How many teachers will lose their jobs?

The budget for public schools in Nevada will be cut 6.9 percent to fix a 22 percent reduction in revenue.

And comfy spend-every-dime legislators say "whew". It could have been oh so much worse. But still, they warn, how many teachers will lose their jobs because of the "cut".

I get so tired of this legislative dance.

The answer is that no teacher will lose his or her job. It's a 6.9 percent cut in the budget not a "cut" into last year's actual spending.

And therein rests the "Big Lie" that endangers us as a state. We can't find the political will to actually cut spending. Anywhere. And, if we actually did cut spending within the educational industrial complex, we'd be absolutely nuts to cut teachers when there is so much other spending outside the classrooms in Nevada.

I'll make this offer: If the Legislature gave me full authority, I could and would cut at least 10% out of actual current spending and promise all Nevadans that classroom education will improve -- from first grade to graduate school.

Any legislator up to that challenge? It'll take me a week to recruit a panel of private business folks who really know what it means to tie excellence to a budget, and we'll have a plan back to you by summer. Anyone up for a real private sector fix?

Anyone? Bueller ... Bueller ... Bueller ...