The Money Argument

It seems that the state of Oklahoma is bickering with itself again about education funding.  Yes, when it comes to what is spent regionally, we spend much less.  We pay our teachers less than 47 other states.

However, a fool thinks to himself that he needs more money to repair cracks in his walls, patch his roof, and repaint his rooms when his house is on a foundation of sand.  Money will not help this man unless he is first willing to raze his house and put it on a solid foundation.

Money will not restore the curiosity of our middle and high school aged children.  Money will not replace their apathy with caring.  And, at this point, money will not feed their minds.

A child is a person.  They deserve a system that treats them as such.

Children do not need to be manipulated or "added to."  They need to be strengthened and inspired.  It doesn't require huge administrative buildings or cutting edge technology to do that.

The only food for the mind is an idea.  Ideas do not cost me a red cent, and the books that contain the greatest ideas humankind has recorded are not expensive.

Until we realize this, we will continue throwing money down a hole that has put our nation's educational system behind many poorer countries, despite the fact that we spend more than any other nation in the world on education, save two.