A test of values: the choices our elected officials make to close huge budget gaps tell you what their priorities are.

• Author: Feldman, Sandra
• Position: Where we stand: the AFT on critical issues - Editorial

What are we saying as a nation when our children return for a new school year only to find that favorite teachers and school staff have been pink-slipped; class sizes have swelled; and after-school programs and art, music, and foreign language classes have been eliminated?

Across our nation, these scenarios are all too common, as state budget gaps threaten the quality of our public schools and other vital public services that Americans depend upon. Here are some alarming examples:

* Funding cuts will deny more than 100,000 children from poor families the opportunity to attend preschool, putting them at a severe disadvantage when they enter kindergarten.

* Many states have laid off employees at rehabilitation centers that help the elderly and disabled, forcing many of the centers to close.

* State colleges and universities throughout the country are imposing their steepest tuition and fee increases in a decade--as much as 40 percent, slamming shut the doors to higher education far many Americans.

* Nationwide, state governments are slashing budgets for state-operated museums, parks, and arts and recreation programs, causing the layoff of staff and the closing of many of these community resources.

All of these supposed savings come at a tremendous cost. Governments are not in the business of providing luxuries; they provide essential services that every citizen uses in one way or another. But recent budget cuts have been so deep and broad that almost no essential public service has been left intact. This is unacceptable. Citizens in a nation as prosperous as ours have a right to expect the safe, efficient, and...