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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2016)
April 20, 2016 Page 7 O PINION Your Carpet Best Cleaning Choice Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $45.00 A small distance/travel charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area Pre-Spray Trafic Areas (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Trafic Area (Hallway Extra) Voting is Key to Education Reform We are facing some tough choices b rian l. P auling Education – the an- swer to many of the problems ailing our country – is getting the least amount of at- tention from the can- didates on the presi- dential campaign trail. According to a November Gallup poll, only four percent of Americans consider educa- tion or education policy to be the most important problem facing our nation. Respondents instead cited the economy, poorly run government, immigration, gun control and health care of most concern. While I agree that these are important issues, we at 100 Black Men of America, Inc. be- lieve that without a quality edu- cation, many young people, par- ticularly African Americans, will be condemned to lives of pover- ty, incarceration and despair. As a nonproit mentoring or- ganization, the education of our youth is one of our top concerns. by In our advocacy work, we have sought to raise public aware- ness about the need to reform our nation’s education system, especially in predominately African-American and low-income communi- ties where far too many of the schools are failing our children. We are working to ensure that every child, no matter their zip code, has access to high-per- forming schools. Schools with caring and nurturing environ- ments, high-performing teach- ers, rigorous curriculum, and the proper materials and technology are some of the key ingredients to preparing our kids to suc- cessfully graduate high school, handle college-level coursework without requiring remediation, compete in a global marketplace and become productive members of society. How we get there is the real question. One answer is by vot- ing. When we go to the polls in the upcoming primaries and in November, we will not only elect the next president. We will use our voting power to also make important decisions about our children’s education. In some states, for example, the electorate will be asked to decide whether to turn the op- erational and decision-making control of failing schools in their communities over to their state governments. Others will be asked whether more charter pub- lic schools should be permitted to open in their communities to provide families with an option to traditional public schools. Still others will be asked how mon- ey raised through state lotteries, property and sales taxes, and state and federal allocations should be earmarked to support educational initiatives from cradle to college. As voters, we are facing some tough choices. Many of our lo- cal public schools are struggling and some even failing, but is a state government takeover the answer? There has been a de- cades-long imbalance in the dis- tribution of educational quality and opportunity due, in part, to how public schools are fund- ed, but will proposed funding formula changes address those inequities and produce success- ful outcomes? If we allow more charter schools, will that irre- versibly damage our traditional public schools or will the com- petition make both stronger? What happens to the children and schools in our communities will depend largely on the ac- tions we take as voters. Elections at both the federal and local lev- els – from the school board to the statehouse and from the as- sembly to the White House – are vitally important. We need to be talking about education in our households and at PTA meetings, in our barber shops and coffee- houses, and in our workplaces and houses of worship. But transformation doesn’t come by talk alone. We also must take decisive action. We can start by increasing our knowledge of the issues, committing to exer- cise our right to vote, encourag- ing others in our communities to do the same and then casting ballots for candidates for whom education and the academic suc- cess of our children are top pri- orities. The choice – and the vote – is ours. Brian L. Pauling is national president and chief executive ofi- cer of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Learn more about the work of The 100 at 100blackmen.org Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) : $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) : $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $109 - $139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949