Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 5 · column 3 of 7 · from the scan, no model involved
Public education is required by law but it would seem to represent one of the more noble intents of government: to prepare children to deal with the world. This is an endeavor which should generally bring a smile to our faces; we should feel good about helping to provide a future for the young. Why is it that an activity which has such a good intent can bring so much sadness to so many, casting a dark shadow across this land that we all love?
Superficially, the current issue appears to concern $120,000 which was arbitrarily removed from the school budget by the supervisors. It is so simple to contrast this amount with a corresponding increase in taxes. But such simplicity sets the residents of Rappahannock up to fight among ourselves. Landowners, retired persons, farmers and persons without children may all ask, “Why should I pay to educate someone else’s children?” Teachers and parents become the adversaries, struggling to take money out of the pockets of the county residents. It all looks so simple and so easily appeals to one of our fundamental self interests, our pocketbooks. But is this really such a simple issue?
Public education gives us one of our fundamental strengths as free men, the opportunity for advancement without regard for financial or social status. No matter what our individual heritage, we were ourselves children and had to learn about the world. Someone helped us up the ladder of life and, as likely as not, public education played an important role in our climb, either for us directly, or in the opportunities which it afforded to our ancestors. How many of us has ever stopped to think who paid the way for us to have access to our education? Couldn’t it be argued that each of us owes a debt for our education which can only be paid by providing for the instruction of the children of today, whether or not they are ‘our1 children?
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