Underfunded national parks must turn away children, study says

[donsu]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/10741761.htm?1c

National parks in California are so underfunded and understaffed that they've eliminated educational programs and are turning away thousands of children each year.

According to a study this week from the National Parks Conservation Association, roughly 80,000 kindergartners through 12th graders participate in educational programs each year at parks such as Joshua Tree, Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic. That amounts to only 1 percent of the state's 7 million public and private school students.

"Part of providing a high-quality education to our children is ensuring access to the unique learning opportunities in our national parks," said Deborah DeMeo, the association's California desert field representative.

-snip-

"National parks offer the ultimate outdoor classroom," said James M. Andre, director of the Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center operated by the University of California, Riverside. "Numerous national reports highlight the field experience as most effective means for teaching science and developing an awareness of our natural world."
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america - the country that tortures in more ways than one

[Wickerman]

1. Gotta save that money to groom snowmobile trails

and build logging roads, dontchaknow?

[dkofos]

2. It's about time to take back our national parks from the contractors

that have been running them into the ground for so long.

What a disgrace

:mad: :mad:

[madrchsod]

3. 80 ,000,000,000 reasons why this year parks

across america will close some or all of it`s programs and reduce security and maintenance. i guess iraq is more important than america

[WildClarySage]

4. Screw them national parks, we gotta war to fund

and the kiddies won't need to know about trees where they're headed...