COLUMN: Missing on the Agenda

From Chris Iorillo's, "The Buck Stops Now," Fall '95 Government has failed to recognize the crisis which has engulfed American schools. The solutions offered by Democrats and Republicans do nothing but gloss over a dilemma which should be of prime concern. The President's Goals 2000 plan gives more money to schools when the old system should be taken apart and reformulated rather than supported. The Contract for America cleverly thwarts attention from the problem by focusing on the peripheral issue of prayer in school. If the future of America is to receive a decent education, prayer is about the only resource they may have at their disposal. The classrooms of America reflect the larger problems of society. Everyday students in the public school system must confront a reality which does not give them the opportunity to learn. Violence, drugs and a desperate lack of resources have made going to school a nightmare for our nation's youth. Twenty percent of high school students drop out every year. In inner-city schools, that number skyrockets to over fifty percent. According to the Department of Justice, every day 100,000 guns are brought to class and 160,000 students stay home rather than face the violence these guns bring. Teachers are underpaid and much of school funding is drained by political patronage. Philadelphia is not immune to these problems. On any given day, over sixty percent of the students at University City High don't show up. The violence which strikes fear in the heart of Penn students is worse for the Philadelphia high schoolers who do go to class. Following an argument in the lunch room of South Philadelphia High in 1992, a 10th grader fired a sawed-off shotgun at an 11th grader who made fun of him. And at Martin Luther King High School, eleventh grader Mercedes Dennis was severely beaten by three girls who said they wanted to disfigure her before the junior prom. Americans should be shocked that education has not taken the same national spotlight which has been given to crime, health care and foreign policy. Effective primary education can give children, even those from the most disadvantaged families, an opportunity to move out of a life which positions them to remain in the permanent underclass of America. Plans for reform must use education to prevent new generations of Americans from perpetuating the national problems we struggle to legislate away every year. The issue of education should take hold of the 90's in the same way AIDS did in the 80's and drugs in the 70's. Now that Lamar Alexander, the well respected education reformer of Tennessee, is running for President, perhaps the stage is set for education reform to finally take hold of America. We do not have to wait for government to act, though, before reform can begin. While our government's handling of the problem continues to be criminally irresponsible, education reform will only succeed if all of society is involved. The University in particular could have a very powerful impact on the community of Philadelphia via public education. In a time when the University is under fire for its isolation from its neighbors, the relationship which could be established with nearby public schools would serve us well. Some universities have gone to extremes with community involvement. Boston University, for example, has contracted to reform the imperiled Chelsea public school district. Chelsea's problems are much like those in Philadelphia. The dropout rate is over fifty percent, drugs and violence run rampant, a high number of students are pregnant, and most of the them are from very low income families. As a result of BU's involvement, the district has benefited from more extracurricular activities, basic health care including nutritional education for the young mothers, tutors, assistance in teacher union negotiations, curriculum changes, and longer hours to keep students off the dangerous streets. For the University, a program such as this, even if for just one school, could be a gold mine of opportunity. In addition to assuming a more responsible role in the community, undergraduate and graduate students, administrators and professors would be able to use the program for hands-on experience in their chosen fields. A workable, comprehensive and strategic plan could be developed and implemented to bring about measurable change in the surrounding community. Instead of waging legal battles to limit the number of Mayor's Scholarships given out, the University could eventually have a higher number of local students applying who are qualified for acceptance. The impetus for change must come from individuals as well. After leaving the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, far too often graduates lose sight of the altruism necessary for solving this country's problems. While many go on to earn high salaries after four years of hard work, most fail to see the opportunity they have to promote the betterment of America. The business world, the light at the end of the tunnel for many Penn students, has proven to be an excellent source of not just money but also ideas for education reform. The Ford Foundation's Quantum Leap Program in Philadelphia, for example, raised the graduation rate for a group of high school students from 42 to 92 percent. Summer internships can provide talented youth with valuable experience for a minimal cost. While the Boston business community provides 3,000 summer jobs for 50,000 youths Philadelphia has only 400 jobs for 207,000 students. Perhaps when digging for something to ask of a company on an interview, "What do you do in your community?" would be a surprising and thought provoking question. The alarm needs to be sounded on education reform. The issue can no longer be ignored as our current social ailments will only continue if the youth of America is left abandoned in the current public school system. Where government has failed, businesses, universities and the general public must generate the will to pick up the slack. The future political, social and economic success of America depends on our responsibility. Chris Iorillo is a senior history major from Los Angeles, Calif. The Buck Stops Now appears alternate Tuesdays.