Children are public education

By Barbara "Bobbi" (Dunivan) Dunivan-Elder

Public education is just that, available to all children. Public education has challenges. Changing demographics, economic strife and societal changes affect education.

They are fortunate. Their education afforded them the chance to have not only dedicated teachers who helped them, but had an atmosphere of stability. Todays students deserve that same sense of security in atleast one aspect of their lives.

When I was attending school the questions of budget were still there, but the economy was flourishing. The legislature, the governor, and the voting tax payers saw a real value to public education. Our parents encouraged us to study and the overall societal emphasis was one of learning to become successful adults. The issue was not one of being a doctor or a lawyer, it was becoming a literate, productive citizen. And which ever direction whas chosen by either became a successful tradesperson having learned skills, or who went on to higher education the importance was learning.

Over the last thirty years many things have changed. The economic situation is common knowledge. Monies from the state has decreased dramatically to all school districts. The yet unpassed budget continues to create fiscal uncertainty for all public schools. It also gives question as to whether or not the federal monies being provided to the states for the retention and rehire of teachers and support staff will actually be the supplement intended or a zero gain. This in and of itself is providing additional stress and uncertainty that only open dialog can help relieve.

The demographics of Paradise are changing as well. Families are affected by the economy. The greater the impact, the greater the stress. That stress affects the children and their ability to concentrate or see value in education.

There are a greater number of children who come from fractured families, whether or not both parents are in the home the situation in which they find themselves prohibits them from seeing there own value. More and more children are living in single parent families in which the parent often holds two jobs to support the children giving them less time to participate in there lives. The number of children that are either in foster care or are being raised by either grandparents or great grandparents is rising. Many children have no homes and are not in the foster care system, surviving by "couch surfing" from the home of one friend to another. Displaced, insecure and unhappy children often have distrust of those in a position of perceived authority.

These factors make the delivering of a sound education to all of the children challenging. Fortunately, we have strong teachers who remained engaged in the learning process and are open enough to understand what is happening. An added benefit are the support staff, secretaries, custodians, and food services personnel whom disenfranchised students see as friends rather than the "authorities". Often support staff are the first line of assistance for the at risk student.

The loss of any of the engaged teachers and support staff members is a loss to the student personnel of any district. They are the only resource any school district really has.