Albuquerque's Inequity in Education Opportunities by Neighborhood

Mikaela says:
There was a story in yesterday's Journal about how local Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) have become responsible for providing "extras" like field trips and art & music teachers, school supplies, books, etc. because the Albuquerque Public School (APS) system no longer provides them.

As an aside, PTAs would be more accurately called Parent-Principal Associations, because teachers are often discouraged or simply not allowed to participate by their principals, who want to assert themselves prominently in the middle of that communication chain...

Anyhoo, the quote left out of the article, according to my sister, was that the worst consequence of this system is the disparity in education it causes because of the segregation endemic to our neighborhood system. Not all neighborhoods are the same. Neighborhoods with low-income average have a harder time raising money through their PTAs. This means neighborhoods with poorer families have poorer educations. From the beginning, these kids are at a disadvantage, and over time, this means a high school graduate from Valley is behind those graduating from La Cueva or other Heights schools whose PTAs can command thousands more per year for computers, science fairs, etc.

Again, this is a systemic issue that should be addressed ideally through investing more in our public education system -- making sure that money gets to the schools and the classrooms throughout the district. At the very least, the money raised through PTAs should be pooled across the district and redistributed equitably to all schools. Every wondered why some schools have better facilities that others? Better playgrounds? Better arts programs? Better computer labs?

This is why.

On a national level, this is being played out with the question - to bus or not to bus. By effectively ending enforced busing, we're dismantling the mix of race and incomes in our schools, a known recipe for disaster when it comes to education. As I've said before, this is an intentional sabotage of public education because those in power don't believe it is the right of every child to have an education, or certainly not an equal education. Just educate them enough for the menial labor that will keep the poor poor and not knowing they could have access to upward mobility.

It's disgusting, and here in Albuquerque, the problem could be quite easily addressed. What are the mayor and APS doing about it? Giving more money to the head administrator while not supporting teachers' raises, that's what. Such a mess. Don't we owe our kids more?