---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Philadelphia, our public safety…"
description: "\"In Philadelphia, our public safety, poverty reduction, health and economic development all start with education. We can't grow the middle class if we d..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/michael-nutter-14707_class_in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-povert_2187783.jpg"
---

#  In Philadelphia, our public safety, poverty reduction…

![“In Philadelphia, our public safety, poverty reduction, health and economic development all start with education. We can't grow the middle class if we don't give our kids the tools they need to innovate and invent.” quote by Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/michael-nutter-14707_class_in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-povert_2187783.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/michael-nutter-14707_class_in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-povert_2187783.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/michael-nutter-14707_class_in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-povert_2187783.jpg)

> “In Philadelphia, our public safety, poverty reduction, health and economic development all start with education. We can't grow the middle class if we don't give our kids the tools they need to innovate and invent.”

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Education is presented as the foundation for safety, poverty reduction, health, and economic growth, emphasizing its role in middle‑class development.

**In simple terms:** Education fuels community prosperity.

Key Takeaway

Invest in education to lift all.

Themes

education economic development public safety poverty reduction

Mood

optimistic urgent

Type

political policy

When to use this quote

- policy planning
- community programs
- school funding

Key Concepts

human capital social mobility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can education be paired with other reforms?
- What barriers prevent equitable access?

A Different Perspective

Education alone cannot solve all systemic issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Economic development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-development/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-grow-4612136/) [Give](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give/) [Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Innovate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovate/) [Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need Innovate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-innovate-615108/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Philadelphia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philadelphia/) [Philadelphia Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philadelphia-public-4753588/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public/) [Public safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-safety/) [Reduction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reduction/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Safety Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety-poverty-4753587/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Start Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-education-310785/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/)

## Related quotes

> [Children who have an education grow up to lead healthier lives - earn higher income, take better care of their families, contribute to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-rania-of-jordan/children-who-have-an-education-grow-up-to-lead-healthier-lives-earn/)

[Queen Rania of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-rania-of-jordan/)

> [In 2008 we suffered an economic catastrophe, and the rules of the game fundamentally changed forever. A few years ago, you might hear a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-linkner/in-2008-we-suffered-an-economic-catastrophe-and-the-rules-of-the-game/)

[Josh Linkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-linkner/)

> [Low-wage jobs have gone offshore. We need to innovate to stay competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-shaheen/low-wage-jobs-have-gone-offshore-we-need-to-innovate-to-stay/)

[Jeanne Shaheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-shaheen/)

> [“I still need to innovate, to break out-of-the-box, and be a force of change, but I have not figured out how to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benedict/i-still-need-to-innovate-to-break-out-of-the-box-and-be-a-force-of/)

[Charles Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benedict/)

> [“Sometimes, in order to stay true to yourself and your values, you need to innovate through change. And sometimes that means stopping and stepping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-jarvis/sometimes-in-order-to-stay-true-to-yourself-and-your-values-you-need/)

[Paul Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-jarvis/)

> [It is hardly surprising that children should enthusiastically start their education at an early age with the Absolute Knowledge of computer science; while they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-debord/it-is-hardly-surprising-that-children-should-enthusiastically-start/)

[Guy Debord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-debord/)

> [Very often the best chance for a child in an inner city to acquire an excellent start in education is the church school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/very-often-the-best-chance-for-a-child-in-an-inner-city-to-acquire-an/)

[Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/)

> [Every child should be given a strong start to their education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/every-child-should-be-given-a-strong-start-to-their-education/)

[Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/)

> [Los Angeles has all the ingredients of success... but we need to start with our education system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/los-angeles-has-all-the-ingredients-of-success-but-we-need-to-start/)

[Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/)

> [I believe it would be much better for everyone if children were given their start in education at home. No one understands a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingalls-wilder/i-believe-it-would-be-much-better-for-everyone-if-children-were-given/)

[Laura Ingalls Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingalls-wilder/)

> [Established in 2001, the Medal of Valor is our nation's highest public safety award. Officers across the nation are nominated by their peers, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barr/established-in-2001-the-medal-of-valor-is-our-nation-s-highest-public/)

[William Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barr/)

> [You may never need them, but if you do, they'll be there. It's that bedrock promise of protection that makes our public safety officials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/you-may-never-need-them-but-if-you-do-they-ll-be-there-it-s-that/)

[Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/)

> [As someone who has had family members on patrol and in the line of fire, I care deeply about public safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/as-someone-who-has-had-family-members-on-patrol-and-in-the-line-of/)

[Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/)

> [Whenever we have had a need for a national security or public safety issue, Congress has always followed the recommendations of the White House,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/whenever-we-have-had-a-need-for-a-national-security-or-public-safety/)

[Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/)

> [“It's proper netiquette to power on your smartphone (mobile) to go through metal detectors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chiles/it-s-proper-netiquette-to-power-on-your-smartphone-mobile-to-go/)

[David Chiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chiles/)

## More by Michael Nutter

> [Politics in Philadelphia is a contact sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/politics-in-philadelphia-is-a-contact-sport/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [For those of us in the political business, generally, it's been pretty much an unwritten but understood rule that family and children are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/for-those-of-us-in-the-political-business-generally-it-s-been-pretty/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [Everyone felt comfortable with these guys and what their vision was, and when they said they want to keep the staff intact, that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/everyone-felt-comfortable-with-these-guys-and-what-their-vision-was/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [There is no Democratic or Republican way to fill a pothole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/there-is-no-democratic-or-republican-way-to-fill-a-pothole/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [Mayors could never get away with the kind of nonsense that goes on in Washington. In our world, you either picked up the trash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/mayors-could-never-get-away-with-the-kind-of-nonsense-that-goes-on-in/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [If you want to act like a butthead, your butt is going to get locked up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/if-you-want-to-act-like-a-butthead-your-butt-is-going-to-get-locked-up/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [Somehow, someway, for some people there's an automatic assumption that a mayor who is African-American or some other elected official has to support another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/somehow-someway-for-some-people-there-s-an-automatic-assumption-that/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [Philly is a place where people love change as long as things stay the same for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/philly-is-a-place-where-people-love-change-as-long-as-things-stay-the/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [If you walk into somebody's office with your hair uncombed and a pick in the back, and your shoes untied, and your pants half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/if-you-walk-into-somebody-s-office-with-your-hair-uncombed-and-a-pick/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [I'm honored to serve as mayor of my hometown where our founders started America with three simple words: 'We, the people.' And when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/i-m-honored-to-serve-as-mayor-of-my-hometown-where-our-founders/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [We need sensible gun safety measures. The federal government could do something about this; they could show up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/we-need-sensible-gun-safety-measures-the-federal-government-could-do/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [What the mayors care about is, 'How can I get money to invest in the infrastructure in my city? How do we put people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/what-the-mayors-care-about-is-how-can-i-get-money-to-invest-in-the/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [We are serious about our music here in Philadelphia, and jazz has meant a lot to this city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/we-are-serious-about-our-music-here-in-philadelphia-and-jazz-has/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [A father is a person who's around, participating in a child's life. He's a teacher who helps to guide and shape and mold that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/a-father-is-a-person-who-s-around-participating-in-a-child-s-life-he/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [Our economy grows from the middle out, not the top down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/our-economy-grows-from-the-middle-out-not-the-top-down/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

[Explore all 45 Michael Nutter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

## More Class quotes

> [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/)

[Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/)

> [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/)

[David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/)

> [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/)

[Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/)

> [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/)

[Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/)

> [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/)

[H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/)

> [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/)

[Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/)

> [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/)

[Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

> [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/)

[Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/)

> [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/)

[Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/)

> [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/)

[Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/)

> [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/)

[Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/)

[Browse all 7,637 Class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In Philadelphia, our public safety, poverty reduction, health and economic development all start with education. We can't grow the middle class if we don't give our kids the tools they need to innovate and invent.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Nutter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-poverty-reduction-health-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Class"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-poverty-reduction-health-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/michael-nutter-14707_class_in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-povert_2187783.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/michael-nutter-14707_class_in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-povert_2187783.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/michael-nutter-14707_class_in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-povert_2187783.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In Philadelphia, our public safety, poverty reduction, health and economic development all start with…” — Michael Nutter",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Nutter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In Philadelphia, our public safety, poverty...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-poverty-reduction-health-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/in-philadelphia-our-public-safety-poverty-reduction-health-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
