On Education
Our economy starts with our children. The children of our community deserve our investment, because they are the future. An outstanding education system underpins our economic success. This means that we must invest in our children at a very early age and indoctrinate in them the goal of college. As for the students who may not be suited for a 4 year or 2 year college, we should be channeling our children into a trade school. Too many of our children, who graduate high school and do not attend college are winding up underemployed and underskilled, perpetuating a cycle of poverty.
While we have had great benefit from the School Building Assistance Program in the building of brand new schools throughout the City, a plan for upkeep over the long term, to protect these investments need to be put into place. This means, that each year a certain amount of funding must be designated for small capital upkeep and large capital projects.
Here in Lowell, we have a tremendous resource in Umass Lowell and Middlesex Community College. Proudly, I am a product of both of these colleges.
Both institutions are vital to work force development within Lowell and the Merrimack Valley region. These are the places from which we draw our future. Further partnering with UML and Middlesex Community College provides a great deal of opportunity and is vital to our future.
This year, each candidate was given the opportunity to answer a set of questions put forward by Lowell Stand For Children.
Stand for Children is a national advocacy group that works in communities all over the United States, including Lowell.
For more information on Stand for Children, click on this link www.Stand.Org
All of the candidates responses have been posted and are accessible via this link; http://www.stand.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=544&srcid=82&srctid=1&erid=11805.
This presents voters with a great opportunity to gain a bit more insight into each City Council and School Committee Candidate.
It is worth a look, so if you have moment, you may want to check it out.