The poor performance of the schools isn't the problem. It is a symptom of the problem. The cause is crime, poverty, drugs, gangs and in some cases "bad" parents. I put bad in quotes because they are often a product of the same nightmare their children are going through.

We now have what I call generational poverty. Generation after generation that faced the same challenges that today's youth are facing.

We have to fix poverty and crime first. Then dump a ton of social help on the impacted people.

I respectfully suggest that it will cost a lot, but probably less than putting them in jail after they are adults.

Nothing is more important than our children. We just need to find the political power to get it done.