Education for Children at Risk.

By Guillermo P. "Memo" Morantes

Education is the tool of intervention that we can use to give children at risk a secure future while safeguarding our community.

The Board of Education is responsible for the educational programs offered to young people held in detention facilities or otherwise incarcerated. I believe it is incumbent on the Board to offer the types of educational programs that will give these young offenders marketable skills in professions they can take pride in. I will support funding for up-to-date computers and other materials and work to implement programs that would give these young people a chance at life. I would investigate grants and look to implementing partnership programs with local businesses to make this happen.

Programs like this would not only change the lives of the students involved, it could lessen future crime and provide our community with many long-range benefits.

In addition, we should take the same care to guarantee our special education students with disabilities the kinds of classes that can help them become more independent as adults.

Programs for gifted children should also be enriched to help them reach their full potential.