Winston-Salem Journal

With a projected revenue shortfall of approximately $4 billion, legislators are making painful spending cuts. But one proposed by House members responsible for the education budget is just unacceptable, no matter how large the deficit.

North Carolina cannot afford to pare five days from the 2009-10 school calendar and 10 from the year following. The $100 million in projected savings in the first year, and $200 million in the second, is a classic example of being “penny wise and pound foolish.”

When House education-budget leaders proposed the cut, skeptics smiled. It appeared to be a ploy to force cuts elsewhere or hike taxes. But the smiles quickly disappeared when legislative leaders confirmed that the school year might really be shortened.

This would be a horrible move, first of all, in educational terms.

At 180 days a year, American children already have one of the shortest school calendars among industrialized nations. Children in the countries with which America will compete in the 21st century already attend for as many as 240 days a year.

North Carolina cannot afford to go backward in this competition. Instead, we should be moving forward, expanding the school year and giving our children better and stronger educational opportunities. The skills our children must master in school are growing, not shrinking. They need more math, science and technology training, and more focus on communication and economics.

A cut in the school year could also be disastrous to the state’s business climate. A savings of $300 million over two years is significant, but compared to what may be lost to the state’s educational reputation, it is a pittance.

North Carolina’s population has grown so much in recent decades, and our business climate has improved so significantly, in large part because our public schools are sound. With this cut, we would be telling business leaders that our commitment to top-notch schools is limited to good times, not bad.

If the state were to cut the school year, the savings would come largely from teachers. Already underpaid, they’d lose income when furloughed for five or 10 days. Given that there is a national teacher shortage and that retaining good, young teachers has been a serious challenge here, North Carolina would be inviting teachers to find other careers.

Finally, we ask where children will go for the week. Many struggling families will be hit with the need to pay for an extra week of day care.

House leaders say the calendar cut is still on the table. They should remove it immediately. It is a foolish proposal and one that would do great harm to our children, economy and teachers.