Comedy legend Bill Cosby has always made himself available to worthy causes and strong opinions. The education issues in Pennsylvania are certainly no exception. This barrier breaking comedian finds nothing funny about the cuts to school funding that are disabling Pennsylvania’s education system and slighting its students and teachers. “No more cuts!” Cosby declared, and the people of the Keystone State agreed.

As a lifelong advocate and writer on education, Bill Cosby knows how important a strong foundation of school is in the life of a child. From inspired parenting to dedicated teaching by trained professionals, every aspect of the educational life should be top notch, especially in a developed country like the United States in 2009. However, if school funds continue to be cut, the hopes of children around Pennsylvania could be dashed.

This was the message proclaimed by Cosby and supporters at a recent rally celebrating the improvements PA school children were making in their math and reading test scores. As almost a testament to their children, the crowd demanded more funding not only by right, but also by merit. What kind of message would have been sent to school children working hard to improve their test scores if the gift for the efforts was less educational funding? As their scores show, these kids know how to do the math and read between the policy lines. “Ladies and gentlemen, is it that we don’t like children? I mean, what did these people ever do to you that you want to cut? They’re moving on a course that is very, very favorable. Why would you want to take money from the success story and pull back on it so that they will start to enter prison?” stated Cosby.

The rally joined Cosby, a Philadelphia native, with Governor Ed Rendell in order to have pressure from high profile figures hopefully turn the tide of educational funding. Cosby stated that the money problems with Pennsylvania’s school money is similar to that of many other states in the US. He explained that the $5,000 a year to educate a young person is much cheaper to John and Jane Q. Taxpayer than the $33,000 a year it costs to incarcerate someone. Cosby, a renowned writer on the subject of education, explained that a logical progression of poor school is a high crime rate, and we should solve the problem early by helping our students and not make a bigger one for later by having to jail them.

According to the Associated Press, “The state faces a multibillion-dollar revenue shortfall and is operating under a bare-bones budget pending a compromise between Rendell, who wants to raise taxes, and GOP lawmakers, who don’t. The Senate GOP wants to roll back the state share of school subsidies and use federal economic stimulus money to keep the subsidy level at last year’s $5 billion — freeing up nearly $730 million for other programs.” The governor wants to maintain the subsidy from last year with money from the state and tapping federal funding to provide local districts with $300 million extra for 2009 and 2010.

All involved hope that this issue is resolved quickly so schools in Pennsylvania can have better teachers with better supplies in better classrooms so that the children of the Keystone state can have the best shot at a successful future.