Pre-K promoters should not give up

The 7 percent turnout for the Memphis sales-tax referendum is subject to a variety of interpretations, from sheer apathy to the presumption that no tax increase has a chance of passing.

Fears that the “politicians” behind universal prekindergarten really weren’t planning to spend the money for that cause may have contributed to the belief by some voters that a trip to the polls would be a waste of time.

Most of those who showed up on Thursday voted against the measure, in Mayor A C Wharton’s opinion, because of a general distrust of government that has been building at every level.

Whatever the cause might be, those who prefer to think positive about this city’s future — the politicians, business leaders, educators and other advocates who understand how Memphis’ economy and culture can be improved — should not give up on the goal of enhancing the delivery of public education to kids who need it so much.

Universal pre-K is critically needed in Memphis because, according to The Urban Child Institute’s “Data Book 2013: The State of Children in Memphis and Shelby County,” 71 percent of the children who apply for pre-K spots have one or two of the factors that put them at risk of not being prepared to enter kindergarten and 14 percent have three or four factors: teenage mothers, parents with less than a high school education, only one parent at home, difficulty with language and families that are struggling financially. How could prekindergarten help? By compensating for the factors at home that handicap children when they reach the age at which they must compete with the middle-class students of educated parents who have the resources to prepare prekindergarten children for their academic career.

By giving underprivileged children in Memphis the chance to interact with other children their own age in a safe, comfortable environment that enhances their psychosocial development.

By giving these kids a head start on the things they need to learn to hit the ground running when they reach school age.

The Greater Memphis Chamber and other leaders of the pre-K campaign recognized this critical need and deserve the thanks of the community for launching this campaign against what turned out to be insurmountable odds.

Attention must now be turned to other potential funding sources for an expansion of prekindergarten in Memphis that would include every 4-year-old whose home environment does not adequately prepare that child for school.

Can the Shelby County Schools budget get the boost it needs to do that? Can state resources be tapped to fill this gaping hole in our public education system? Can private sources come to the aid of the children in Memphis who need this help?

For the second time, a campaign for a small increase in the sales tax has been defeated, but it’s important for those who understand the importance of universal pre-K to never give up.