The Children!

   Why? What could possibly keep people from wanting better for their schools - their neighborhoods - their communities, themselves, or their children? Simply put, nothing! 

   There is nothing that would make people not want better, but there are those who have no expectation of their quality of life because for some people, life has made them believe there is nothing better for them. 

   Over generations of people of color in our inner city/rural area neighborhoods live a poor quality of life. But, more to the point, why has the quality of life in the African American dominated neighborhoods throughout this country, suffer conditions that have not improved in any significant way in as many generations as you can speak on. 

   Regardless of how many successful individuals of color you can point to, the overall quality of life for everyone begins with a person’s level of understanding and access to what influences quality of life. 

   We all begin our understanding of life within our individual households and the quality of life happening there. Then, we depend on whatever quality of life is taking place in, around and throughout the neighborhood/community we live in.

   Without knowing exactly what any neighborhood has to offer their residents, there is no denying that quality of life quickly translates into what does a quality "Education" mean when beginning our children's "Formal Education"? 

   Finding ourselves inside the Public School System K-12, is first and foremost the most crucial and critical moments in every person's life without trying to speak the obvious.    

   Public School K-12 has taught directly to generations of children absolutely nothing about how we as individuals should develop and grow with each other, only how to compete against each other. 

   So why should we "The People" expect our neighborhoods and communities to grow and develop positively, together? 

   As a former student/product of this Public-School System's Educational springboard, and because of my unique perspective of the inner-city/rural area educational experience with both the inner city and rural areas. 

   I feel I have some input on what has proven to be shortcomings in preparing students of all colors for life after high school in the city, as well as rural areas across the country. Just look at how we treat each other simply because we don't know each other.

   There seems to be major flaws and oversights within our "Formal Education" that have influenced and caused many to have no regard for each other and constantly making misdirected steps trying to navigate this life. 

   Too many "People" have been misinformed about other "People". The general information about other "People", that is taught in school should be done with enlightenment for "All" the students in the beginning of their "Formal Education" of general information, which starts in kindergarten.    

   There is a loud lack of acknowledgement for the need of significant reform to address many issues that exist within the Public School System that no amount of money thrown at it has been able to correct. 

   The new developments/initiatives meant to change negative conditions throughout many of our neighborhoods and communities of color, with the promise of help, hope, and change... but, it never seem to arrive in any significant form or fashion to change conditions that seldom get better. 

   The communities of "People" that are of African Descent who continue to accept less, have reason to believe, that struggle is a part of trying to grow, trying to develop, and thrive in these United States of America. That's fine.

   Unfortunately, to the communities of color, life isn't supposed to be any other way and it will continue to be that way as long as the Public School System and those who make the decisions continue to bury their heads and "All" of our children's future in the sand.

                                                                            Written by: Sherman Shepherd!