observations

i live within walking distance of three schools that between them, cover grades 1 through 12. the vast majority of my neighborhood is white, and yet, in close to two years, i have seen exactly one white student at these three schools. the neighborhood is considered "progressive," and yet, none of these "progressive" people believe in supporting public schools, and therefore, putting their children in predominantly black and latino spaces. they will tell you they "want the best for their children," as they speed them out of the public schools. but, what of other people's children? what of the people who can't afford private schools? they, of course, are segregated in public schools, creating racial and class segregation in our urban schools. the problem is not merely one of race, but also of class; those with funds use them on private schools, hence depriving public schools of needed money. imagine if all of those who waste money on private schools instead donated that money to improving the public schools, or better yet, helped to create educational alternatives, such as free schools. the fact is, we have no sense of shared responsibility, and no sense of community.

today, the city of boston talks of eliminating 900 positions in the public schools, including those of 400 teachers. this will not impact the thousands of boston children, mainly white and well off, who attend private schools, but what will it do the poor and non white of our public schools? would such cuts be undertaken if the children of boston's wealthy populated the public schools? what do you think?

now, i realize the public schools often stink, but why is this is so? well, first of all, school itself "stinks." its function is to brainwash and bore, regardless of whether the school is "good" or "bad." there are many good teachers, but i am speaking to the structural functions of the institution of schooling, and that structure remains the same in both the private and public spheres. in hitler's germany, i am sure some students went to "better" schools than others, but we don't speak of any of their youth being "well educated." the conversation itself is somewhat absurd, as drones bomb pakistan and u.s tax dollars fund genocide in gaza. neither the "good" or "bad" schools tell the truths about the society we live in, and this is the essential educational difficulty that we face.

having said that, there are many other problems, including racial and class segregation within our schools, which acts to create inferior, or no opportunities, for poor youth of color when they leave school. it means they will be more likely to be illiterate, to not go to college, and much else. hence, the systemic underfunding of public education, on both the individual and systematic level, acts to reproduce social inequality. when the well off take their children, and hence, their money, out of the public system, they harm the public schools, and they make it easier for government to do further harm by pulling funding and firing staff. for, who will fight for those left in our urban schools? they are largely poor and non-white, and hence, are the same people that are systemically oppressed in a myriad of others ways, including housing, health, job opportunities, and treatment by the justice system. when you group the marginalized together, it is easier to oppress them; with the well off gone, no one in power will speak for those being victimized. our schools can then get the new orleans, or oscar grant treatment.

as radicals, we need to realize just how sick our society is.

then, maybe, we can begin to do something.