Only 50 percent of children in low-income communities—half of 13 million children nationwide—will graduate high school. This statistic was pondered at an event last night featuring Michael Rebell, an education law professor at Teachers College, and Wendy Kopp, president and founder of Teach For America.

 

“I think it is very easy in college to intellectualize the situation, look at the numbers, and not take action,” said Boak, a Columbia alum. “Through my education at Columbia I learned to think critically about the circumstances that surround me, but through my two years of service I learned how to take my knowledge and put it into action.”

 

At the end of the speeches, Columbia students asked how they could participate in the movement to end educational inequality. “Many people think that this problem is intractable because they believe that the kids and parents don’t care,” said Kopp. “It is possible, but among all of the things that need to happen, extraordinary leadership remains at the top.”

 

This article appeared in the October 9, 2007 edition of the Columbia Spectator online edition.