The surest, indeed, the only way to eventually raise Cleveland up from being the poorest city in the country is to raise the education level of its residents. Educational attainment (or more appropriately the lack thereof in our city’s case) is still the prime predictive indicator of poverty.
That’s why it’s imperative that we pass the 15 mill renewal and 5 mill increase levies (which will cost less than $7 per month for the median Cleveland homeowner) that is on the November 3 ballot. It’s the first time in eight years that the Cleveland Municipal School District has asked voters to support the future of Cleveland by investing in our children.
Nonetheless, a group of cowardly (not to mention greedy) developers and landlords are mounting an effort to scare voters into voting against their own best self-interests by vaguely threatening all kinds of negative consequences, such as increased rents and devastating job losses. The mailers that are being sent out from Virginia (to better hide their hands) are being financed by the same group of developers that for years has sought and received tax abatements that limit the amount of funding available for educating our children.
While Issue 68 is being endorsed by parents, teachers, business and labor leaders — indeed, everyone with a stake in assuring that Cleveland kids continue to experience rising test scores in reading and math (as well as improving graduation rates) — this dastardly group of fat-cat investors that only wants to continue to take and take and take from those on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder will stoop to any level to avoid paying their fair share so that our kids can receive a quality education.
It’s time we begin calling out such reprehensible actions for what they actually are: Economic racism. There’s really no other way to look at it when a group comprised overwhelmingly of wealthy white money grubbers mount an effort to deny students (who are overwhelmingly black, brown and poor) an opportunity for a quality education, which is the only thing that will allow them to eventually move out of poverty and towards a brighter future.
So, don’t stop after you make your mark for Joe Biden: go down ballot and support Cleveland’s kids — and our city’s future.
[Written by Mansfield Frazier]