How extraordinary to read about our state from the outside. My experience in south central Michigan reflects this article. There are huge numbers of 'For Sale' signs up in town. Businesses keep closing. There is generational poverty here. And a sense of mediocrity. One does not aspire to be the best here - unless it is on the football field. A janitor (who wanted more for his children) told me that the Catholic church in town had the best K-5th grade school 15 years ago, but couldn't keep it open because it could not provide sports and parents wanted their kids competing by that age. So the school closed. 'It was good enough for me, so it's good enough for my son,' was the reasoning of one local father. Some families whose parents and now children attend the special education school because they are 'learning delayed' tell the teacher when they are expecting another child, 'Well, you'll see this one in a few years.' There isn't the desire to do better than ones parents or to provide better opportunities for ones children.
When the economic development plan for the city suggested that the owner of a once beautiful brick building, which has been vacant for at least 5 years, could improve it and rent it to artists to attract new residents and tourists, the owner's reaction was, 'No, let the city pay for the improvements.' He would rather have the building remain vacant than invest money in order to make money on it.
Add to this the fact that people have lived in this town for generations - and are related vaguely or at least went to school together. My friend had three different companies look at her roof and 'repair' it. Not until they paid the big dollars for the best contractor in town was it repaired properly - the first three probably knew each other and covered each other's tracks and then did shoddy work.
But there are people who want something better for their children. However, most of them I think are transplants from other states and who came to work for the college in town. Now Lansing (the capitol) is investigating why so many families do not use the public school system. In a town of 8,000 (county 30,000) we have two charter schools, one private school, home schoolers and two private schools in neighboring counties. So the people who do want something better for their children are choosing to go elsewhere.
Did you see Hoosiers? In our town, a family with three children, the eldest 7, has season passes to the high school football/basketball/baseball games; it's the social event of the week Friday nights. Our town's motto is "It's the People". I hope to have more to write on that truth soon.
For better or for worse,
Beth
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