Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Library Sixth Stack [PAGE 9]

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Yes, it's nice if Tom or Joe can go to the same school, sit at the same desk, and maybe have the same teacher as mother and father. It makes us feel good. But it may not be educating our children. We ought to have our priorities straight. There are plenty of other occasions for nostalgia about life past and plenty of opportunities to preserve the best of our past without chaining our children to inadequacy and yet, having very high expectations of them. Consolidation of districts would provide basic operating efficiencies now impossible and help control costs for operating local schools, allowing more of the educational dollar to be spent on improving the breadth and quality of academic offerings. And I'll tell you frankly, the people of Illinois, the taxpayers of this State will not be impressed by the simple argument that to improve education in Illinois all we have to do is give it more money. They will not only not be impressed, they will reject that argument. And then we will lose opportunity to advance ourselves as we point toward the next century. The people of Illinois, I believe, are willing to make a substantial commitment to the improvement of education in this State from K through post-doctorate, but they want to be pretty darn sure of what they're getting in return. And they don't want platitudes, and they don't want unrealistic goals, and they don't want the inefficiencies of the past and present. They want the educational establishment of this State to clearly understand that thev understand who's paying the bill. Finally, I think we must improve the funding mechanisms for elementary and secondary education, easing our dependence on that most regressive of taxes, the property tax. Let me now turn to the question of quality in our colleges and universities across Illinois. It goes without saying that they are vital to the future of this State. I say it goes without saying, though I've said it at least ten times this morning alone. And I said it in meetings which preceded this appearance. The University of Illinois, along with our other public and private institutions of higher learning, I think, may represent our single most significant asset in this State as we respond to the economic opportunities and social challenges of the years ahead.

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