MY TURN, Read: Our education system is failing our children

By John C. Read, special to Charleston Currents  |  Our responsibility at Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative (TCCC) is to report on the state of education across Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester, as we have done for the past five years.

Read

The data we analyze and the collaborative work we do all say the same thing: public education in our region is failing to educate substantial numbers of our children. The differences among counties, districts and schools are only differences in degree; the cost in human potential is excessive.

Children who are black or Hispanic are faring the worst and those living in rural poverty little better, even as we have come to see firsthand proof that every child can learn and what it takes to make that happen. Only those children with strong family, social and financial networks can otherwise expect to overcome the effects of this deficient system.

This systems failure counts among its victims not only the generations of children who are and have been poorly served, but talented educators and administrators exerting practically heroic efforts to make things better until they choose to leave in frustration.

It is no longer sufficient, if it ever was, to leave the job of changing the education system only to those who are a part of it. Complex systems change rarely happens that way.

Disruption is needed – civil and constructive – and it needs to come from those who own the responsibility for public education. And that’s us, the “public.” We and our leaders have remained largely silent about this failure, even though we know it be true.

In July, the TCCC Board of Directors drafted a letter addressed to leaders across the state.

“Together, we are taking ownership for public education and taking a stand to demand better from our school districts, school boards, legislators and decision makers,” the letter says.

More than 230 individuals – including elected officials, business leaders, university presidents, school board members, faith leaders, educators, parents, students and community volunteers – have since signed it. You can find the letter at tricountycradletocareer.org/sign-the-letter, and we hope you will consider signing as well, before it is mailed to local and state leadership.

Silence regarding the injustice of public education should no longer be acceptable. Our schools are infrastructure, and we certainly aren’t quiet about the condition of our highways and bridges. Please join us by expressing your dissatisfaction with the status quo and by taking responsibility for the education of every child.

John C. Read is CEO of Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative, a community-wide movement in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties focused on improving the quality of life of its citizens and its workforce through education. Reach him by email or at 914-525-3317.

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