Kelly William-Bolder, an Akron, Ohio mother wanted her children to get a better and safer education for her children than was available in her own school district. So, she sent her kids to a neighboring school district that her father lived in.
Ms. Williams-Bolder was discovered and went to trial where she was convicted and sentenced to 10 days in jail.
Granted, Ms. Bolder cheated the system that was in place. She lied for her children. She violated the law. But should she have gone to jail. Her story is an indictment of a system that is failing, especially minority children.
Too many areas around the country have poorly performing shool districts right next door to highly performing districts. I understand the system is normally based upon property tax revenues and the districts with higher property values can fund better school buildings, materials and programs. But somehow this is just not right.
I am not proposing redistribution of wealth, but somehow, we need to find a way to make educational opportunities equitable. And we need to do it not by taking away from those that are going to quality schools, with quality tools and facilities. We need to do it by lifting up and revitalizing those systems that are failing.
There are many good ideas out there on how to do this, many great brains. We need to get past NIMBY, we need to get past stubbornness in adminstrators, unions and parents, and do what is best for all children. We need to eliminate the conditions that drive parents like Kelly Williams-Bolder into doing what she did. While she did violate the law, I cannot find fault in her actions.
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