August 24, 2015

Billions have been spent (some would argue wasted) over the past twenty years in  attempting to provide an education for America’s disadvantaged youth.

One of the most recent examples occurred in 2010 when Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, pledged $100 million to the City of Newark, NJ, in a highly touted effort to reform  the city’s failing public schools. The event was marked by press conferences with Newark Mayor (now Senator) Cory Booker and Governor Chris Christie. Despite the political bloviating, the effort failed.

Why?  A blue ribbon commission consisting of big donors to Booker’s senate race was appointed to administer Zuckerberg’s gift but succeeded only in paying off a coterie of political insiders, all well connected to Booker or Christie, acting as consultants and receiving up to $1,000/day in fees.

Discouraged, Zuckerberg pulled out of Newark and pledged another $120 million to under-served students in the Bay Area. This fund will, according to press releases, include teachers and parents in the decision making apparatus.  A key component of this latest grant includes a network of support for students needing mental or physical health care but who cannot expect help from parents or minority community leaders.

One can only hope Mr. Zuckerberg succeeds in the education minefield  where other captains of industry have failed:  I recall David Kearns of Xerox and John Akers of IBM in particular.

Too many of today’s kids are deluged with opportunities for fun and games in lieu of learning. Murder, mayhem and exploding cars permeate video games and movies. Denigration of women, police and anyone in authority are typical subjects of rap music. Sports stars who rape, kill and do drugs are deemed heroes. Disrespect me at your peril is the motto of today’s inner city youths.  Where are the adults of this world when their kids need them?

The next generation of well intentioned advisors should insist that a mandatory course titled: Individual Responsibility be a pre-condition of their bequests.

In thinking about this posting I remembered Robert Frost’s famous poem: The Road Not Taken. I can imagine signposts at Mr. Frost’s divergent paths: one labeled, Come this way and be enlightened; the other labeled, go that way and be entertained.

A good motto to emblazon on the door to every school in America.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost