By Steve Frey
Some things seem so self-evident that it is amazing that not everyone “gets it.” After repeated occasions of observing this disconnect, however, a realization sets in that what may be apparent to one person can be perceived very differently by another.
Three things were in the news during the last week that one would assume everyone could agree on, and the truth is, just about everyone does. But let’s see what you think!
First, there is an extreme disparity among schools and the education that students receive in Virginia. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring recently responded to Senator Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) that needed repairs/renovations to schools are not tied to the Brown vs. Board of Education rulings because there was no argument for racial discrimination, which is the basis for Brown. He also noted that a Title IX case based on any variation between facilities for girls and boys would be a federal issue solved through a formal complaint. Herring’s bottom line: the General Assembly does have a responsibility concerning standards of quality and staffing, but renovations/construction have been designated by the Assembly to local school divisions.
Yes, the General Assembly clearly does have a responsibility to see that Virginia’s children receive a quality education, but a student will not obtain a 21st-century education in facilities that cannot provide the computer technology, career and technical education, science offerings and multiple enrichment opportunities necessary for that kind of education (and don’t forget the failing boilers, leaking roofs, lack of air conditioning, etc.). Furthermore, there is an obvious disparity between the extraordinary facilities existing in some Northern Virginia school divisions and those in Southwest Virginia, for example.
The General Assembly should pursue Herring’s conclusion that the state constitution does indicate its responsibility to provide a quality education for ALL Virginia students. The state should change the school funding formula, increase contributions to the Literary Fund that provides low-cost loans to divisions for construction, and allocate those loans to divisions based on factors including locally available tax revenues and poverty levels in order to alleviate educational discrepancies throughout the Commonwealth.
The next item relates to gun safety (that phrase alone will trigger anxiety for some—no pun intended). We will save a complete analysis of Governor Northam’s proposal for gun safety and focus on just one area—universal, comprehensive background checks (the U.S. House of Representatives is also looking at this). Everyone knows that 94-97 percent of the U.S. population, depending on the poll, believe that there should be background checks for anyone purchasing guns. The reason: Americans don’t want insane people or violent criminals possessing weapons because it often leads to bad outcomes (an understatement).
However, a very few Americans will oppose any gun safety measures because: (a) They think it is an erosion of second amendment rights. (b) They will just open the door to more gun safety measures. (c.) Nothing ever makes a difference anyway. (d.) The NRA says so. (e.) All of the above. The answer for these few people is (e.), of course.
Most people look at atrocities like mass shootings and try to find ways to prevent something like that from happening again. One would think it would be common sense that insane people and violent criminals should not have weapons and that background checks will prevent some from getting them, but it is not obvious to those vocal few who will oppose any gun safety measures at all.
Last, but not least, we have the government shutdown, which was still at a stalemate as of the writing of this column. Is it fair that some of our friends and neighbors who happen to work for the government not receive a paycheck because of a political fight in Washington? These are hard working people with families to feed and bills to pay. Other first world governments don’t close down and punish their people. They don’t eliminate services and treat their workers poorly to make political points. An enlightened government and its leaders would pass a budget and negotiate other issues—not hold their workers hostage. Again, this should be obvious, but sadly it is not.
So, there you have it. Three items that everyone should be able to agree on, but, because of politics, there is a lack of consensus.
Evidently, there are some in government who don’t care if children fail to receive the best education possible; some don’t care that insane mass murderers can purchase their weapons of choice without a background check at gun shows up and down I-81; and some don’t care if families are unable to put food on the table because of a government furlough.
That’s why we have elections. However, and in our republic, representatives are democratically elected to represent us—and to care. Hopefully, the majority will use common sense now and in the future.
We would be better off in the NRV, Virginia, and the United States if we could better learn to communicate, negotiate, and use reason to solve problems. It would be astonishing to see what could be accomplished.
Oh, and about that common sense concept—unfortunately, it’s often as Voltaire once said: “Common sense is not so common.”
Ed note: for more on the DoE Literary Fund, visit www.doe.virginia.gov/support/facility_construction/literary_fund_loans/index.shtml
Steve Frey is a writer and CEO of Ascendant Educational Services based in Radford.