The education rant - WHAT? Tuition hikes!

OK guys... I have to apologize right now, before I get into this text – because, of all the posts, this one will seem more like “improv” than previous posts. And so, with that:


25% Tuition Hike Touted

Um, pardon me? Last I checked the world (not just our precious little country) was undergoing what is all but called a depression! And, last I checked the Ontario Government has a plan in place to reduce poverty in the province by 25% within 5 years. OK – so, that’s an Ontario-only plan, maybe we don’t need to worry about the rest of the country?

Have we absolutely gone mad?? HOW DO OUR GOVERNMENTS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DARE TELL US THAT EDUCATION HAS TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE? How can you increase fees for education while trying to reduce poverty? It must be nice to be making a six figure salary in the stone towers of Parliament Hill or Queen’s Park and to think that the rest of Canadians can just “pay” for their own, or their kids’, education over and above what it already costs. Craziness!

Meanwhile – and here’s the fun optic – President Obama has made education in the US a priority... committing to making post-secondary education affordable, and committing $53B US to American education institutions and systems; asking Americans to commit to at least 1 year of post-secondary education. So, maybe Canada has a slightly reasonable logic behind this ridiculous imposition (is that even possible?); but Canadians can also tune into NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and even Fox... so, if you think people are just sitting around saying “Oh, OK – let’s pay more for our education”, you’ve lost your mind! Canadians are ticked! They’re saying: “how can a country, that is WAY deeper in debt than us, put a priority on education, and we can sleep at night asking our citizens to pay more!?” Take a look at the 5th bullet on this page of the America Recovery Act.

Now, and when I’m not ranting I’ll spend more time on providing facts about this, in Europe, there are some countries (Scandinavian countries, Greece) who pay for the students’ undergrad degrees – ah, wouldn’t THAT be nice? Some people might question the quality of a “free, public education”, but according to research from the Canadian Council on Learning, we could question our own:

• More than one million Canadians aged 25 to 44 have not completed high school and approximately 1.6 million 16- to 25-year-olds have less than Level 3 literacy, the standard considered the minimum to function effectively in a knowledge-based society such as Canada. (pg.8)


• In 2005, Canada placed 22nd of 26 reporting countries in the share of public expenditures on PSE. At 55.1%, Canada’s share was well below the OECD average of 73.1% and the EU average of 82.5%. (pg.10)


• In 2005-2006, nearly 350,000 full-time students received close to $2 billion in financial aid from the Canada Student Loans Program. (pg.10)


• Undergraduate tuition fees increased 36.4% between 2000–2001 and 2008–2009. Since 1996–1997, the rise in undergraduate tuition costs has exceeded the rise in the Consumer Price Index every school year except 2005–2006. (pg.10)


• Both the number of students borrowing, and the average amounts they borrowed have increased substantially in recent years. (pg.10)

It’s ALL ridiculous, and I hope the people from the “educational think-tank”, the non-profit Educational Policy Institute, are reading this! If you are – check this out (and, FYI – I am educated... and in debt because of the loans you claim I didn't need):

WE ARE ON THE BRINK!

We are on the brink of taxing and imposing costs on my country’s future for the mistakes of my country’s past. Ah – go for it, call me a “typically complaining and unhappy Gen X’er – I won’t be offended (for once)!

NO!! Canadian families cannot afford increases in their children’s tuitions – they’re losing their jobs!
NO!! Students can’t find part-time jobs as easily as you ($100K+ folks) think; the jobs – if the companies aren’t closing – are being given to those parents who are losing their jobs!
NO!! Canadians won’t stand for your recommendations; and I can only HOPE that our Governments won’t cave to such ridiculous pressures!

If we want a strong future for OUR country, and for OUR culture, and for OUR youth – then THIS is not the way to go! Talk to students, talk to families and talk to people – you may be enlightened to find out that they’re not interested in tuition hikes.

And, I’d also like to go on record as saying that I do understand the important value of post-secondary institutions. Believe me, I’m probably one of the biggest fans.

But, if you turn these institutions into country clubs for rich kids, then what kind of vision are you building for the future of this country? My Country! And, yours too – right?

OK, here’s something funny – and not funny “ha-ha” (because apparently, funny is not my thing), but funny interesting. I realize tonight that I am a victim of positivity and optimism. Is that really bad, though? Well, most of us would jump to the conclusion that it is not – and I’ll agree; but, I think we need to all throw in a smidgen of reality and humility into our thoughts.

