Time To Educate

As I think about the state of education in this country I can't help but to feel a kind of sadness for students' lack of preparedness for college and life in general.  Thinking back on my days in the public school system I do realize how lucky I was growing up.  My parents were college educated and fanatically invested in my growth and development not just as a student but as a budding intellectual.  My teachers saw in me enormous potential and went above and beyond to make sure I was evolving intellectually by continually pushing me to strive for excellence.  As a result not only did I finish in the top 3% of my high school class but also received numerous academic awards throughout my public school career.  Having these influences in my life, whether it was my parents stringent study rules and home made quizzes or my teachers extremely high expectations, impacted the confidence I had in my intellectual ability and ultimately how I navigated through a tough college curriculum.  Although I was able to excel in school and arrive at a place where now I hold multiple degrees, I still look at my relative success as a sort of tokenism considering the realities of many minorities in the inner cities of America.  Just on a small scale I can literally count on one hand how many people I grew up with  have even entered college, and the number dwindles when calculating how many of them actually finished.  If I begin to think on more of a larger scale the statistics of minority, specifically black and latino college students, are appalling.  The fact remains that statistically speaking the number of college students of color are alarmingly low.  What I feel attributes to this fact is that students of color are underperforming in school from the elementary level on up.  I am not one to site the students or even their parents for fault.  The truth remains that educating students of color particularly from impoverished communities is not high on the list of priorities.  Schools in these communities are underfunded and lack the resources to even attract highly qualified teachers.  Many of these schools employ teachers that are frankly not fit to teach these students and are riddled with preconceived notions about the worth of their students.  Hence why I feel that it is time for us (meaning well educated, concerned, professionals) to step in and pick up the slack.  Too long are we siting back, concentrated on our own existence, and many of us lining our pockets, without taking a moment to reach back and help someone.  Sometimes it is as simple as volunteering our time to a child that could use a role model.  However I am a little more invested than just giving my time.  I look myself in the mirror everyday and wonder how successful am I if all I do is contribute to my own well being.  If I do not use the talents, good fortune, money, and intellect that I have fostered, then what purpose do I have.  I guess I am just tired of seeing young children of color fall through the cracks and stifle their potential because not enough people are willing to take responsibility for their development. I'm ready to stop talking and complaining about injustice and actually start doing something to make change.