Rethinking Schools: Screw Your Banks and Save Our Schools!

 

From the very first words of Saving Banks and Failing Schools: The Twisted Logic of the U.S. Debt Economy, I felt a surge of recognition and urgency. The editors of Rethinking Schools lay bare a truth that many know but few speak boldly enough to confront the prioritization of financial debt repayment over the essential needs of public education reveals the painful choices that define whose lives society truly values. As a Caribbean holistic nurse, I have witnessed the real-world consequences of these systemic failures, the overlooked health struggles, the unmet needs, and the silenced voices of communities denied resources to thrive. This article not only exposes the deep injustices embedded in our economy and education system but calls on us all to rise, resist, and reimagine a future where healing and justice are inseparable.

The article lays bare a harsh reality. “The federal government bailed out banks and big corporations while cutting funds for public education and social services.” How can we stand by as families and children, the very foundation of our future, are left struggling while the powerful are protected and ignorant? I have seen patients weighed down by the stress of financial insecurity, suffering because their communities are starved of resources. This is not by chance, but a systemic choice and conscious decision to prioritizes profit over people. “Millions of people are forced to pay back debts they never should have taken on in the first place.” This is a wound that continues to fester and suppress to lives of many.

The statement “No one should have to mortgage their future by going into debt” echoes like a call to arms for me. It reflects my lived experience and my passion as a holistic nurse to advocate for healing that goes beyond the individual to address the systemic roots of suffering. Debt is not just a financial burden, but a barrier to health, education, and  dignity. The article’s powerful reminder that “Public schools are starved for funding while corporate interests continue to profit off the backs of working families” reveals the cruel irony of a society that claims to value education but refuses to invest in it equitably.

This twisted logic, the cruel economy that “prioritizes profits over people”, forces us to confront uncomfortable and painful truths. It demands that we refuse silence and passivity. We must not only witness this injustice but actively resist it. My work as a holistic nurse is inseparable from this fight. Healing is not just about treating symptoms but about addressing the conditions that cause those symptoms in the first place. I stand with my community, ready to lift my voices, educate, and advocate for a world where every person’s potential can flourish, and not be crushed beneath the weight of debt and neglect.

To deepen this understanding, I invite others to engage with resources like the NAACP’s educational advocacy on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/NAACP) and the Frontline documentary on PBS (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/ ). These stories remind us that this is not just policy, but about the lives, dreams, and futures of those at stake.

Reading this article has stirred within me a renewed fire and commitment to stand firm in my advocacy, nurturing,  hope, and an unwavering presence for those whom society too often neglects. I am called not only to heal bodies but to heal faulted systems. Together, we must demand justice, equity, and a society that truly values every single life. This means speaking out when policies fail our children, standing shoulder to shoulder with those denied opportunities, and refusing to accept a world where financial interests continue to dictate who thrives and who suffers. The work ahead is immense, but sacred and necessary. Each small step toward equity is a breath of life for communities struggling in silence. I hold steadfast to a vision of a future where education, health, and well-being are rights, not privileges. Until then, I will continue to fight, care, and believe that change is not only possible but inevitable.