|
|
|
From the Desk of Bill Cirone...
January 21, 2000
Schools Promote Equal Opportunity
The public school system in the United States has always been the foundation for the American dream. Regardless of race, religion, or family income, every child gets the same chance to succeed in our nation’s classrooms. More so than ever before, as our world becomes increasingly diverse, our public schools offer a model of how people from varied backgrounds can work together.
Public schools in this country educate all children, and the racial, ethnic, and religious diversity among school-age children has never been greater. In some school districts, even here in Santa Barbara County, students speak more than 50 native languages.
It is clear that if our nation is to continue prospering, it’s important that ALL children have an equal opportunity to become productive workers and to be full participants in our free society. Shirley McBay, president of the Quality Education for Minorities Network, pointed out: "We cannot prosper as a nation if the fastest growing group of workers - today’s minority students - continue to face barriers in critical fields and remain largely neglected as a primer source for economic growth."
As the Committee for Economic Development stated, "Improving prospects for disadvantaged children is not an expense, but an excellent investment, one that may be postponed only at much greater cost to society."
The fact is that schools help all children achieve. Despite daunting obstacles, today’s schools meet the needs of all children better than they did in the past. The achievement gap still remains between white and minority students, but some signs indicate that overall student achievement is rising, according to "How Our Investment in Education Pays Off," published by the American Association of School Administrators. For example, SAT scores have increased for members of all ethnic groups, but have risen faster for nonwhite than white students.
Education also promotes an understanding of others. Author and poet Maya Angelou called education a great equalizer when children of all colors share an understanding of what each race offers. Every day, schools lay the foundation of equal opportunity by providing chances for children to improve their understanding of others.
And perhaps most important of all, by providing students with the tools to reach their potential, public schools allow every child to participate as fully as possible in our economy and our democratic institutions. This was always an important function. In modern-day American it has become critical.
© Santa Barbara County Education Office
<.shtml>