Missouri Public School Advocates

Mark Twain once told a story about how the Russian government had withdrawn money from the public schools in order to support its military’s presence in China. “This is a monstrous idea to us,” Twain said. “We believe that out of the public school grows the greatness of a nation.”

 Twain then went on to recall there once was a proposition in Hannibal, MO to discontinue public schools because they were too expensive. “It is curious to reflect how history repeats itself the world over,” Twain said.

 Now, a century later, Missouri legislators are at it again. Another day, another deterrent to funds for public education. Here are Show-Me State facts. Missouri ranking 41st among states in education funding with teacher pay at a dismaying 48th. The cause for this decline is the lack of effort at the state level. While the average state funds 46 percent of school cost, our state is at a miserable 29 percent. On the college side, the picture is bleak. College tuition has almost doubled at state universities in ten years. Ten years ago, Missouri was above average nationally in the percent of its population having a bachelor’s degree or more. Now, we have fallen into the bottom third. Today, students and their parents are being asked to subsidize the valuable research and development done by our universities as well as fund aid to disadvantaged but deserving young people.

That’s why the Missouri Public School Advocates was founded, to ensure the stability and strength of Missouri public schools, colleges and universities. No matter what well-funded, out-of-state, critics want you to believe, Missouri schools are doing good work.

Over the past 20 years in Missouri, ACT scores and high school graduation rates have gone up, while the dropout rate has steadily declined. Finally, more than 900,000 of Missouri children k-12 grades attend Missouri public schools. That’s 90 percent of school-aged children! Another 140,000 attend a public university or college in Missouri. The vast majority of Missourians are products of the public school system. We are all mostly public school graduates. When you read the negative attacks on the public schools, it should be personal. That criticism is about you. It’s about me. It’s about your friends, family and neighbors their children and grandchildren! Had enough?

 If you believe that public education is the cornerstone of democracy and are tired others trying to feather their own nest at the expense of children, it is time to stand up for public education. The Missouri Public School Advocate website http://mopublicschooladvocates.org/ has attribution for every fact I’ve written.

Please consider joining the people who love their Missouri schools and children, respect the role public education plays in and democracy, and think good schools build great communities. MPSA and public education need you now.

Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won't fatten the dog.

- Speech 11/23/1900 -Mark Twain

Jim Dunn 830 Sunset Avenue Liberty, MO 64068 817-781-9029 dunn830@gmail.com