[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> And maybe I am arrogant, because her comments certainly struck a nerve with
> me. But I know it to be true that taking care of one's own--usually described
> as "Providing for my family"--is the ultimate rationale of every person I've
> encountered who has done nasty things in their lives to preserve the racist,
> classist status quo that Ms. Smith decries. Her position is no different than
> theirs.
This society (and its government) has a responsibility to provide
children with the type of education that will allow them to reach
whatever social standing that their efforts and dedication allows.
It is failing. Not only has it failed to provide basic skills for a
large percentage of graduates, it fails to even graduate embarrassing
large numbers of minority students (38% of Black students in
Minneapolis schools dropout). Beyond the basics, public schools
fail to provide any type of marketable job skills for graduates.
Each parent has a responsibility to see that their children receive
the type of education that will allow them to reach whatever social
standing that their efforts and dedication allows. Parents who
remove their children from failing schools are fulfilling their responsibility.
Many parents lack the means to do so, which is a sad commentary
on our educational system. Each child should have the right to
obtain a quality education and a means to avoid being trapped in
a revolving cycle of poverty. The fact that they do not is shameful
and equivalent to academic child abuse.
Michael Atherton
Prospect Park
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
