Trouble with Budgets

So, as I'm sure you are all aware, budget cuts are looming on the horizon for a lot of schools if they haven't already begun chopping away. Almost everyday that I am at the school I am exposed to conversations about budget cuts, union issues, and school board decisions. It can be somewhat disheartening at times when you are a young student-teacher ready to finally run full-throttle in a classroom. However, it can also be somewhat rewarding to not be completely idealized about the future of education. I'm trying to be aware of the reality of public education while still staying excited about teaching, after all, it is about what is best for the students. Has anyone else been dealing with these type of issues? I was talking to my co-op today about teacher unions and trying to gain a better understanding of how it all works. I can definitely see how it could be easy to get wrapped up in the politics of education but it is sooooo important that we keep the students at the forefront of these conversations.