Significant Disparities Do Exist in Our Schools
For example, consider the recent Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy.
Why do school needs vary so much from district-to-district and state-to-state within the U.S.?
Public education is government mandated and funded by taxpayer dollars, so it would be nice to think that equal education opportunities would exist for all children across the country. But, sadly, that is not the case. Here’s why:
States and Districts
Based on my loose understanding of how funding for public K-12 grade school education in the U.S. works, since public education is state run, funding comes from a combination of state and local property taxes.
In case you don’t know, you may be wondering: why are public schools state-run and not federally-run?
While the U.S. Constitution gives the federal government certain powers, the 10th Amendment reserves all powers not-explicitly-stated in the U.S. Constitution to the states. Thus, public education is a state level responsibility. Thus, each state has its own locally-elected school boards that administer the individual school districts within their jurisdictions.
As state budgets fluctuate along with the economy, so too do the resources that are available for schools to operate within. Schools have to work within the limited budgets that they are given.
No Safe Rooms in All Oklahoma Schools
Not even considering the even deeper needs that low-income communities face relative to the average, we can see the impact that insufficient school funding can have by looking at the recent Oklahoma tornado tragedy, as just one example.
An EF5-strength tornado hit in Oklahoma on May 20, 2013 with winds that raged at over 200 miles per hour. Among the widepread devastation, two public grade schools were decimated.
While the loss of life could have been much worse, still, the loss of 9 schoolchildren, who were doing what they were supposed to be doing by attending school, is especially tragic since it could have been prevented had enough financial resources been available.
In an area known as tornado alley, the tragedy isn’t so much that the tornado hit so powerfully, but rather that those two schools had lacked the resources needed to mandate the construction of safe rooms to keep schoolchildren safe during extreme weather conditions such as this.
As new schools are built, those buildings are required to include safe rooms. However, existing schools need to be retrofitted; and these safe rooms come with price tags in the millions. Funding to do that is limited and tough decisions need to be made.
Blank-check federal funding doesn’t exist. Disaster-relief-related federal funding isn’t usually available until after a disaster hits, even if there is awareness about preventable risks beforehand. Additionally, even when federal funding is given, it is limited and the local municipalities are required to fund a portion of the total cost themselves as well.
While those two schools will now likely get the funding needed to rebuild with the safe rooms needed, it is a shame that this funding came too late for the nine young lives that were lost.
A Better Understanding of the Need
As citizens and workers, we all have to do the best we can with the resources available to us. Many of us learn over time how to be more resourceful and more creative with those resources.
While I’ve already written about being more MacGyver-ish with fundraising and not being judgmental of others’ needs, clearly there are times when a little help from our friends can go a long way to help those in need get through a difficult situation.
As Newark Mayor Cory Booker recently tweeted, and as I find particularly inspiring myself, consider this quote:
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop
When tragedies occur, we are accustomed to seeing large outpourings of support, highly advertised charitable fundraisers,and both federal and non-profit recovery efforts quickly promised and offered. It can be easy to feel like those in need will be taken care of, and we can move on to other things.
As I learn more about educational resources,and as with many things, I realize that there will never be enough money to do everything that everyone wants to do. Resourcefulness is key to doing the most with what you have. Yet, sometimes a few extra dollars to help can make a big difference, too.
Ways to Donate a Dollar or Two
Two ways that you can make a $1, $5, or $10 contribution work to help those in need in Oklahoma include:
- Donate to the “Rebuild Moore schools” project on DonorsChoose.org to fund “classroom recovery projects” that will “create classroom recovery projects for critical supplies such as clothing, food, books, therapy resources and classroom furniture.”
- Give to the Red Cross.
- Updated on 5/28/2013: or as per The White House, you can donate through: National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website or National Donations Management Network.
- Updated on 5/28/2013: or also via The White House, you can volunteer via the: Hands On Network or Serve.gov.
Remember, federal government money (via FEMA) only goes so far. Any additional funding sources, no matter how big or small, especially when put in the hands of “the resourceful” who work to spend it wisely (and the organizations like DonorsChoose who insure that this is done accordingly), this can really make a difference and is always necessary and appreciated.
Alternative Donation Request: I am writing this series as part of the 4-Hour Chef Giveback Campaign contest. Even if you did choose to donate above, maybe you might also consider donating a dollar or two to my DonorsChoose.org Campaign page, found by clicking through this link today, thereby supporting other teachers in K-12 classrooms that believe in creating a positive learning enviroment for their students in the best way they know how?
Thank you in advance for considering these needs. :)
Photo Credit: title=”Radar of storm system that created Moore Tornado” by Wesley Fryer, on Flickr
