--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Over the past five years, I've met…" description: "\"Over the past five years, I've met several presidents, several secretaries of education ... and there is no plan. If you want to save your children, yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/geoffrey-canada-11965_children_over-the-past-five-years-i-ve-met-severa_1343384.png" --- # Over the past five years, I've met several presidents… ![“Over the past five years, I've met several presidents, several secretaries of education ... and there is no plan. If you want to save your children, you're going to have to do it yourself. It's just us.” quote by Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/geoffrey-canada-11965_children_over-the-past-five-years-i-ve-met-severa_1343384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/geoffrey-canada-11965_children_over-the-past-five-years-i-ve-met-severa_1343384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/geoffrey-canada-11965_children_over-the-past-five-years-i-ve-met-severa_1343384.png) > “Over the past five years, I've met several presidents, several secretaries of education ... and there is no plan. If you want to save your children, you're going to have to do it yourself. It's just us.” [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques the lack of a national education plan, urging individuals to take personal responsibility for children’s futures. **In simple terms:** No central plan exists; act yourself. Key Takeaway Empower yourself to support education. Themes education activism self‑reliance Mood determined urgent Type social educational When to use this quote - parental involvement - local tutoring - advocacy groups Key Concepts policy gaps community action Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take locally to improve education? - How can communities influence policy? A Different Perspective Systemic change may be needed beyond individual effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Do it yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-it-yourself/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) ## Related quotes > [Save the Children is an awesome charity that has helped more than 125 million children around the world, providing everything from school books to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pewdiepie/save-the-children-is-an-awesome-charity-that-has-helped-more-than-125/) PewDiePie > [I've always admired the work that Save the Children does to improve the lives of children and their families all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-chan/i-ve-always-admired-the-work-that-save-the-children-does-to-improve/) [Gemma Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-chan/) > [There is no greater insight into the future than recognizing...when we save our children, we save ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/there-is-no-greater-insight-into-the-future-than-recognizing-when-we/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“Suffer the little children to come unto Me.” Is there a prayerless father reading this? May God let the arrow go down into your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/suffer-the-little-children-to-come-unto-me-is-there-a-prayerless/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [Save the Children is also working to improve accommodation for refugee families living outside settlements. I met a family which had been living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-chan/save-the-children-is-also-working-to-improve-accommodation-for/) [Gemma Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-chan/) > [If we were really tough on crime, we'd try to save our children from the desperation and deprivation that leave them primed for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-p-meek/if-we-were-really-tough-on-crime-we-d-try-to-save-our-children-from/) [Carrie P. Meek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-p-meek/) > [“I dont think having a My Chemical Romance action figure will make a kid start his own band, I like to think it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/i-dont-think-having-a-my-chemical-romance-action-figure-will-make-a/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [We need your help. I need your help. We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-valvano/we-need-your-help-i-need-your-help-we-need-money-for-research-it-may/) [Jim Valvano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-valvano/) > [If I knew that it was possible to save all the children of Germany by transporting them to England, and only half by transferring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/if-i-knew-that-it-was-possible-to-save-all-the-children-of-germany-by/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [Arts can save children, no matter what's going on in their homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afeni-shakur/arts-can-save-children-no-matter-what-s-going-on-in-their-homes/) [Afeni Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afeni-shakur/) > [As I began to get a deeper understanding of the vital life-saving work Save the Children does, I felt compelled to help in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/as-i-began-to-get-a-deeper-understanding-of-the-vital-life-saving/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [Let's save all the children, save the babies, save the babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-gaye/let-s-save-all-the-children-save-the-babies-save-the-babies/) [Marvin Gaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-gaye/) > [It's a big shame that when you have a platform to write about Save the Children, the media interest lies with my moral alignment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/it-s-a-big-shame-that-when-you-have-a-platform-to-write-about-save/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [My plea...is a plea to save the children. Too many of them walk with pain and fear, in loneliness and despair. Children need sunlight...They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/my-plea-is-a-plea-to-save-the-children-too-many-of-them-walk-with/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [By providing students in our Nation with such an education, we help save our children from the clutches of poverty, crime, drugs, and hopelessness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/by-providing-students-in-our-nation-with-such-an-education-we-help/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) ## More by Geoffrey Canada > [I want my kids to graduate from high school. But that's not enough. I also want them to go to college. Why? Because rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/i-want-my-kids-to-graduate-from-high-school-but-that-s-not-enough-i/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Many schools today are sacrificing social studies, the arts and physical education so children can cover basic subjects like math, English and science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/many-schools-today-are-sacrificing-social-studies-the-arts-and/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [If you raise a child, there's no time, you can't be a great parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/if-you-raise-a-child-there-s-no-time-you-can-t-be-a-great-parent/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Teachers need to be paid like professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/teachers-need-to-be-paid-like-professionals/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Let's stop teaching to the middle and start teaching to the student.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/let-s-stop-teaching-to-the-middle-and-start-teaching-to-the-student/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Video games offer violent messages, and even the sports video games include taunting and teasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/video-games-offer-violent-messages-and-even-the-sports-video-games/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [There's not a day that goes by that I don't draw on my undergraduate background in psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/there-s-not-a-day-that-goes-by-that-i-don-t-draw-on-my-undergraduate/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Convincing people to give your way a try will work if you neutralize - and sometimes you have to cauterize - the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/convincing-people-to-give-your-way-a-try-will-work-if-you-neutralize/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [When kids know that you refuse to let them fail ... they don't give up as easy. So sometimes they don't have it inside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/when-kids-know-that-you-refuse-to-let-them-fail-they-don-t-give-up-as/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Kids who are poor often have families that have not really been kept informed about... how important it is to read to your child,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/kids-who-are-poor-often-have-families-that-have-not-really-been-kept/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Monsters work seven days a week and don't take vacations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/monsters-work-seven-days-a-week-and-don-t-take-vacations/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [I believe that for lots of churches and religious institutions, their main focus on the development of faith among parishioners needs to spread to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/i-believe-that-for-lots-of-churches-and-religious-institutions-their/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [How is it we could have a system where schools could remain lousy for 50 years and yet you do exactly the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/how-is-it-we-could-have-a-system-where-schools-could-remain-lousy-for/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [When I began working in not-for-profits, it was taking a vow of poverty, which eliminated huge numbers of folks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/when-i-began-working-in-not-for-profits-it-was-taking-a-vow-of/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [You grow up in America and you're told from day one, 'This is the land of opportunity.' That everybody has an equal chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/you-grow-up-in-america-and-you-re-told-from-day-one-this-is-the-land/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) [Explore all 57 Geoffrey Canada quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Over the past five years, I've met several presidents, several secretaries of education ... and there is no plan. If you want to save your children, you're going to have to do it yourself. 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