Dear Editor:

Opportunity is foundational to prosperity. But in order to seize an opportunity one must first recognize it and have the resources to bring it to fruition. By analogy, it is like the recipe for bear stew that begins with “First go and catch a bear.”

It is not as simple or easy as is sounds. If it was we would all be rich. Education prepares us to recognize and develop an opportunity when it presents itself. Education is not cheap.

So if we are to create a society where each individual has equal opportunity, we need to create a system that affords a well-grounded education. This is one of the central problems in breaking the cycle of poverty. Aside from the usual challenges of teaching children well, schools in low income areas also have to deal with the effects that desperate, grinding poverty has on families; hunger, inadequate healthcare, drug abuse, gangs, or if the child is extremely lucky, absent parents working multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Sen. Chris Johnson and Rep. Bruce MacDonald have introduced a concept bill, LD 369, into the legislature to explore how we might solve this problem. Unfortunately, this bill has been killed in the Senate; but, ensuring all students equal opportunity through adequate education is an important conversation that we ought to have.

Fred W. Nehring
Boothbay