The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
by Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
I am living proof that a support system of family, mentors and educators is critical for success and as such, have the most tremendous respect for those of you who give tirelessly of yourselves to improve the future of a child. I would like to humbly thank all of you for being heroes to so many of your students, for inspiring them in ways you probably cannot even fathom yet, and for teaching them character and personal responsibility in addition to academics. It is your example, your belief in them, along with the preparation you give them in the classroom that will unlock doors of opportunity.
I am a grandchild of a retired school teacher in the Bronx public school system of over 20 years, the son-in-law of a New York City public elementary school teacher of over 20 years, and a proud advocate for schools and the kids they serve. I have grown up hearing the stories of redemption and disappointment, of joy and pain, of success and failure about so many kids who find themselves in a system that currently works for some, but doesn’t for too many. As a Captain in the U.S. Army, just as I was when I was serving on the front lines in Afghanistan, you all are the front line soldiers in the most important battle our nation faces now, the battle to educate and prepare our next generation of leaders.
Just as we need to mobilize leaders and resources around our battles overseas, the same must be done to assist our children navigate their journeys into adulthood.
We all know the alarming statistics of low graduation and high dropout rates in our nation’s public schools by heart. And with more than 50% of marriages failing in today’s society, and single-parent households the norm in many inner-city communities, children lack the guidance that the family structure once provided. I am sure we are all alarmed that in today’s world young men of color are more likely to be in prison than in college. For too many in our nation, particularly those who live in our most precarious areas, a broken school system serves as a precursor to entry into the juvenile justice system.
But I believe this is a problem we can – and must – tackle.
Studies show that students from low-income communities can and do achieve at high levels when they are given the resources and attention they deserve. And there are amazing educators and civic leaders who are already leading the charge with impressive steam. I know the fixes aren’t simple, nor are they cheap. But there are two things to remember: The answer isn’t simply spending more money, it is to spend the money wisely with a focus on the children we intend to serve; and the costs of inaction on this issue are unbearably high, when you consider it costs nearly $200,000 to incarcerate someone in New York, and according to a recent Columbia University study cutting the dropout rate in half would yield $45 billion annually in both new federal tax revenues and cost savings.
Promising reforms that have embraced alternative teaching platforms, teacher pay systems based on performance, and the inspired $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” funds that the Obama Administration is set to allocate are tremendous, but a national embrace of innovation and policy change are imperatives.
We will need fortitude and ingenuity as we embark on the education-reform battle of our lifetime. The chance to raise expectations, the opportunity for our children to do better than their parents, and the moment to translate the experience of young students into the dreams of a nation must now drive us all. Just as it was imperative for me and my soldiers on the ground to win our fights, the same can be said for you and the work you are doing. As President Obama recently said, “The future belongs to the nation that best educates its citizens.” I could not agree more.
Wes Moore is a youth advocate, Army combat veteran, and promising business leader. Learn more about Wes at http://theotherwesmoore.com/
rhimagazine.com 
April 27, 2010 at 6:47 pm
[…] be sure to read Mr. Moore’s original piece, A Message to Educators, on the RHI Magazine blog, in which he addresses the needs of American school systems […]
April 29, 2010 at 9:21 pm
I listen to a great interview on N.P.R. with Mr. Moore. I am looking forward to the book. The quote from his mother are the words of a life time. “Kids need to think you care, before they care what you think.”
May 1, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Thank you, Wes Moore, for taking the time to write these inspirational words. Children are incredibly fortunate to have you as their advocate!
May 6, 2010 at 6:02 pm
I am a librarian in a medium security correctional facility in Maryland and after reading Mr. Moore’s message to teachers I felt the need to comment. Please, please please make sure your children/students get a foundation in basic knowledge; show them the importance of education, of libraries, and tell them families are everywhere. A family is someone who provides guidance within the perview of the law, within educational guidelines.
Every day I am faced with men ages 16-66 who have not had the benefits of caring and believe me it shows. Provide caring and guidance to those in want of these things. Don’t let them get their “guidance or caring” on the streets, from gangs, etc. Teach them that rewards come from a job well done and not from getting $$$ because they sold drugs, or robbed someone.
I have worked with men who had never had anyone tell them a fairy tale or a nursery rhyme. Please, those of you in any facet of education change this with a least one young man.
May 8, 2010 at 12:30 am
I cannot wait to read this book. It is so interesting to think about the power of choice and the influence that role models can have in a child’s life. I want to share this story with the students I teach and ask them to think about the ways in which their lives have been shaped by circumstance, choice, and opportunity. Interesting work. Thanks for the post.