Much is said about the value of education in America. It’s the stuff that “creates opportunities,” or “opens doors,” or “lets you fulfill your dreams.” All these things are true, but we rarely stop to think about why they are true. When we talk about these things, we are really talking about equity. We believe in the idea that no child will be placed at a disadvantage because they were denied the opportunity to learn the things that will make them successful. Just going to school and learning something is not enough to achieve this. The quality of instruction must be evenly distributed accross the entire spectrum. If not, then the benefits of a quality education accrue only to those fortunate enough to go to higher-quality schools. When this happens, the public education system no longer “opens doors” for everyone.

Children, of course, are in a poor position to determine for themselves whether they are getting a quality education or not.  It’s up to their parents, guardians, teachers, administrators, lawmakers, etc. to advocate for them. And those people don’t always agree on what “high-quality means” or how much it should cost. But this much is certain: adults are empowered to act today to make a difference in public education. And if we don’t, we are not contributing to a successful future. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said as much in a recent speech to educators.

“Educational equity is social equity. When children don’t have it, they’re condemned to failure because adults haven’t given them the opportunity to be successful.”

This campaign is about action. Arizona’s adults need to do what they can right now in order to ensure success for Arizona’s children. The parallel themes of High Standards and High Expectations are driving everything that we do, and will be carried right into the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. For too long, the public education system has been maligned as the problem, when in fact it is the only available solution for the vast majority of Arizona’s youth. Neighborhood schools need to be both accountable and supported. The message should not be “Our local school is broken, isn’t that a shame?” but rather “our local school is in trouble, how can we help?”

There is a reason that professional educators use the phrase “supporting student success.” Years of experience has taught them that even the most disadvantaged or challenging students will take it upon themselves to learn if a proper foundation is laid for them, and no two students are the same. If a school is filled with hundreds or thousands of students, none of whom are the same, it would also follow that schools themselves are not the same. We must support school success by providing them with professionals who are trained to support many different types of students and who are willing to stay in difficult schools because they feel the community supports their work. Arizona has many challenges ahead. But nothing about those challenges prevents us from standing up today and declaring that we, as adults, are committed to supporting public education’s success, so that all children can have its full benefit. If you would like to join us, please volunteer or donate right now!