Balancing the bailout on the backs of school children

So, on the parent listserv, one person made a comment something to the effect of balancing the financial bailout on the backs of public school kids. 

Everyday when I pick up the paper it's like reading some fairy tale gone awry with the bad guys totally triumphing in the end. Give billions to financiers with no strings attached and at the same time send out funding restrictions that will destroy public education. At lot more than one child will be left behind.

I learned on the listserv that our school in particular is a target, because it is the biggest, 7-12th grade, the school central office decides the easiest way to save money is to ask our school to cut almost 20% of its teaching staff.  It will cease to function as a viable educational institution.

Today, the state legislature of MA got a 5.5% pay raise. The governor, Deval Patrick, brushed off criticism saying that $61,440 isn't a lot of money.