African american Quote by Melissa Harris-Perry
“We have never invested as much in public education as we should have because we've always had a private notion of children. Your kid is yours and totally your responsibility. We haven't had a very collective notion of these are our children. So part of it is we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or kids belong to their families and recognize that kids belong to whole communities.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public Education Reform Talk, 2015
The quote argues that education funding is insufficient because society treats children as private property rather than a collective responsibility, urging a shift to communal ownership of child development.
In simple terms: Kids are seen as private, not communal, limiting education investment.
Key Takeaway
Recognize children as community assets to boost public education support.
Themes
education
public policy
community
responsibility
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
political
social
inspirational
When to use this quote
- school budgeting
- parental involvement
- community programs
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
collective responsibility
social equity
public good
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we foster a sense of shared responsibility for children?
- What policies could reflect communal ownership of education?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated private notions about children is culturally challenging.
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