FOCUS: Let’s start fixing a broken system

By Michael Kaynard, contributing photographer  |  Over my 65 years, I have seen a lot of change in our communities.  I came from a Georgia town with water fountains and bathrooms marked “coloreds.”  I still see black and white and it shames me to admit it.  I don’t understand why, but it is there.  For us to move forward, we have to stop seeing in black and white.

Kaynard

I used to see the police as more brutish than now.  I now see them trying to do the best they can with not a lot of support from their communities.  I know they are there to protect us, but I also know some should never be police.  To be honest, the overdeveloped muscles and generally-uniform shaved heads are intimidating.  I think they could do something to soften their image.  If we had more officers, they could spend more time becoming a part of the community and not just enforcers.

It is said that a high tide lifts all.  Has it?  One of the greatest problems I see is economic inequality.  I met a woman who works at Lowe’s part-time because her 15-year position in hotel reservations downtown doesn’t pay enough.  Many people have to work two to three jobs to keep afloat.  It just doesn’t make sense to me.

People deserve to make a living wage and be able to provide for their families.  A good education would go a long way in helping.  I do see education levels rising for some but many are still being left behind.  We also have to create better opportunities with higher-paying wages.

Education should not be curtailed because of funds.  We should find ways to provide a quality education to all so they can take advantage of job opportunities that exist.  Teachers should be allowed to teach and not have their time spread out doing jobs meant for others.  They cannot teach and be social workers and therapists.  The same goes for law enforcement.  We seem to put too much pressure on officers to be social workers, drug counselors, etc.

I believe that if we give kids a good quality education, provide better job opportunities, and allow our teachers and law enforcement to focus on their core responsibilities, we can take some of the pressure off the pressure-cooker environment we have created.  I, for one, am willing to pay a larger share to reach these goals.

I want to hear what others think.  There is no absolute right or wrong.  This is a conversation that needs to be started.  Every effort to fix a broken system should be taken.  The first step is to determine what we see as the basis of our problems.  The next step is to stop talking and fix the problems.

• Have a comment? Send to:  editor@charlestoncurrents.com.