“As long as there is injustice there can not be the cultivation of brains and minds.” I don’t know the person who I paraphrased but he was talking about a third world country. And I think he was referring to the tragic waste of wisdom, genius and creativity that this world needs so desperately. The loss of human potential. I know that our nation has put on the back burner the cultivation of the minds and brains of its children.
I am very lucky and privileged to have a child at the PDMSES in Malibu and another child who left the Malibu school district after four years to attend a private school. I applaud the successful and tireless fund raising efforts of their schools and our tiny community reaps a profound benefit from so many engaged students and their families.
But what I believe without any hesitation is that my children will be better off in a community, society and country that provide access and equal opportunity to all its children. This is a priceless commodity necessary for their quality future. Choice is an essential ingredient of a democratic society. Access to quality education is an essential ingredient to choice. My children will be better served by a society that uplifts all its children. It is the duty of our public institutions to uphold this difficult almost impossible task. I applaud Superintendent Deasy for opening up this sensitive issue.
The statistics are out. The gap. between the rich and poor is widening and I believe access to quality education can turn this alarming statistic around. I know that I would donate more, if a percent of my donation went to an equity fund. I would also work harder at fundraising. I even liked the suggestion in the Malibu paper the other week about volunteering my time at another school.
I hope that many Malibu parents agree with Superintendent Deasy’s premise that the inequities among the schools in the district need to be addressed but simply take issue with his solution. I think the equity fund will enrich all of our lives. State and federal funding of public education has steadily declined. Coincidentally, so has our middle class. The environment, social services, health care, infrastructure of our cities, quality of life and our humanity are all at stake if we don’t help in the cultivation of the minds and brains of our children. Fifteen percent is so little!
I know with the brilliance of many folks in Malibu, Santa Monica, the school board members and Superintendent Deasy, we can come up with something absolutely brilliant. Fear, pride and intimidation cannot be the ingredient that terminates this dialogue.
Louisa Callery