Edison students have the opportunity to take part in shop classes that teach them about a specific career-related programs, such as medicine, computer science, or IT. However, some students, believe their shop classes don’t give them the resources that they need to succeed.
Students have old and used tools, to having to share rooms, or even sharing books with their peers. Due to these complications in the shop classes, many students believe that the shops aren’t being funded equally due to favoritism.
Monica Aldana a Junior in the Graphic Arts says when asked about the tools in her CTE class, “Overall our tools feel really limited, the only outside tool we are provided with outside the computers is a drawing tablet that connects to the computer, this is the only tool i see myself expecting since it is the only one provided to my shop currently.”
Mr. Haripersaud, the assistant principal for the shop classes who manages the funds, provided his insight on the shop’s budget rumors.
“The first thing I buy each year is the shop certifications for the students. After that I try my best to manage all the budgets equally as I can. The reason why the automotive has more funding is for their constant use of tools and need of maintenance. Our Career and Technical Education programs are equipped with modern, industry-aligned tools, and while technology can occasionally be affected by a variety of issues, this does not mean the equipment itself is outdated,” Mr. Haripersaud. If students feel the need to reach out to Mr. Haripersaud, his office can be found in room G17.
CTE classes in Edison aren’t being funded equally because there isn’t enough to distribute to each class. Unfortunately the Automotive shop does get funded more, not because of favoritism but due to the fact that the materials are constantly running out.
As students we should be more open about the issues we face in our shop class, this could help the funding expand so each class can get an equal amount of money. Despite the students’ concern about the conditions of the materials, students feel safe in their shop environment.
“We encourage students to ask questions, report concerns, and take ownership of their learning, as many challenges can be resolved through proper use, troubleshooting, and collaboration” Mr. Haripersaud said.