I realize that it’s not always easy to pick a single topic, like this one, and write about it regularly. But the thing is the link between poverty and lack of education never gets old. And, not only that: it doesn’t seem to go away!

Someone mentioned to me the other day that the Lemon Tree can, at times, be a little depressing... and it can be! On the other hand, there are so many great stories of hope through the connectors and conductors like George Brown College, Life is good, and RONA. Despite the best efforts of these great organizations, poverty seems to be growing – thanks, in large part, to the current economic situation.

I read a few articles and heard a few news reports over the past couple of days – on two fronts. Let’s start with the first tonight:

Take a look at this YouTube video from Hoyes Michalos, Trustees in Bankruptcy. It appears that the cost of education in Canada (and, my guess is, in the US too) can sometimes be prohibitive to prosperity. So, the challenge isn’t only about providing educational opportunities that are accessible, but also that are affordable. Sounds to me like the system of higher education may, itself, have a case of dyslexia for numbers (also known as dyscalculia)...

Education is not a right, it is a privilege, you say? OK, but is it a privilege for the privileged or is it a privilege for those who work hard, believe in education and truly learn such as straight A students?

You remember Nichole and her family, right? The original inspiration for the Lemon Tree taking root.

Nichole’s oldest nephew, Steven is a straight A student... Yup, the boy – 15 now – wakes himself up at 6am to get himself ready for school. (No one else has the motivation...) He goes to school and studies; he comes home and does his homework. Like every 15-year old boy, he has his moments of rebellion, but overall he is a good kid, by all measures of the term. I mean, how many 15-year olds do you know make their own breakfast before school? His motivation: NOT repeating the cycle of poverty. Steven has hope! He wants to become a criminal scene investigator (CSI). He likes puzzles and really weird biology stuff; and he’s good at it. His potential is amazing.

But, what if the cost of education is too high? What if he can’t get a scholarship? And though there is always social funding to turn to, it is likely going to take him to Community College – which is absolutely acceptable; but, if you were destined to go to an institution like the Ohio State University, you might question (and perhaps lose hope with) an alternative.

Should we tell Steven that his post-secondary education is a privilege?

Life is Good - update for TO festival

Hey -

So, here's a first...

Before posting yesterday's blog post, I had actually joined the Life is good Facebook page where people were discussing the events. In fact, I had previously recalled that Life is good held these events, but at the time, they were only in the US. Since I was aware of this, I posted a question on their Facebook group page to ask when the festivals would be outside of the US, and in particular, in Canada.

Naturally, as you've noted, I did some extra research and found out that the first ever event outside of the US was going to be in Toronto, Ontario. And, hence, the post: Life is Good, Lemonade is great!

Well... today, I received a message to my Facebook account from none other than Life is Good's marketing manager herself! (Thank you, Brooke - it was much appreciated.) Here are some details on the upcoming Life is good festival in Toronto:

September 19th, 2009

Coronation Park (Toronto, ON)

Raising funds for: Children's Wish Foundation (Fulfilling the wishes of critically ill children across Canada)

And though the Children's Wish Foundation does not directly link to the core purpose of the Lemontree: highlighting the link between poverty & lack of education, it does promote hope & opportunity to a different kind of need.

(Not to mention, many of Life is good's benefactors in the US are specifically related to children living with unfair situations, including poverty.)

So, again - thanks to Brooke. For those of you Lemonheads in the TO area; I hope to see you at the festival in September. And, to all of you - always remember: Life IS good (Lemonade is great...)

Life is Good, Lemonade is great!

Life really is good, isn’t it? Well, I live in Ontario (Canada), and it’s Family Day – nothing like a stat holiday! Today is a day when families - however you define them - should spend some quality time together and enjoy the simple things. And, I also want to wish a Happy President’s Day to all the American Lemonheads…

I felt that, since spring is in the air, it was time to keep the good vibes going and offer another feature:

Life is Good. I discovered Life is Good by accident one day preparing for a kayaking trip… I had been vetoed from wearing my kayaking bucket hat, so I had to purchase a new one. Lo’ and behold, upon visiting the outdoor gear store, I saw a stunning paddling baseball-style hat. When I turned to look at the back, there he was: Jake smiling at me and letting me know that, well, Life is Good!

Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time discovering this Little Brand that Could; here’s a quick synopsis:

Two brothers: Bert & John Jacobs. In 1989, these guys made a few tee-shirts, travelled the East Coast of the US to sell the tees and make a few bucks. They didn’t make much money and didn’t know much about the business. In 1994, when they got back from a, um, unproductive road-trip, they discovered the answer to their success on their apartment wall: Jake’s grin letting them know that Life is Good. Bert & John designed Jake tees, introduced them to retailers, and the brand took off.

