Friday, July 09, 2004
Schools and Business community, working together.
The article today in the Examiner reports an interesting development: Private business money funding administrative/advisory council to the School District.
I'm reacting in a number of ways to this...
1. what an innovative, smart thing! The business community knows it needs a good school system around to attract good workers, so they're stepping up to the plate.
2. that it's an advisory council on administrative stuff seems harmless enough, and since it won't cost the city anything, why not?
3. involving private money and personal funding streams that could walk away at a moments notice is a tenuous spot to be in for a public institution, at best.
4. what's with the supposed 'Darth Vadar' of wealthy meddling, Warren Hellman (who I only know from the papers--he's the guy leading the private funding of the Golden Gate Park Garage hooha) getting involved with the Schools? is this all part of a conspiracy, or his attempt to be more benevolent?
confusing, interesting, dangerous? I'm not sure I like those adjectives being used around city policy or action. Still, the schools are a HUGE problem. Let's start looking at the spending on schools across the city... do we spend the same ammount of money at Lowell that we do at Ida B Wells? why or why not?
