It is a fact of life. Where children live most likely determines where they go to school. The unfortunate reality is that many students in the United States have limited educational offerings because of their address. In Philadelphia, 87% of students live in "circumstances of poverty." That astonishing number allows the entire district to be eligible for the free lunch program.
Equity and access to education was the focus of a lively panel discussion hosted by The Episcopal Academy on Tuesday, October 13. The Symposium on Education: Equity and Access Panel Discussion was moderated by Horizons National Board Chair Jane S. Williams. Panelists included: Dr. Gregory Anderson, Dean of Temple University's College of Education, Mr. S. Casey Carter, CEO, Faith in the Future, Mr. Marc Mannella, CEO, KIPP Philadelphia Schools (KPS), and Dr. William Hite, Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia.
Mrs. Williams opened the discussion by asking, "We are people working with people, how hard is it to get the work done?"
Dr. Hite explained to EA Upper School students, faculty and area educational leaders that, "The children of Philadelphia have the skills to do practically anything but may not always have access to opportunity" which includes good teachers and a clean and safe building. "In places like Philadelphia, too often where children live generally define for them what their opportunities are."
For Dr. Hite equity means, "A great school close to where children live, period."
Mrs. Williams posed the question, "Would you take two buses and a train to get to your AP class? That's a lot of work!" This circuitous route is a necessity for many Philadelphia public school students.
Temple's Dr. Anderson poignantly expressed, "Opportunity shouldn't be based on a zip code."
KIPP's Marc Mannella shared, "When you talk about equity, money by itself isn't going to solve the problems." He explained, "If we actually gave the opportunities to all of the children who live in our city, If we committed to that as a society, as a state, if we said everyone's going to get the same level of opportunity as the children who go to Episcopal they'd need 20 more Harvards. That's what we are trying to do is to provide that opportunity."
Dr. Hite says he can stomach the criticism thrown at the school district but what is especially tough, "are children with abilities without opportunities to succeed and without access to those opportunities and that's the struggle we are dealing with in Philadelphia."
Compounding the problem this year in Pennsylvania, and especially in cash-strapped Philadelphia, is the lack of a state budget. For many of the state's 500 school districts that means no books, frozen funds, and costly loans to pay teacher and staff salaries.
Dr. Anderson pointed out, "Having money doesn't necessarily guarantee success. However, underfunded systems guarantee often failure."
Mr. Carter highlighted the 52-million students between the ages of five and eighteen in the United States pointing out that approximately 40% of those children live in conditions of poverty. "A lack of money can create all kinds of problems for a family and for a child. Six out of ten children in this country who are in 8th grade cannot add, subtract, multiply or divide two digits numbers if they come from poverty."
Carter observed, "As leaders if we have $600-billion educating these children five through eighteen, what can four guys like us do differently in order to educate those children?"
Carter explained, "Faith in the Future is around because we want to make sure any family who wants a Catholic education can have access to it."
Dr. Anderson went on to explain that widespread academic success benefits everyone. "It isn't good enough for certain children to have an opportunity when others don't have that same opportunity even if you are one of the fortunate that does have that opportunity. Why? Because we all live in this world together."
Specially addressing students Dr. Anderson cautioned, " If you are successful but seven other people beside you aren't then your success will be limited by the lack of opportunity that this country provides for children across this nation." He urged students to heed a Call for Action and "see yourself collectively. You can't succeed unless others succeed."
Dr. Hite encouraged students to speak-up and think of others, "We tend to listen to you." His take away lesson for the day: "Be curious, ask questions; Why are things the way they are? Be confident, be a problem solver, lift as you grow."
View the video of the panel discussion below:
