With Charity For All

I read Arianna Huffington's latest column today with a great deal of interest, perhaps for reasons other than what she actually wrote. The column was well written and inspired thoughts of my own. Overall, I agree with what she wrote, and I hope the actions of Mark Zuckerberg will inspire others to act as well. The column can be found at the following link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/troubled-times-when-mark-_b_737159.html.

In this particular case, I do not think Mr. Zuckerberg's gift will solve the problems within the Newark school system. Mr. Zuckerberg's $100 million gift is certainly generous. The main question that popped into my mind as I read this dealt with the "why" behind the Newark school system's low graduation rate. I do not question the motivation behind Mr. Zuckerberg's generous gift. I would imagine that the low graduation rate has more to do with unmotivated students and uninvolved parents than the spending per student by the government. The state currently spends $22,000 per student per year, according to the article. Yet Newark's graduation rate is only around 50 percent. Approximately 1 in 5 Newark graduates go to a 4-year college, and 85 percent of the students that go to a community college need remedial help in math and English. However, my perception may be wrong on this, but the student's motivation and parental involvement are the first needs to be addressed.

The gift also made me wonder how governments and/or private citizens can meet the needs of this country's neediest citizens and institutions. With the country in a mood to cut government spending, private citizens need to step up. Just because a government entity cuts spending, the demand for the services cut does not disappear. Instead of saying that at some point, a rich person has "made enough money", why not issue a call for those so richly blessed financially to step up more? Let those blessed with the gift of making money continue to make more money. However, those with that ability should use their wealth to help those in the most dire need, and not just simply to pad an already extravagent lifestyle. To whom much has been given, much is expected. Seems this is consistent with Warren Buffet's and Bill Gates's call for the wealthiest citizens to give more of their financial wealth to charity. An added benefit is that more money would go directly to those in need, and the money would likely be spent more efficiently.

Americans have always been generous with their time and money, one of the facets that make this country so unique. Parents need to remain involved in their children's lives to every extent possible. Of course, limitations to this include long hours at work, especially when it involves out of town travel. However, millions of parents do remain involved, and these are the children that usually succeed in school and go on to lead successful, happy, prosperous lives of their own.

When the Mark Zuckerberg's of the world step up and give more, let's not be so cynical of the motives. Sure, he has his motives. Actions like Mr. Zuckerberg's gift used to inspire others to act in a similar fashion. Today's leaders can show true leadership by exhorting others in a similar position to act in a similar manner. Instead, these days, such large gifts inspire cynicism, and we villify someone else's generosity. But, as Ms. Huffington stated in her column, it is more about the gift than the motivation.