Chapter Fourteen

But first we should understand that public education is under attack today in this country from politicians who seemingly bend to the powers that be. But what should a parent do with young children who need effective education now?

Fighting back against national and state powers who seek to reduce public monies and to divert them into private charter schools, while public education is being starved for resources and funds to carry on their work, we need to ask what should be done?

Of course being active in your community is obvious. And in our chapter on upping your activism coming later, we urge your getting more involved in your community is a way to change this circumstance. More on activism later in this book.

 

For now we look at several approaches to providing education to yours and other children in your community.

First you advertise for a homeschooling teacher. Do this on your local Craigslist, in local papers, by word of mouth, and by other means, meeting at your local church, or in a spare library room or at a private home or meeting with the kids after school, make this program feasible..

The Family Bank, Grants and the Resource Committee can help in this project which is educating our kids to the highest standards.

If fifteen parents, donations from church and other sources, cobbled together we can pay the salary of our teacher or teachers, from per-school onward through high school.

 

You can apply for charter money itself and look to set up your own charter schools admitting kids from your neighborhood and not automatically forgo public money.

Within the Education Committee establish a curriculum committee to outline how and what ought to be taught in the new school, ask members to run for school board and begin to establish and get known in your community.

Curriculum established, we could establish a preschool program all the way to a special STEM program often hiring older teens to tutor younger children utilizing their knowledge to help younger children.

These resources come together to make the after school education program a realty.


The In-School Educational Program

The Education Committee establishes who and identifies mentors children in public schools are active; what their needs are and who is assigned to help.

Many children don't eat breakfast and often a meals program is needed to get them off to school. Donations from local merchants are often needed from the “free labor” program that already have some of our kids working for them.

Some children even in grade school are homeless and the education committee can intervene for them to help get them services, got to the local school, to the local welfare department, to DMV and in fact might have to establish a recently incarcerated program to integrate family looking to rebuild themselves.

A grant for this later kind of program is a project for the Resources Committee seeking grants in this area.

What will be presented with the overall Family Plan is an integrated, organized plan which funders like to see. It is organized, plans are drawn up, people appear motivated. That is what you have to present.

Thus we have achievable goals, potential personnel in the Education Effort, a plan and definite activities you can present to funders, to local corporations, to local businesses, viable candidates you have available and step by step goals you can lay out for these funders.

Next in addition to funders you want to recruit volunteers. Approach local groups and corporations and say you are not seeking donations, but they would be nice, but rather you are seeking volunteers for your various programs, and space in their monthly newsletter which goes out to their employees. This can generate incredible rewards because volunteers are worth their weight in gold, especially if you have work for them to do at home.

Let take some of these ideas and have them drawn up to an overall plan, reviewed by the Education Committee and then by the Family Planning group all together. It being approved, you are now ready to move.