
 * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/
 * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
 * LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------