RIP Middle Class America

As if the outsourcing of American middle-class jobs to foreign countries wasn’t bad enough; the American middle-class gets pushed aside, yet once again, for the sake of the poor, and not just the American poor, but the poor from other countries as well. The American middle-class, the backbone of this great country, those who work hard, pay taxes, pay into Social Security, and abide by the laws, will soon be extinct if our government doesn’t stop putting the squeeze on us.

So who makes up the American middle-class? You and me! Those of us who work our tails off, pay taxes, live paycheck to paycheck. We are of different cultures, faiths, religions, backgrounds, colors and beliefs. We are proud, patriotic parents, grandparents, sons, and daughters. We are hard-working Americans and the government doesn’t give a flip about us. We don’t get to benefit from our hard-earned money and our taxes, which support the over-burdened welfare system. We don’t get to benefit from government programs because we all make TOO MUCH MONEY, according to the laws.

At least that’s what I was told today when I tried to enroll my youngest in the pre-k program at the same public school my daughter attends. That’s right. I got a phone call from the school today saying that our son, “Does not qualify for our pre-k program because you make too much money.” I was stunned silent. I could feel the blood rushing to my face. I said, “What? Are you kidding me? That is blatant discrimination.” The lady replied by saying that it wasn’t the school’s policy, they were just following state policies that go along with the state-funded pre-k program. Because the State of Texas does not “require” pre-k, the programs were set up specifically for low-income children. (Later they added military children who did not previously qualify, and that’s alright with me.) But, what makes low-income children any more special than middle-class children? Are my tax dollars paying for these state-funded programs? This is a public school. A U.S. public school. A school district that I pay taxes into. A public school my child cannot attend, yet every illegal is more than welcome to take advantage of. I am so sick and tired of illegal aliens getting free medical care, free education, free everything and they don’t even have the decency to learn English. When is enough enough?

I am sick and tired of our government catering to everyone except those who work the hardest. I wouldn’t mind it so much of we were all treated equally, but why do I have to keep paying without enjoying any of the benefits of my hard-earned money. Middle-class America is slowly dying. The upper-class is too rich to notice. The lower-class is too fat on welfare, gets everything free and doesn't have to do a thing to earn it. (I’m not talking about everyone on welfare because I do know that there are many who really need it and use it the way it was designed to be used. I’m talking about those idiots who abuse the system and never get off it and keep manipulating it all their lives so they don’t have to work. LAZY FREELOADERS.)

This isn’t an issue of race, the only reason I bring up the issue of illegals is because I live in a border town. My area is a very poor community, one of the poorest in the nation, and it just so happens that a large number are illegal. So, no child left behind - my eye! I don’t mind keeping my child home another year. But it really broke my heart because my son was so excited about going to school. We do have the option of putting him in private school, but tuition is outrageous and I don’t want to pay for a pre-k program, and I shouldn‘t have to. If there is a program at a public school, then anyone in that district should be able to enroll, regardless of income.

I did speak to my son this evening and explained to him why he couldn’t go to school with his older sister on Monday (first day of school in August). I told him that Daddy made too much money and that pre-k was only for poor kids. He said, “But I am poor.” Oh, the precious mind of a 4-year-old. Well, his disappointment bothered me so much that I’m going to do something I never thought I would do - home school.

When I told my son that it will be just me and him, his eyes lit up. I told him that I will be his teacher and he got real excited, which surprised me. I told him that I will teach him letters, numbers, the alphabet. I will take him to the library and our own personal field trips. He was so happy he would not stop hugging and kissing me. His happiness melted my anger away. Yeah, I know, a blessing in disguise. Perhaps I was meant to school him - just this year. That’s okay with me. I would rather him be at home with me than with a bunch of kids who don’t speak English. And yes, I will teach him Spanish. After all, I am Hispanic too.

 It’s hard not to feel prejudice in a world full of discrimination. Especially when it’s middle-class America that keeps getting discriminated against. May we all R.I.P.