Photo: USGS
Over the last few years of the Trump Presidency, Puerto Rico has been a topic of conversation which weighs heavily on the conscience of President Trump. Why? On the one hand, he would like to none other than ignoring Puerto Rico from a financial standpoint. Simply because he believes that Puerto Rico is not part of the United States of America. Whereas on the other hand, the reality is that he needs to show support for the people of Puerto Rico -- because the United States supports Puerto Rico. Enough said -- right?
Recently, as in January of this year, so far, a devastating earthquake hit Puerto Rico. This devastation is on top of the hurricanes which ripped through the island a few years ago and caused permanent damage to the country. Over the last few years, Puerto Rico has managed to rebuild some of the infrastructures while being plagued with corruption on behalf of the politicians directing the workflow (i.e., through contracts, etc.).
On a more fundamental level, how have the people (i.e., the children) of Puerto Rico suffered throughout the rebuilding process? What has happened to the educational system of Puerto Rico? After this last earthquake, the realization that not all children would be able to return to school was a gut punch to the country. The money needed is not being sent due to our President stopping the efforts - or trying to do so.
In light of reality, the question is raised: Do the children of Puerto Rico need to attend school?
Especially when the United States is supposed to be offering financial assistance to the country?
The devastation has obstructed the ability of students to return to school as briefly reported by Politico Education:
PUERTO RICO EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SLOWLY OPENS SCHOOLS AFTER DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE: 177 schools that have been certified and inspected by engineers opened their doors on Tuesday and Wednesday to welcome back students after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake delayed the start of classes. On Monday, 51 more schools will also be ready, Puerto Rico Education Secretary Eligio Hernández Pérez said.— "Engineers have inspected 561 of the island's 856 public schools, finding at least 50 too unsafe to reopen, leaving some 240,000 students out of school for now," the Associated Press reported. Engineers have been inspecting public schools since Jan. 8, according to the Puerto Rico Education Department.— This could be the second time in less than three years that a natural disaster will prompt school closures on the island. Puerto Rico has seen a 44 percent decrease in enrollment in public and private schools since 2006, which accelerated after Hurricane Maria in 2017, according to a Centro Center for Puerto Rican Studies report. Hernández Pérez's predecessor, former Puerto Rico Education Secretary Julia Keleher, oversaw the closure of 265 schools.— Hernández Pérez visited schools affected by the earthquakes with U.S. Education Department officials on Wednesday. In Spanish, he said on Twitter that he appreciates the support to restore the island's education system.— House Democrats unveiled a $4.7 billion disaster relief package on Tuesday to help Puerto Rico. About $100 million would be directed to education recovery efforts.— The bill, H.R. 5687, would allow flexibility to use the money to address unmet needs from previous and current disaster supplementals, and to shift funds to the most in-demand recovery programs and to speed up K-12 school recovery. However, it requires the Education secretary to submit a detailed spending plan.— The White House has said it won't support the package. President Donald Trump has also complained about the cost of the recovery effort.
The United States should find monetary assistance for the infrastructure rebuilding process. That is the type of nation that we are. Simple as that. Why not?
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