I have a confession. I used to think poor people didn’t try hard enough at life and that they deserved to be poor because of that. But here’s the deal: we as a society create folks predisposed to be poor and then mock them for being poor.

Let me explain.

We tout socio-economic mobility as part of the American Dream (it’s the bait). But what it ends up implying is that one has no excuse if he/she doesn’t move up the ladder. The reality is it takes the right combination of events and personality to have it all come together. And even then, there has to be opportunity – some situation that makes it possible to breakout of the old ways. And we don’t do that so well anymore because of the need for education – whether because of the genuine need for education beyond secondary ed (like doctors) or the ‘officialness’ of a credential. These are not bad in and of themselves – but without equal opportunities for education along the way, the effect amplifies as it goes through a person’s life. Those with money and better education tend to succeed and vice versa.

We are a nation that believes in equal opportunity. On paper. With education as important as it is, you’d think the government hands cash to each school equally, relative to the number of students and cost of living. You’d be dead wrong. Rich areas get far more money for education because funding is handed out based on tax revenue. That means the richer areas have better schools and the poorer areas have crappier schools. The government is meant to enforce equal opportunity, but instead reinforces natural biases. It is that cycle that systematically impoverishes chunks of society, generation after generation. (The government’s programs for the poor don’t help either…)

The solution is not easy or quick – or one you can directly impact. It’s telling richer folks they get less. And it’s giving poorer communities more knowing it will take decades for true change to take root. What you can do is tell your representatives to fix this. Support organizations dedicated to reforming education. Or volunteer if you have the opportunity.

What you can have is compassion.

Edit; look what’s in the news. Check this article out.