[TaylorAlexander]

Ah yes, America, the country where we take pride in the fact that a few school children will be bailed out of a broken system by some rich folks who want to see change. Let’s not get caught up in why this is needed or the millions of students who haven’t been so lucky. America is proof that rich people can make the lives of a few people better! /sarcasm

[ericd]

This is an experiment to try something and show that it can work. Then, local governments/school boards can use it as an example and copy some of the successful pieces at larger scale. Your cynicism about rich people helping just a few is unwarranted here.

[TaylorAlexander]

I agree with you and with the OP. It’s great that LeBron is doing this experiment. Maybe it will better show people that investing in students is worthwhile. But at the same time, I’m frustrated at the way we’ve let this happen. Why do we have some public schools with such poor performance? It’s right there in the results this school is seeing. The school succeeds at serving this community because the people need relief. The article mentions how some of the students parents are taking classes at the school too. The school offers free food and clothing to any parents who need it.

Do you know why the school offers free food and clothes to parents, and why that’s making a difference here? Because the parents can’t afford enough healthy food, and giving them food helps them and their children do better. But seriously, why do we have children and adults who are so unable to feed themselves that they can’t think straight?

Our economy has utterly failed these people, or perhaps was never meant to serve them. And if a philanthropist has to give them groceries, it sounds like the food stamp system hasn’t been enough either.

Don’t mistake my outrage for cynicism.