Education funding: Relying on donations is not sustainable

Re: “A blue note: School jazz saved, but mock trial could fold in Seattle schools” [July 10, Local News]:

Slicing dynamic applications like music, artwork, expertise and mock trial due to Washington’s woefully insufficient public training funding is shameful.

My son was a member of Franklin Excessive College’s mock trial group that went to state championships, planting seeds of curiosity that drove him to regulation college. These applications provide educational, artistic and social enrichment. They supply an equitable means for all college students — not simply these privileged with entry by means of household or non-public college alternative — to achieve mentorship, life and profession inspiration they might not be uncovered to another means.

It’s excellent that Quincy Jones, and different people and philanthropic organizations, have stepped in with items to help these applications. Nonetheless, counting on non-public donations shouldn’t be sustainable. Let’s acknowledge the human value of not sufficiently investing in public training. We will do higher.

When the wealthiest Washingtonians pay their fair proportion, we are able to make investments that income in applications like Garfield jazz and Franklin mock trial and applications like them, and we’re guaranteeing our college students can entry life altering alternatives for generations to come back.

Kristin Hyde, Seattle