KALAMAZOO PROMISE KIBBITZERS

Looking a gift horse in the mouth is certainly obnoxious.  Yesterday the Grand Rapids Press reported a small item.  A panel of experts in higher education at a national conference in Anaheim, California, criticized the "Kalamazoo Promise" and made recommendations on how to fix it.  The "Kalamazoo Promise" is a scholarship program that pays the college tuition for graduates of Kalamazoo's public schools.  The program is funded by an anonymous donor.

The experts in Anaheim criticized the "Kalamazoo Promise" as inadequate for low-income residents of Kalamazoo.  Specifically they complained that more money will go to middle-class students than poor ones because middle-class students tend to go to higher-cost colleges.  Plus, poor students receive need-based aid from other sources.  This is a baffling complaint.  Nothing in the "Kalamazoo Promise" program stops poor students, at least on the basis of family income, from attending colleges that are more expensive.  And, of course, poor students who receive funds for college from elsewhere will need less money from the "Kalamazoo Promise" program.  So what's the problem?

Then the experts also expressed concern that the "Kalamazoo Promise" could usurp the democratic process, because as a private gift from an anonymous donor there was no "community discussion" about the program's rules and administration.  Now think about this, folks.  These eggheads are saying that it isn't enough that a person has contributed his wealth to a worthwhile cause.  They are complaining that this person hasn't allowed the "community" -- i.e., the so-called experts like them -- to dictate how his gift should be used.  The kibbitzers are clueless.  It isn't the community's money to decide how to spend it.

These experts had further gripes, such as the value of homes in Kalamazoo might go up because people are attracted to the city because of the scholarship program.  No kidding.  What an upside-down world we live in when good things are perverted into bad things.  Just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished.

Comments

[ed hawks]

Bill, Read between the lines. The donor is not entitled to decide how that money should be distributed. In the "experts" opinion that money should have never been theirs to begin with. No single person should ever be able to control that amount of money (unless you are one of the experts). Whatever, no one in West Michigan cares about some Socialist Dopes out in California thinks anyway. Especially the families that are the beneficiaries of the Kalamazoo Promise no matter what class they are from. Just more propaganda from the Communist/Socialist wing to try to drive a wedge between the classes to further their agenda. Ignore. Got to hand it to the Grand Rapids Press thought, good job assisting them in achieving their goals at no cost. Most political groups have to pay for this type of advertising.

[Tommy Times]

I missed this article. I have somewhat of a personal interest as I used to live in Kalamazoo.

You can look up the statistics on KPS if you wish, but if I recall correctly from five years ago, about 45% of KPS students qualified for free and reduced lunch.

As the Promise only pays for state schools, many middle class students will not take advantage if they choose to go to private colleges (Although Kalamazoo College has a generous scholarship program for Kalamazoo students). Not to mention, the so called experts ignore the obvious truth that kids from poorer families go to less expensive colleges because they have less money! With hope that they can go to State or UM, and with money less of an issue, I would not be surprised to see more low income kids from Kalamazoo go to those schools.

The experts also appear to miss the point that if this program helps keep the middle class in the large urban school district, that is a good thing!

I am pretty sure that the Promise donors know what they are doing, and are capable of finding their own experts should the need arise.

[squirlgal1]

They’ve done such a great job of handling the education system here in California they want to start poisoning other states? Amazing. If the folks in Anaheim had their way all of the money would go for college tuition to students that are in the U.S. illegally. Forget the poor or middle class American citizens.

[Donald Hall]

I live in Southern California and send my children to private schools. However, I am concerned about the direction of the public schools and intrigued with the Kalamazoo Promise and its potential for Los Angeles, the largest school district in the country. If anyone has any information on how the Promise improved test scores, not just property values, I would be very interested.

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Donald.

The Kalamazoo Promise just started up, so it is too early to tell how the public schools in Kalamazoo have improved if at all.

Regards,
Bill Tingley
Executive Director