The Sequester Strikes its First Victims!

[IamSam]

As predicted, sequester cuts will hit those most vulnerable. In this instance it’s the children of the men and women serving in our military. The cuts will impact schools serving those children living on or near military bases almost at once. I grew up in the military, and for us Army brats, the schools were excellent, and I appreciate the education I received from them in my early years.

I can only imagine my Father’s distress had he been serving a tour in Korea or Vietnam, only to find out that the government had closed down or curtailed his daughter’s schooling while he was on the other side of the world and helpless to do anything about it.

I imagine military members doing tours of duty outside the country today will feel no differently than my Dad would have – very worried and concerned.

USA! USA! USA! Your country thanks you.

NOT.

FORT HOOD, Texas Public schools everywhere will be affected by the government's automatic budget cuts, but few may feel the funding pinch faster than those on and around military bases.

The still-fragile economy braced itself for the gradual but potentially grave impact of the across-the-board cuts, which took effect Friday night at the stroke of President Obama's pen. Hours earlier, he and congressional leaders emerged from a White House meeting no closer to an agreement.

...School districts with military ties from coast-to-coast are bracing for increased class sizes and delayed building repairs. Others already have axed sports teams and even eliminated teaching positions, but still may have to tap savings just to make it through year's end.

But there's little hope for softening any future financial blows.
"Next year is scarier than this year," said Sharon Adams, chief financial officer for Muscogee County schools in Georgia. The district serves the U.S. Army's Fort Benning and could lose $300,000 in federal funding out of its $270 million in general funds before the end of the school — and more than four times that in 2013-2014.

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