For the Love of Money

Money stands like a brick wall in my life.  I've never wanted to invest my time and energy with money as the goal--it just wasn't in me.  On the other hand, I've always wanted to make enough money to achieve my most important dreams: a home, a family and a vacation now and then.

I invested my energy and drive in education.  I became an educator because it is a creative job that positively impacts people's lives and the world we live in.  Education is also a good match for my skills and vision. The one great drawback of becoming an educator is that you don't make a lot of money. I'm not that worried about money with regard to material objects, and I make enough money to take care of my family. BUT, I don't make enough money to significantly influence the policies and laws of the country, and that's a problem.

That's a problem because I believe our country holds the potential to make every neighborhood a safe neighborhood, every school a school with conditions of excellence and every child a child who has adequate health care, nutrition, social services and education.  I don't think we have to be a country of haves and have-nots; I believe the potential is there to improve the quality of life for all beginning with the young and the elderly.

I work in a school system that profits from adequate funding, community support and professional commitment.  In many regards, it's an ideal system to work in and has demonstrated to me the many ways that education can work to optimize one's potential and goals. I desire that all school systems thrive like the system I work in.  I wonder:

• How can we create more vibrant, collaborative, peaceful communities throughout the U.S.?
• What can we do to increase students' academic, social, physical and emotional success?
• In what ways do we increase innovation and foster jobs and companies that not only make money, but also contribute to an environmentally clean, peaceful, educated and healthy country?
• How can we support our public schools, and regulate private industry's role in education so that privatization does not put profit before students? 

These are not easy issues?  We are a complex, diverse society?  I do believe, however, that we can continue to lead the world in democracy by strengthening our resolve to provide optimal health care, education, community and peace to the populous.  I just wish I had the money to lobby for, and affect the decisions related to elections and laws like so many who have inherited wealth or who made the choice to target their professional careers on making money.  However I know there are ways that people like me can contribute and I will continue to seek out those paths.