The Politics of Education

When I spoke last about how 'boring' politics was little did I realize the perfect example was sitting in my own backyard. (well ... okay ... really it's across town in a completely different county, but geographically speaking.....)

Clayton country is in danger of loosing the accreditation of its public schools. 'But what does that have to do with politics being boring?' Everything.

Because this is not the beginning of the issue, but it's conclusion ... the school system has been in danger for over 5 years. Either under direct threat of loosing the accreditation or in a probationary status with the accreditation board. In all that time there has been no outrage or public attempts like the one that the angered parents and students put forth last night when 2500 or so of them rallied to call for the resignation of the school board members.

Where was has this public involvement been over the last 5 years ... or even before that?

It was being blissfully entertained and therefore either completely ignorant of the situation, or too bored about politics to care.

Don't get me wrong ... I am sure that there are those members of Clayton County that have been trying to get this taken care of in the last 5 years ... some maybe even before that. And those people that have been trying to do something deserve some recognition for being aware of the issue and trying to correct it. Saddly so few people in any community get involved or pay attention to such issues even when they can directly effect them.

Because this issue effects every single resident of Clayton county ... not just the over 52,000 students whose future diplomas may be worth less than the paper they are printed on.

Certainly those students stand to loose a lot ... their shot at any scholarship, and their ability to attend many universities in general ... their eligibility for student loans and potentially their ability to get jobs. But the school system loosing its accreditation has effects beyond the students ... property values are likely to be greatly affected as a result of the local schools loosing accreditation, the area would also become less attractive to business and potential employees that may be considering relocating to the area.

There are, of course, more issues than just the blatant disinterest in politics involved here ... ethics issues relating to the members of the school board, parents not being as directly involved in their children's educations as they should, government school ineptitude in general, and the underlying need for a comprehensive voucher system available to everyone; but the fact of the matter is that, ultimately, most of those issues boil down to the same underlying cause ... politics.

Politics effects everyone ... and local politics often has the greatest impact on our lives, but is often the most neglected. I know I'm guilty of this myself ... I know very little of my local political situation as I tend to focus more on the national arena ... loosing the trees in the forest, so to speak ... but that doesn't mean that I can't see the valuable lesson to be learned in this story: what you don't know CAN affect you, and failing to understand politics and its potential impacts on your life will not save you from the harm it can cause.