Bill Cosby: We Need To Educate; Do the Math

Bill Cosby appeared on “Meet the Press” on NBC this morning. He made a simple yet forceful statement about the importance of education:

“I, I think we need to do some work with numbers.  For instance, if in a city the–to educate a kid in public school it would cost $8,000 per child, let’s use that figure; to incarcerate, keep that person, is $41,000.”

“All right.  So if, if we know that the lack of education leads to a person’s chances of committing crimes because they are not skilled at anything in particular, perhaps even illiterate or functionally illiterate, then why not try to educate all of our children, try to educate all of our children?  So eight from 41,000 leaves you 33,000 left.  I think we need to do the math on that and put more children in a position who are not doing well…”

…to help them do well, because these children are not–you–some of them may be different, they learn differently.  So instead of just moving little Alvin along, let’s educate Alvin to move along so he can catch up with Bill.”

Author and comedian Bill Cosby speaks during a live taping of “Meet the Press” at the NBC studios in Washington January 11, 2009. The panel discussion was focused on the incoming President-elect Barack Obama and his administration. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Meet The Press/Handout

Cosby said on “Meet the Press” what we have been saying here: it’s time to think about education, especially during discussions of a stimulus…

Related:
Meet the Press
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28605356/page/4/

Economic Stimulus? Math, Science, Schools Must Create High Tech Jobs, Not More Shovel Jobs

Cosby on NBC:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608