Submitted by Josephine Pizzino, Jul 17, 2007 12:47

I used to complain on the subway, very loudly, about the lack of basic services for my child and other NYC kids. I juggled toilet paper and cleaners for her school while my child was pushed and shoved by too busy commuters, which just made me get louder about our "little yellow school bus." Then came Albany's disgraceful appropriation of NYC school funds by Pataki and his gang, and every time kids tried to sell overpriced candy on our "school bus," claiming it was needed for a basketball court or some other school need, I told them to take their demands to Albany and not stop until their voices were heard.

What is it going to take for public education to be respected as the basic and most optimistic element of a true democracy? How can we even begin to believe that teaching to pass tests has anything to do with critical thinking and contributing to a civil society? But then again, maybe that is the point. If children are not empowered with the tools to challenge corruption, the system will grind on, with the money distributed only to the corporate toadies.

Our children deserve better, but it's not just about children. The functional incompetence exhibited in practically every industry is debilitating our republic. We all have a stake in an informed citizenry, and therefore we all must work to stop institutionalized stupidity.

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