SERIOUS THOUGHTS . . .

I am watching a videotape of last week's "The Apprentice." Three members of the winning team received the opportunity to take a ride in Donald Trump's private helicopter and soar over the island of Manhattan. Troy, one of the three passengers, was basically seeing the sights of New York for the first time, and something he said regarding a particularly famous site brought tears to my eyes. Let us put aside for a moment the fact that I got teary during an episode of A REALITY SHOW.

Flying past and around the Statue of Liberty, Troy states: "I just got to see the most beautiful woman in the world."

It's such a cliche statement. Cheesy. Melodramatic. Corny.

But isn't it true? It has been centuries since any immigrant passed through Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty has just always been there. Rain or shine, heat or chill, she's just there. 9/11 came and went and she was threatened, but she's still there. In this day and age, people seeking a new life, a change of pace, a better future, a desire to fulfill a hope or a dream, a need to flee or escape still flock to the United States of America, and most of them never see her. Not when they enter, some not ever.

But isn't it true? Think about it. I did ... and I feel humble on behalf of our nation.

***

I want to reform public education in this country.

Okay, I'll start small, and say I want to reform public education in New York City.

I want to pay public school teachers in New York City the salary they deserve, not the salary that causes them to bleed out by the end of the month. In the alternative, I want to make the wealthy, or at least the famous actors and athletes, donate half of their absurd salaries to New York City public school teachers. I want to stock all New York City public schools chock-full of new instruments, plentiful supplies, updated and crackling new textbooks, unbroken crayons, sharpened pencils, new computers and printers, new and tuned instruments, lockers that open and close properly, fully-inflated balls and new sports equipment. I want to install modern filing systems, phones, copy machines, faxes, modems and safety measures. I want to implement accurate but unobtrusive security systems so that students will know they are NOT entering a jail, but WILL know they are safe for the eight hours they are in their building. I want the City to support teachers above and beyond almost any other industry it supports, and to root for them no matter what.

I want to employ security guards who don't molest the students. I want to hire administrators who administrate on behalf of the children, not on behalf of the Mayor or the bottom line. I want there to be no bottom line; instead, I want to create a bottomless pit of funding and resources. I want to lure the best and brightest and most motivated and most energetic and most ambitious and most creative and most altruistic and most generous and most humble teachers this Earth has to offer. I want the students to be surrounded by adults and authority who love them unconditionally.

I want social workers and guidance counselors and health-caregivers on campus who can provide succor and comfort and Kleenex and bandages and advice and professionalism to students who find none of these things at home. I want free breakfast, lunch and dinner if necessary to be provided to students who find none of these things at home. I want a reliable system of teachers and administrators who will generously pour out love and firmness and ambition to students who find none of these things at home. I want drug abuse prevention counseling and comprehensive sex education and peer counseling to be available to students who find none of these things at home. I want sports and arts and music and theater and volunteer opportunities to be open to those students who find none of these things at home.

I want structures that withstand mold and infestation. I want doors and windows that lock, and glass that never breaks. I want clean air vents, adequate heating and cooling, toilets that flush and never clog, faucets that don't drip, water fountains that don't peter out. I want basketball nets that don't sag, music rooms that are soundproof, bright and airy art rooms filtering endless molecules of natural light. I want asphalt that isn't cracked and playground equipment that isn't missing chain links.

I want the citizens of New York City to take responsibility for its children, ALL of them. I want parents who review homework and assist with science projects. I want adult authority figures who do not discriminate against their students and children based on gender or race, size or appearance. I want neighbors who watch over the kids playing in the street so no child gets kidnapped, molested, touched by drugs, run over by speeding cars. I want parents to stop abusing their children so that the kids can go to school in the morning with their heads held high, sure of their self-worth and confident of their abilities.

I want it all.