Education for all

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Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) was inspired to write, “I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” The lamp beside the golden door which she referred to in “The New Colossus” was a lamp of liberty. That lamp must still offer a promise to all American citizens. It must be the promise of an America where free public education and an opportunity to “breathe free” offers hope to all of our tired, poor and huddled masses. If the early immigrants were enabled to brave the condescension which they found on the “teeming shore” to carve out a better future for themselves and their descendants, surely our new immigrants, and the poor of this great nation, must be allowed to have the same opportunity.

The door to public education must not close to the newer immigrants today, nor to the poor who are huddled in inner city neighborhoods. Many teachers have returned or remained in the inner city neighborhoods “for the ones who have no out.” And each day the teachers must use their personal funds to supplement the resources in their classrooms. Yet it is sad to see how some of the inner city schools personify the disgraceful and inadequate funding of public education in New York City. The deplorable physical condition of the schools, seems to be reserved for public schools, only. Thus, as educators and advocates for children, we find ourselves constantly addressing these issues in Albany.

Surely our elected officials must be held accountable for the empty promises they have made. Making education a priority in our nation should not be a dream deferred. Nor must the empty promise of making education a priority be allowed to become the stellar campaign promise which often ends once the election year ends. We cannot allow the legislators to short change our students and pauperize education year after year. We must continue to press on.

Today there are new voices, new poets to be heard because even the students know that they don’t hear America singing. And the torch which burned so brightly in the past cannot be seen by today’s huddled masses. 

Gisela Rodriguez-Montalvo, Phyllis C. Murray
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