Bob's Blog
Library Card Sign-Up Month
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, a time to recognize the range of valuable services available at public libraries. As I remain focused on strengthening the economy and getting unemployed Pennsylvanians back to work, I think of the many families who rely on libraries to assist them in their employment search. In tough economic times, public libraries help citizens locate jobs, assemble applications and develop marketable skills. Overall, library use has risen as much as 23 percent since the recession began in 2008.
Forty percent of library computer users report using the library to help them with their job search, according to a recent survey by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the University of Washington Information School and the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. These individuals leverage free access to technology, classes and workshops to prepare resumes, search for job opportunities and learn about new software and applications that make them stronger candidates in a competitive job market. Critically, the library also serves as a job searching venue for those who are most likely to be unemployed. In 71.4 percent of communities, the library is the only source of cost-free internet access, and 83 percent of those who can only access the internet in a library report using it to look for a job.
Our public libraries and librarians play a vital role in fighting unemployment and bettering our communities. Please join me in celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month and consider paying a visit to your local library to see how libraries are contributing to our economic recovery.
As the school year begins, we must ensure every child can reach their full potential.
Hopes run high at the start of a new school year, as students return with curiosity about new teachers, classes and the opportunity to make new friends. For many children, however, the return to school brings a deep feeling of dread. Students who are persistently bullied come to school fearing harassment that undercuts their self-esteem and ability to focus in class.
Pennsylvania educators, parents and students often share with me reports of incidents that far surpass usual “kids will be kids” joking. Instead, they share upsetting stories of youth who are repeated targets for anything that makes them different, including their race, physical abilities, religion or sexual orientation. These stories include all ages and come from suburban, urban and rural parts of the Commonwealth. Social networking sites, email and other electronic communication can intensify the harassment by making bullied students feel threatened even in their own homes. Aside from the depression that results from bullying, I also worry about the higher dropout rates, increased absenteeism and academic underachievement that frequently accompany bullying.
In the United States Senate I have introduced the Safe Schools Improvement Act, legislation to address bullying and harassment. This bipartisan legislation will require schools and districts receiving federal funding to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment. The Safe Schools Improvement Act will not impact curriculum, but instead will give schools the flexibility to develop the most appropriate strategy to prevent and respond to bullying. The fresh start of a new school year reminds us of our responsibility to ensure that every child goes to school secure enough to reach their full potential.
Forty-seven Years of the Civil Rights Act
Forty-seven years ago this month, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This historic legislation outlawed discrimination against African-Americans and women, and reaffirmed the principle of equal access to education, public facilities, and opportunity. The progress we have made since then sustains my lasting optimism about the unique promise of the United States.
Despite the great accomplishments in the decades since the Civil Rights Act, a significant gap in academic achievement exists between students from low-income communities and their more affluent peers. Average scores for African-American and Hispanic eighth-graders are consistently lower than those of their White counterparts. In Pennsylvania, only 17% of Black and 13% of Hispanic students scored at a “proficient” or “advanced” level on a key national test, while 46% of White students met those benchmarks. Nationally, this persistent gap has shrunk little since 1980. Although Pennsylvania has one of the highest high school graduation rates in the country, only 53% of Black students and 50% of Hispanic students graduate, compared with 83% of White students, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education.
Aside from our moral obligation to provide an excellent education to every child, a well-educated workforce is the foundation for a strong and competitive American economy. In Pennsylvania alone, the 34,300 students who did not graduate from high school in 2010 represent lost lifetime earnings in the Commonwealth of over $8.9 billion. I maintain a deep commitment to addressing this national issue and I will keep the stark reality of the achievement gap in mind as Congress works to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as No Child Left Behind. I will also recall the inspiring values of equal access to opportunity that our government renewed forty-seven years ago.
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