Home Commentary Editorial Divisiveness Drags Down Our Education System

Divisiveness Drags Down Our Education System

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Oct. 26, 2007 — One of our senators would place the responsibility for training our youth for something other than entry-level jobs on the business people of the territory, while voting down the governor's choice for education commissioner. This points again to the political rather than practical nature of the senator's vote last week.
If our senators really wanted to see our children prepared for something other than entry-level jobs, it seems they would also support change.
The truth is our education system does not prepare our young people to step into meaningful careers or go on to top-level colleges and universities, no matter what our senators say on the floor while posturing for the television camera.
Every single business person who comes to the Virgin Islands to conduct due diligence points to the lack of a viable labor force as a key drawback to setting up shop here.
We believe, unlike the rabble-rousers in our community, that business people here would rather hire locally — for both practical and ethical reasons.
Why don't they? They can't find qualified people.
Why is that? Our education system is dysfunctional.
Why is that? It is top heavy with sinecure and nepotism. And when someone gets close to doing something about it, our senators chop them off at the knees.
The Education Department has a $180 million budget that, after all the salaries, benefits, perks, and do-nothing administrative positions are funded, leaves about $3 million for supplies to educate our children.
The few textbooks we are able to purchase remain unused in warehouses. Students stand or sit on the floor in classrooms without enough or the right-sized desks to accommodate them. And forget about intramural sports or extracurricular activities. If it were not for the business people, who senators think should also be responsible for education programs and training, there would be far fewer of those extra programs that are so important to building team spirit and good sportsmanship.
And so it is with some amazement that in this week's forum on St. Croix, we still see the veiled prejudices that keep our communities in chaos. One senator suggested that the derelict buildings scattered about the territory belong to members of the chambers of commerce, the same people they say should be training our youth.
We have seen the enemy — the enemy is deliberate divisiveness. And beware: It is not without purpose. A divided community has little chance of effecting change.
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