There is something just off about our country today when it comes to public schools.
I had a project in Silicon Valley two weeks ago where the major company was moving, and had hired my non-profit to take desks and shelving, containerize it, and ship it to aid organizations working in third world countries. A very worth cause - and amazing that the Corporation had taken the initiative to donate their perfectly good furniture.
Then - there were the gaylord boxes full of perfectly good presentation boards, 3 ring binders, pens etc etc that were getting thrown away. This somehow had not made it into our project scope. In addition, hundreds of high end LCD monitors, brand new keyboards (you name it - it was Silicon Valley) was being "recycled" as per company policy. Even high end whiteboards that you plugged your laptop into - going for scrap.
Here I am thinking about my daughters public school and how we are constantly fundraising for tissue paper, pens, and paper while this is all just getting tossed at the company that probably employs several of our students parents! Then I got to thinking how much wealth there is in our community - mainly in Corporations - and how parents go to posh jobs in posh environments - sit at lunch on high end patio furniture and eat organic food from the Company cafeteria. Compare that to where our children go to school and what they eat for lunch. Pathetic!
To top off my week, I went to an East Bay high school for another project and I almost lost it. The school was in worse condition than a project I did at San Mateo Youth Correctional Facility. Even the design of the school was worse than a prison for youth. How can this be? How can we think it is ok to raise children this way and not see some serious repercussions?
The classic bumper sticker "It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the air force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber." comes to mind. (And this coming from a gal from a Navy family)
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I totally agree with you on this issue. I sure the schools you are talking about are in the better conditions than schools that my son attended over the years. And you are right about the environment, bad enough we have to deal with over crowded class rooms and underpaid teachers. The least our children should have a safe, healthy and comfortable environment to learn. Its funny you mentioned about the pens and paper, I thought that this happened only in the schools my son attends. I certainly think that the cost of one white board can supply my son's entire gifted program with school supplies. It's sad, it really is. I'm with you on this one 100%.
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