Hi, I am Michael Metler. I am a junior at Northern High-School in Calvert County. I am a 2015 Carson Scholar, and active advocator for uneducated children and the achievement gap. I am also working contingently with the achievement gap committee at Citizens Advisory Committee for CCPS. On behalf of, and as president of, “Enhancing Awareness for Uneducated Children”, I would like to provide a proposal regarding said achievement gap. All politics excluded.
I am currently enrolled in Advanced Placement Government and Politics, so I understand the complexity of making decisions in your profession. Given your profession, you may or may not have an understanding of what a “mixed-income housing community” is. Essentially, lower and higher income houses are put together in a community, in hopes that the higher income families positively influence the lower income families. This solution would be beneficial in two aspects.
The first aspect is the achievement gap. You and I both know that appearance and composure can go a long way. One mixed community is not going to solve the problem, however leading by example, and starting a chain reaction will. When Saint Bernard, New Orleans was struck by hurricane Katrina, several private and federal agencies came together to rebuild a previously crime infested community. The results have been remarkable. The Honorable Barrack Obama himself has even visited and congratulated the new community “Columbia Parc”. I will not go into specifics, however not only are the results are truly wonderful, but the homes are enthralling.
The second aspect is more local. I am not as fond of this issue as others may be, however I believe that I have a pretty good understanding. As a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee, I can apprehend that homes are expensive in Calvert County. Since new families with lower income cannot afford to buy homes here, the education system in Calvert County is losing enrollment. I believe that a mixed income housing will nail this issue as well.
Mr. Hogan, one hundred and twenty-six million youth are illiterate. Poor students can receive up to eighteen times less public education funding than the wealthiest. You cannot evade the fact that there is an education crisis in this world. This same mal-education then leads to poverty. I only ask that you help us begin a revolution. And that you consider a “Mixed-income housing community”.