The Cruelty of Entitlement Mentalities

The Dougherty County School System has had a rough time for a while. Like school systems throughout the state, the DCSS is facing a budget crunch. Unlike many other systems, they are also losing students, an estimated 136 per year. So, to that end, they are trying to do the responsible thing and close some schools.

On Monday night, the first of two public hearings was held for citizens to express any concerns they had. Here is what The Albany Herald reported as one of the “concerns” that was voiced:

These closures will mean that our children’s futures will be crippled even further,” [Louise] Primrose said to a chorus of  “That’s right!” from around the packed board room. “Closing these schools amounts to cruel and unusual punishment for our children. Their future is on hold. Now somebody tell me what is wrong with this picture?

Now, please note that the DCSS is talking about just closing two elementary schools and one middle school. This is out of 16 total schools that the system has currently.

Closing schools is a responsible act, something we’re not used to seeing from government. However, it is possible that the particular schools to be closed may not be the best choice. The system employed a consultant to determine which schools would be closed, and it is entirely possible that the consultant didn’t make the most logical choices.

Too bad that isn’t the argument being presented.

Comments like this highlight a broad problem, both here in Georgia and throughout the nation. Students from the close schools will need to be bussed, like many other Dougherty County students already are. This will create what amounts to a mild inconvenience to these parents. However, it’s an inconvenience that they feel other tax payers should be on the hook for resolving.

People throughout the state, and the nation as a whole, believe they are entitled for the government to provide for them. This is clear whenever the subject of budget cuts comes up. Folks generally argue that government spends – or, more accurately, wastes – way too much money. However, when the specifics come up, the argument becomes, where do we cut? Seniors don’t want Social Security touched.

Progressives refuse to budge on welfare programs. Conservatives won’t even talk about cutting the Department of Defense. They just won’t talk about it.

All sides will do as Ms. Primrose did, and use evocative language to try and sway opinions to their way of thinking. Most won’t call it “cruel and unusual punishment” to make a student travel a bit longer to go to school (Albany isn’t that big, after all), but the mentality that creates it is all too common.

The truth of the matter is that it’s “cruel and unusual punishment” for taxpayers to be saddled with having to pay for
another’s convenience. Unfortunately, the entitlement mentality must be defeated before we will ever truly be able to attain real freedom in this nation.

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