It's increasingly easy to become discouraged by the state of the world- the very human problems that are molded into very mechanical political needs go unaddressed and we are stuck in a holding pattern of ever widening socio-economic gaps and faltering services to adequately address them. Unfortunately, we often look to one-solution-fits-all cures when the only cure for hugely inadequate education and health systems would be blowing the whole thing up and starting fresh. With 49-51% of our nation subscribing to the conservative persuasion, TNT style reform is unlikely. It is in this vein that I make a self-promotional plug to a burgeoning reform in the education world that I was lucky enough to teach within for 2 years- the Knowledge is Power Program- or KIPP Schools. It's unique approach to educating low income youth is as much derided as it is embraced- but its success is undeniable. What's great about KIPP is that it doesn't claim to be THE solution, merely part of it.
One of the founders of KIPP appeared on the Colbert Report earlier this week. Dave Levin, whom I will have an everlasting and very real crush, used his 5 minutes to discuss the urgency of NOW in our education system. My first group of Kippsters are applying to college this year- the very idea of it and what they've overcome as individuals blows my mind. My job is currently asking me to evaluate very difficult decisions about levels of human-centric services that are required to cut back due to this implosion in the economy. I can only hope that cuts are being made strategically and programs that change as many lives as KIPP (which actually doesn't receive government funding outside of its per-pupil allotment) don't end up on the chopping block.
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