Independence Day gives occasion to celebrate life, liberty, pursuit of education

FIRST-PERSON COLUMN
By Hank Bounds
State Superintendent of Education
July 3, 2007

The public schools have become such an integral part of the fabric of our communities that it is easy to forget what a radical idea a free and public education provided by the government was when the founding fathers developed plans for a new kind of government in a new land. They believed an educated populace was necessary for self-governance—that a democracy could not succeed without citizens who could make good decisions for themselves and their country.

In a 1816 letter to Colonel Charles Yancey, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be. The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves; nor can they be safe with them without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe.”

The founding fathers also believed in education as the great equalizer. Coming from England and other European countries where only the upper class received an education, the

Founding Fathers wanted to erase those class lines and knew that the only way that could be accomplished was through education. Striving for a society free from a rigid class system, the early leaders of our country knew investing in the idea of education would be the foundation on which our country would be built.

Another great statesman, Governor William Winter, has said many times, “The road out of the poorhouse goes by the schoolhouse.” Education is the vehicle we use to reach all other goals in life: to be successful in careers, to provide for our families and to contribute to our communities. Without an education, our ability to reach any of these goals is severely restricted.

If the founding fathers had not developed the idea of a free and public education for all the children of the newly-formed United States of America and education was only available to those who could afford private schools or private tutors, how many of our children would be able to read? How many of our adults would have this skill or any other? How far would we as a country and a society be today without our educational system?

Public education has become an easy target, particularly in recent years, for critics to decry all of its shortcomings. Certainly, there is room for improvement, even in the best of schools. However, I would encourage you to share with your children what a gift a free and public education is and how they can best show their appreciation to our founding fathers from centuries ago and their teachers today by working hard to learn all that they can. I would also encourage you to demonstrate your support for your local schools by devoting your time and expertise to them and their students. We can all help our schools in ways both big and small. The reward will be stronger communities that are better able to attract the business and industry that serve as economic drivers.

Although the founding fathers would not recognize many of the things we take for granted in our everyday lives, from microwaves to airplanes to cell phones, the need for a strong educational system is just as important today as it was over 200 years ago. Working together, we can create an excellent education system for all of Mississippi 's students and a better quality of life for all its citizens.

(Contact: Caron Blanton, APR, Director of Communications, 601-359-3706 .)