Where is Our Vision?

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Category: Jospeh Pauline

Published on Wednesday, 16 March 2011 15:11

Written by Jospeh Pauline

Many of my Gen Y brethren should remember our school days when we were selling candy, chocolate, popcorn, and discount cards (often times to fellow students) in order to support the purchase of equipment for the soccer team, band, or school newspaper. This was justified in the minds of parents, students, teachers, and administrators alike as a result of these programs being extracurricular in nature; not every student participated in these programs, and it was and still is assumed one would graduate from his/her K-12 education as an intelligent member of society even without participating in these activities. A whole generation has grown up with this mentality in mind. This mentality is the acceptance that some things just are not, cannot, or are simply "not" funded as part of a public K-12 education. The unfortunate reality is this phenomenon is continuing to expand to other parts of the public education system like a fungus growing over rotting apples. This growing mentality is leaving our public education systems with only one option: holding out their collective hands and depending on the charity of the others.

With a proposed cut of close to $120 million or more in state funding for the 2011-12 school year, the San Diego School District has now been forced to go to the public to solicit donations to support the very basic necessities to support the classroom. This foundation was announced last month with the intent of raising money for school supplies for the classroom.

I recognize that, like with everything else, the school district has really no choice in actually creating this foundation and as a result my frustration is not really directed at them. The district is once again stuck between a rock and hard place trying to come up with a solution in an increasingly difficult situation. The reduction or complete elimination of funding for certain curriculum has resulted in the ending or crippling of classroom curriculum like Art, Drama, Vocational Tech training programs, and now the loss of the most basic of school supplies. I don't blame the district, what else are they suppose to do?

I was deeply struck when the reaction to this plan was not complete and utter horror. What is the next plan…..selling lollipops for books? I guess none of this is surprising considering the recent failure of Prop J. Still, when did it become acceptable for the public education system to become so underfunded that a pencil is considered a hot commodity. It is really time that we collectively take a look at what is happening in our state. Our roads are falling apart, our infrastructure is a mess, our public universities are closing their doors, and now our K-12 students have to rely on charity for pencils and basic school supplies.

This is unacceptable. We have spent so much time squabbling over politics and ideology, that our generation has lost any sense of vision for California. We are still operating under the same vision for California that was born out of the social movements of the last century. As twilight approaches for the vessels of the generation that cast this vision, it becomes more and more faint in the public consciousness.

Our generation needs to come-up with a vision for "our" California and then we need to demand that our state strives for that vision. Without this vision, we are doomed to watch our state crumble, our great public education fade away, and destine the future to be full of political and ideological squabbling.

In the short term, I hope that most of us can agree that any vision does not include children begging or selling candy for something that should be so fundamental to their education as a pencil and paper.

Joseph Pauline is a Political Junkie, Generational Visionary, and Guest Contributor at www.thevxc.com.