When I was in school...

Field trips were educational and for a purpose, not just to get out of the school building for a day of fun.
Moms (and dads) drove students to field trips...schools did not pay hundreds of dollars for a bus and driver.
Field day was at school...not some other random location.
Reading was taught through book and novel studies, not by isolating skills.
When we finished the novel, we watched the movie...just to watch it.
We took TAAS, not TAKS, and it's influence on teaching and learning was minimal.
The teacher was always right.
The office was a place that no one wanted to end up.
Phone calls home resulted in a change of behavior.
Disrespect towards teachers resulted in major consequences.
Too many tardies counted as an unexcused absence.
Too many unexcused absences resulted in retention.
If you didn't do an assignment the first time, you got a zero.
If you failed a grade, you repeated the grade.
Students bought school supplies, and kept up with them.
If you forgot your pencil, you were expected to PAY for one at the school store before class began.

...and you know what?

We turned out ok and didn't end up in a budget crisis.