By Robert Jung
CEO & President of the Board, Milpitas Community Educational Endowment
President of the Parent-Teacher Association,
As we celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday, I'm reminded of his famous 1963 inspirational speech. Here's my short adaptation to call all Milpitians to rise up and support our public schools in their time of crisis.
There was a time when the California public schools were among the top schools across America. Somehow over the last decade or so, we have lost our way.
Our schools are now at the bottom in the country, and employers can't find a prepared workforce. Even here in the middle of Silicon Valley, where innovation surrounds us, the solution to this crisis still eludes us. Our funding mechanism is sorely broken while we search for answers in what seems to be an abyss.
But, in the words of Dr. King,
"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream."
- I have a dream that one day all the citizens of Milpitas will be proud of our public schools and respectfully boast of our students' accomplishments.
- I have a dream that one day all of our students look forward to going to school, excited to learn and build their dreams. Our students will excel as model citizens and become our future leaders, capable and with integrity.
- I have a dream that one day our teachers, administrators, and staff energetically yearn to teach and share their knowledge and expertise to expand the young minds.
- I have a dream that one day our local businesses understand the challenge of our public education system and commit to invest in it, to grow it, and to reap its rewards in a prepared workforce and strong consumer.
- I have a dream that we all work together to find ways to overcome the financial challenges of today's public education landscape.
And when this happens, when we all come together to share and live this dream, we will know freedom. It will not be easy, but we will know it was well worth it. We will have built a foundation for the future.
On this day and each day forward, let us together share and build this dream for our kids and our community, because a strong public education offers freedom and the American dream!
Do you have an opinion you'd like to share with the readers of Milpitas Patch? E-mail Milpitas Patch Editor Jennifer van der Kleut at JVDKreporting@gmail.com.