But, Life is Good isn’t just a brand of clothing… As part of this optimistic movement, the Life is Good Kids Foundation, through dedicated clothing items and festivals, supports amazing charities that create a lasting impact on children facing unfair challenges, including trauma of violence, poverty and loss. Since it's clear that charities providing the tangible support (i.e. food, clothing, education) need resources to make this happen, then the LiG Foundation makes a real difference - another connector! (So far, over $4M raised to help kids facing these challenges.)

Their events offer hope and opportunity for so many across the US - and they are slowly but surely expanding internationally, including in Canada. In fact, it's first Life is Good Festival outside of the US will happen in TO this summer (2009).

This company makes me remember how much the simple things are often the ones that make the biggest difference… If you haven’t yet discovered them, I encourage you to do so. It's always easy to share a smile, like Jake's, and to help others see opportunities.

And remember, Life is Good… Lemonade is great! :-)

Feature Conductor: Big Brothers & Big Sisters

I’ve spent a significant amount of time in the first series of posts setting the stage for why this blog, and being aware of this issue is important. I’d like to spend some time in the next few posts highlighting some real success stories, and offering some options to those of you interested in contributing to the solution.

Feature: Big Brothers & Big Sisters (BBBS)

BBBS America and BBBS Canada have been around for over a century! In 1904, a New York City clerk named Ernest Coulter saw the need for adult mentors to help young boys stay out of trouble; he started recruiting volunteers. At around the same time, a group called Ladies of Charity began a similar program for young girls. Since then, the BBBS movement has grown to include all 50 states, and 12 countries around the world.

In Canada, for over 80 years, the BBBS program commits to young people that they will provide them with the highest quality, volunteer-based mentoring programs.

Here are some interesting facts that intimately link the successes of BBBS to the purpose of the Lemontree (Source – Project Impact, Social Planning Council of Hamilton and District of Hamilton, 2004):

• The BBBS Littles* go on to graduate from high school at a rate of 20% higher than the national average;


• 78% of the BBBS Littles who come from social assistance background no longer rely on this kind of income; and


• A disproportionately high number of Littles graduate from college and/or university compared to others in their age group

* A Little is a young person who has a Big Brother or Big Sister.

The BBBS programs clearly provide hope through rich mentoring relationships for all children who need it. In addition, these volunteer mentors offer encouragement, advice and additional learning. It is a truly fantastic program, and one I would qualify as a connector. Take another look at that second bullet point: a very real impact on the future of poverty in Canada; and no doubt in the US.

If you are interested, the BBBS movement is always looking for volunteers and donations... And, if you’d like to inject a little fun – here’s something you can do with your own Littles:

From now until the end of May, right across Canada, the various BBBS agencies are putting on the

Bowl for Kids’ Sake event. Create a team, set up an event, go out and bowl – and just have some fun for a great cause! If you want to bring the fam, look for the Family Day events. I, for one, will be checking out the event listings and heading out to at least one...

George Brown College: Contributing to solving poverty in Toronto

OK, so the posting has been sporadic, at best, so far in 09. I’ll give you a little background because I feel like the Lemonheads deserve the right to know...

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve started teaching a management class at one of the local colleges in downtown Toronto. It takes a significant amount of time to prep classes and grade papers... but it is so important to help people learn and achieve their dreams.

This isn’t just any college: George Brown College – a renowned Chef School in Toronto and a great contributor to conductors and connectors.

By nature, a Chef School would likely have excess food and ingredients. As such, the school has partnered with Second Harvest: a pretty original concept in Toronto. This organization’s work is picking up excess foods in the area, and redistributing it to social service agencies in the hopes of eliminating hunger in the community – a fantastic conductor. So, at the end of every day, Second Harvest visits GB College and picks up its excess food. What a far cry from the days when excess food was simply thrown out after it had gone to waste...

But, that’s not all! GB’s Chef School also worked out a partnership with Regent Park – Canada’s oldest social housing community (circa 1948) – another connector. GB works with the youth of the community to teach them basic cooking skills. What an amazing link to provide education and basic life skills to those who need it most... not to mention, a little hope and aspiration, maybe?

Are we done yet? Nope – not at all... Still in collaboration with Regent Park, GB is participating in a Pathways to EducationTM program. This is an amazing program focused on ensuring that young people from at-risk communities get to school, stay in school and graduate from school. Pathways works as a connector here providing tutoring, mentoring, financial support specifically focused on getting kids to school and bringing parents, teachers and kids together with community agencies.

