Politicians tend to rationalize these events, during which they sometimes read to students or participate in other activities with them, as helpful to the educational process or as inspiration for others to get involved. We can only hope politicians will leave the kids alone during the next couple of months, so students can devote their attention fully to the reason so many of them are needing to give up their summer vacation and stay in school.
All politicians say they want to help children.
But photo opportunities and campaign speeches do nothing to promote an economically viable future for D.C.'s children after they graduate from high school. The sad truth is that local and national politicians have shortsightedly been condemning too many District of Columbia children to the streets for far too many years. Children need incentives to stay in school and excel, but the future forged by political leaders for our city's children offers little in the way of advancement. We think D.C.'s children deserve better from their community.