Richmond Students Question School Costs, Competition

A few weeks ago, we convened a forum of students in Richmond schools at a local school. The occasion was prompted by our Chief of Police, Rodney Monroe. He once had been at a forum where administrators, school officials, and others discussed and answered questions relative to the problems in education as seen from the viewpoints of others.

A young man took the mike and posed several questions asking how he was to deal with gang pressure, issues relating to gender differentiation, drugs, and sexually transmitted diseases, etc. He was told that the role of those present representing the schools was to teach them the fundamentals in reading, writing, and mathematics; that those other things were for other people to teach. Frustrated and apparently disgruntled, the young man left the room. Chief Monroe immediately followed to hear the youngster out.

The student told the Chief that if these things were not to be discussed at the school level, then what could one expect the life- learning experience to be other than the continuing problems faced and left unresolved by many of today’s young people.

I was struck by that cry for action and agreed to co-host the event with the Chief. For me, it was a most rewarding experience.

I have found in my experience that the more public officials listen to others, the more informed they may become in addressing the concerns of those they purport to represent.

The City’s Per-Student Cost

The questions posed by the students were not only relevant but helpful in discerning what needs be done as far as redressing the issues.

The very first question was why the City of Richmond spends less on education than the surrounding counties. When I advised the young man that the exact opposite was true — that Richmond spent more per student than all of the surrounding counties — he appeared perplexed. He must have been told that by someone, but for what purpose?

I had heard a similar complaint two years ago from a student at a middle school. Is this just coincidence? Another student posed a more poignant observation, stating that he thought that there should be more apparent funding seen in the classroom rather than at the administrative levels.

Many of the students spoke of the problems of healthy diets and the need for adequate time for exercise and recreation even beyond school hours. They spoke of the lack of diversity in the schools and the learning experience lost thereby.

Some Further Questions

I was excited to hear one of them stress the need for competition of talent between the schools. This sounded much like my call for the Mayor’s Academic Olympics as I campaigned for this office a short time ago. These were positive indications of a student body that should not be measured solely by SOL standards but one measured by its genuine interest in learning and becoming productive members of society. We are in the process of gathering the questions and making them more available through our Website.

As positive as all of this is, there was a downside. After prompting them to ask any kind of question — no matter how dumb they may sound to others, and telling them of the great opportunities all of them have in this country — I posed other questions.

I asked how many of them thought that they could not become President of the United States. A sea of hands was raised. When I asked why not, a young lady volunteered that this was so “because I am black.” When I asked how many of them felt they could not be elected Governor, not a single hand was raised.

I guess the answer lies somewhere between not only what you see, but what you’re taught to believe. That has to start at the earliest practicable stage in one’s life.

I was very fortunate to have been taught, at home and in my schools — segregated as they were — that I could rise to the highest possible potential of the individual.

We must continue to instill that belief in our young people . . . as well as to maintain it ourselves.