[Doug G]

I think it's hard to just classify schools as one extreme or the other. At Vanden High School, we've been lucky to get $5000 each of the past 3 years and I get to teach a robotics class for the past two. But in CA, times are changing for the public schools, our superintendent who gave us the $5000 from her budget, has now left and I was also informed last week that next year, they won't pay for my substitutes during the competitions - it'll have to be taken out of my sick leave or raise extra $$ to reimburse the district. On the other hand I still get to teach a class with handful of dedicated students - which is nice. We work out of a small room in the back of the school that was built by ROP Construction students years ago - it's to small to fit any major equipment just our supplies, drill press, work table, and a computer. Last year, we got a TIG Welder, Drill/mill/lathe combo unit, and a CNC but they are kept in yet another storage area. It's a real pain to try and supervise students in three or four work areas, but it's better than it all being in my classroom.