I am truly proud to have a (small) part with George Brown College. This is a great example on how small contributions make a big difference.

Ripples in the water...

If you know of others who should be highlighted, let me know.

Are you ready for some football? Kurt Warner's comeback from abuse & poverty

Today marks the 43rd time that 2 teams from the NFL meet up to take (American) football’s biggest prize: the Super Bowl. As millions of people, world-wide watch the game (and the pre/post game activity), probably half will cheer for the Pittsburgh Steelers and half, for the Arizona Cardinals. Whoever you cheer for, know this: many of the players that we are watching today have come up from nothing but a dream...

Throughout this blog, I’ve talked about poverty and its direct link with lack of education. I’ve shown how people growing up in poverty have a lesser desire or ability for desire toward education; and I’ve also shown how those who’ve had little education or lack of opportunity to education, have often ended up living in poverty.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines poverty as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. According to our societal beliefs, poverty is the lack of the basic necessities of life: food, shelter and clothing. I’d like to argue (I know – those of you who know me are simply shocked) that the definition of poverty should be extended beyond the tangible and include a definition describing lack of hope, opportunity and ability to seize chances.

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book

Outliers, argues that society may have its “heroes” concept a little backwards. Many of our real life “heroes” are those who’ve overcome insurmountable odds to achieve a dream, a fantasy that many of us have imagined, if only once in our lives. But according to Mr. Gladwell, where we may be mistaken is that these heroes have been given opportunity: they’ve been in the right place at the right time; and that’s not something we are all blessed with. Maybe these heroes had one coach, one mentor, one teacher who saw the potential and gave them their big break... Or, maybe they were born on the right date to make the cut off for the team. Mr. Gladwell does acknowledge though that sometimes, these heroes really broke all the moulds to make their own destiny. And so, I’d like to introduce you to Kurt Warner – the Arizona Cardinals’ 37-year old quarterback...

Kurt Warner grew up with his mother, Sue and brother, Matt in northern Iowa... When his parents divorced, Kurt blamed his mom and in order to hurt her, he would hurt himself – often holding his breath until he would pass out. Sue remarried in 1981 to a man who was abusive to the kids and to her. Choosing her children over her new husband, Sue divorced and the three-some lived in poverty – struggling to keep the lights on!

Kurt turned to sports – football, in particular. He worked his way through flag football leagues, and when he got to 7th grade, he told his mother he would be a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He was heartbroken when his coach told him he was over the weight limit for his dream position, so he played the offensive line – and hated it. Rather than quitting, he stuck it out and learned – hoping for his big break.

After a great high school career, Kurt waited for scholarships – they never came. He lowered his sights and accepted a partial scholarship at Northern Iowa University – but was only back up until his senior year. He wasn’t invited to NFL try-outs...

In his last year of college, he met his future wife, Brenda – an ex-marine who grew up in an abusive household and who had a previously abusive marriage. She had 2 children – one of whom had brain damage from being dropped on his head when he was younger. Choosing to focus on his love and new family, Kurt moved back to Iowa to live with Brenda and her parents. In order to help with the bills, Kurt worked at the local Hy-Vee grocery store stocking shelves for $5.50 an hour.

Kurt’s football career was brought back to life with the Iowa Barnstormers, an Arena Football League team asked him to play for them in 1994. His AFL career was marked with brilliance until 1996 – before the season started a tornado ripped through Waterloo, Iowa and killed Brenda’s parents. Kurt’s ’96 season was a fog – and he was benched after 5 straight losses.

Now, let’s fast-forward Kurt’s career through a resuscitation of his AFL career, a stint in Amsterdam with NFL Europe and a plethora of teams as starter and back up QB: Warner is in his 3rd Super Bowl appearance today as the Cardinals’ starting QB. (FYI – Kurt got the starting position only after the number 1 QB, Matt Leinart, got injured.)

No matter how hard Kurt Warner had to work to achieve his dreams – he never gave up hope. Despite his hardships, Kurt was always wealthy with hope. And, he always promised to give back. Warner’s foundation:

the First things first foundation shares experiences and provides opportunities to encourage everyone that all things are possible when you put first things first.

On behalf of Lemonheads – we wish Warner the best for Super Bowl XLIII... If it were up to me, we’d make Kurt an honorary Lemonhead!

Now – to go back to Malcolm Gladwell’s concept of heroes being blessed by opportunity... Since not everyone is blessed with these opportunities, I encourage you to always share opportunities.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Mahatma Ghandi