We pay it in the form of increased crime and higher taxes. And most tragically, we pay the price in so many wasted lives and so much lost potential. In too many of our schools, students are more concerned with surviving the day than succeeding in life. Many drop out of school and society. And of those who graduate, too many are ill-prepared for productive work.
Good schools are the foundation upon which any city is built.
Today, our foundation is crumbling, and nothing short of genuine school reform will repair it. Soon, I'll appoint an interim school board, and I'll ask that board to start from scratch. I'll soon appoint a deputy mayor for education who will work with the board and local councils to cut through the bureaucracy. The deputy mayor will coordinate the delivery of vital city services in the schools to ensure the health and safety of our children. And we will be asking the business community, which has a huge stake in the quality of public education, to accept more of the burden for turning this school system around.