Take the Valentine's Day pledge
We live in a country where we say everyone is equal. We tell children they can do anything, be anything their hearts desire. But one school has computers for every child, teachers with Master's degrees, and low classroom size while the school ten miles down the road holds its classes in trailers, some of them with bullet holes and ant infestations. Clearly, when it comes to public education, there are haves and have nots. Meanwhile, one in four children lives in documented poverty.
Actress Julianne Moore makes a brilliant suggestion for this year's Valentine's Day: send the money you would spend on your kid's Valentine gear--presents and cards--to the poorer school down the road. "Make it fair for all kids," Moore urges.
So take the pledge to send your Valentine's Day dollars to a school that has a smaller tax digest than yours.
We the undersigned pledge that to celebrate Valentine's Day 2012, we will send our kids' Valentine's Day money to the school down the road that has less than our school--fewer computers, shabby classrooms, log jams at the cafeteria, and overcrowding. We will explain this decision to our children so that they understand and can participate in this goodwill effort. We have faith in our children to consider the welfare of others on this day that celebrates love and friendship.
