Last night V.O.T.E. held a school board candidates forum at the Frederick Douglass Center.

Only one incumbent, Cynthia Elliott, was there to support her position on the Board. In all, seven candidates answered questions posed by the moderator and the audience which consisted of parents, teachers, and community members.

The issues addressed ran the full gambit of problems with which our currents system of education is wrought.

There were many ideas on what the Board and the community can do to address poverty, racism, institutional and otherwise, culturally relevant curriculum, professional development, social promotion, top heavy administration, unions, unqualified teachers, uninvolved parents, undisciplined students, ineffective and inefficient leadership and stewardship, and even the protest of New York State Education Commissioner John B King.

We must recognize that all of these issues are extremely important indicators that the current system of education is failing our children and our society miserably. They are the symptoms of the disease Mis-education.

We cannot continue applying band aids and taking pain medication in the form of corporate funding since history has shown that this approach has not and will not benefit our children.

The only way to insure an effective and efficient system of education that provides every child with an excellent education is to wipe out the disease and create a healthy system of education that celebrates the gifts and talents of all children.

Concerned stakeholders in education must take the initiative to create a system of education that focuses on the abilities of children, showing them that they are valuable and have a great deal to offer their world.

The cancer of hate and self loathing that is destroying our children must be purged from education.

Providing and excellent education to ALL children will cure the disease and eliminate the symptoms of mis-education.

Ultimately, within two generations, the cancerous hate that is killing the body of education will be in remission and, within four generations, will be completely healed.

We must enact the cure now so that our children can become healthy, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Join the Movement to Save Our Children!