Uncle Roger's Notebooks of Daily Life

Educational Rescue II

It occurs to me that because I put in a break, not everyone may have read the full post about Jared's school. If you didn't, please go read it now.

If you're the sort of person who believes in "every man for himself" and "I gave at the office" and that Social Security should be revamped so you get back what you put into it, then never mind. In fact, what the heck are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off shopping or something? If, on the other hand, you are the sort who sees everyone as part of a larger community where each person helps and is helped by every other person as necessary, then you'll want to pay close attention.

The Child Study Center benefits us all, whether we have kids or not, whether we're local or not. Better educated kids grow up to be better citizens, less likely to be involved in illegal activity or otherwise require excessive assistance from the state. They grow up to contribute to society rather than detract from it. The CSC doesn't just educate 32 children a year, it educates teachers who will go on to educate thousands of other children. Further, the research done there helps early childhood educators everywhere do their jobs better. So, in the grand scheme of things, it comes down to spending a little on the CSC now means spending a lot less on things like welfare, police, correctional facilities, and so on later.

I know you understand that; I just wish the geniuses at SF State understood it. (For that matter, I wish everyone understood it.)