Competition for education
Former Massachusetts Gov. William F. Weld drove home an important point during his recent keynote address at the annual Conference of Lieutenant Governors: The public is demanding choices in public education. “Choice and competition are going to be the order of the day,” said Weld.
Traditional monopolies, Weld said, are crumbling. And our education system is not immune to the phenomena.
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Weld likes the idea of competition in the world of education. It serves students better, he said, and pushes traditional public schools to improve.
We agree. And we agree with former Delaware Gov. Dale Wolf, who attended the conference. Wolf said that states can compete for business by establishing a reputation for strong public schools. Delaware, like Rhode Island, is struggling to make its public education system better.
That’s a challenge. But it’s a challenge that must be met. In the past, we have supported legislation calling for the establishment of Charter Schools in Rhode Island. That is by no means a slap at the public schools, but a recognition that education must move into the 21st century and that our children deserve a wide array of opportunities.
Policy makers, business leaders and parents must work together with teachers and those administrators who formulate curriculum to make sure our students are being taught the skills they will need to enter a highly competitive workforce. The responsibility falls to everyone.
Weld is right. The public has clearly delivered the message that it will no longer support the ‘little red schoolhouse’ model in which government-run schools are the only option. Our children deserve more choices. And they deserve better public schools.
It’s up to all of us to see that that happens.
Power Zone
The GTECH Corporation is a $972 million company with 4,800 employees in offices throughout the world.
The West Greenwich-based lottery giant can afford to spread its wealth in an effort to foster goodwill. But we commend GTECH for taking such an effort at goodwill a step further. The company’s Power Zone program – where inner-city kids between 5 and 15 get computer training — and its After School Advantage campaign are real efforts to better the lives of children who may otherwise have found themselves at a competitive disadvantage.
There is no doubt that such initiatives serve GTECH well. It provides for the kind of public relations that can’t be measured in dollars. But GTECH could get that same public relations boost by writing checks to any number of non-profit agencies. That approach would be simple, uncluttered.
GTECH is taking a more challenging approach. The Power Zone at the Broad Street YMCA is changing lives. Now, the company is using it as a prototype for similar programs throughout the country.
In the long run, the work being done at the Power Zone may pay dividends in the form of a better trained workforce. In the short term, it is providing inner city students with an opportunity to become computer savvy, thus opening even wider the doors to their educational experiences.
For that, GTECH should be commended.
Providence Bruins
Congratulations to the Providence Bruins for having captured the Calder Cup, the American Hockey League’s crown jewel.
The P-Bruins are a great sports story – new young coach turns around a last place team and drives them to a championship. It’s the first championship in more than 40 years for a city that has long embraced minor league hockey.
But the P-Bruins are more than a sports story. They have played a significant role in the renaissance of Providence since arriving in the capital city in time for the 1992 hockey season. Like the Pawtucket Red Sox, the P-Bruins represent a positive self image and pride. They also represent an economic generator, bringing thousands of fans into the city on game nights.
We wish them continued success in their efforts to defend the Calder Cup next season.
