If we want to enjoy an equitable and functioning democracy, it would seem that the education of future generations would be a top priority.
So thought Thomas Jefferson who argued for a formal education system supported by tax dollars and charged with educating all citizens. But it wasn’t until a century later that Horace Mann established public education in this country.
Within the last few decades, as economic and racial divides continue to haunt us, another turn had begun. It was the privatization of education.
The rise of charter schools and other private school systems began to take critical funds from public schools. Now it seems the tide may be turning again. In Los Angeles the first teacher’s strike in over 30 years has ended with strong victories for the public schools.
This community driven agenda to revamp public education had been in the making for the past four years. Recognizing the need for social justice as well as educational justice this strike was more a celebration of what people wanted, not what they were against.
Better resources, smaller class size, less testing, a nurse on staff every day of the week; the community was fighting for their children. And with the demand that every student should have a quality education, they won.
Los Angeles is the second largest school district in the United States. 82% of the children receive the free lunch program.
The public school system provides an important bridge into community life for the students – and it ensures an educated and informed populace as our forbearers hoped. The systems of education will certainly continue to evolve as they should, but we would do well to ensure an equitable means for all of our children to learn and to grow and to find happiness.
Let us help one another toward that end.
The photo is of the recent Los Angeles teachers strike We Are Public Schools.
let kindness win 