Every child deserves a good education.
Few people would argue with this statement. Education has often been called “the great equalizer,” and for good reason. What other public institution or social program has the ability to so completely change a person’s life?
Yet not all children receive the education they deserve. Students in Kansas City, Missouri need and deserve better public schools. A quality education, from pre-school through twelfth grade, is necessary if children are to move successfully on to college or career training and eventually to lead productive, independent adult lives. Sadly, too many students from the Kansas City, Missouri school district begin adulthood unprepared for the challenges ahead, with little chance of catching up. This failure is unnecessary. Other urban districts boast success and have made much more progress than Kansas City. There are multiple reasons for Kansas City’s failing public schools, but accountability begins at the top — in this case, with the school board. Turning around our educational system after nearly thirty years of dysfunction will require a change in the governance system.
“Do the Right Thing for Kids” is a grassroots task force that is growing spontaneously because many parents, citizens and civic leaders have said “Enough.” The education of more than twenty thousand children, many from underprivileged backgrounds, is a moral obligation that our community must recognize and take responsibility for. It is time for a change, and the goals of these concerned citizens are:
- To better inform the community about the state of the public school system and the reasons for its dysfunction;
- To build community support to replace the current school board structure with a smaller group selected according to the talents needed to turn the district around;
- To investigate and promote alternative governance systems that have proven successful elsewhere; and
- To provide support at the local and state government levels in order to obtain the legislation needed to replace the present governance system.
In order to achieve these goals, “Do the Right Thing for Kids” monitors school board meetings and provides feedback about the board’s performance. We have also created this website to keep members and friends informed about issues in the school system and about progress on reform. As our work progresses, we will help raise funds for a citizen opinion survey; we will meet with educators, community leaders and legislators to share our ideas and concerns; and we will continue to build the size and diversity of the task force. We urge all citizens who care about Kansas City’s children and their future to join us.
“Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein
