Head Start

My mother taught Head Start for what seems like about a hundred years. She earned a pittance for some of the most challenging teaching imaginable. Kids in her class would have lice and filthy clothes and a single parent who cared more about the new 32-inch Sony than their child. I remember Mom coming home from school one day and reporting that she heard a swear word that she'd never heard before and it came from the mouth of a three-year-old. I suppose what kept Mom teaching was the hope or belief that she could really make a difference in an underprivileged child's life. Now, according to the Kansas City Star, Head Start administrators have jeopardized the entire program.

Members of Congress on Tuesday demanded better oversight of Head Start amid widespread reports of financial mismanagement and a critical Government Accountability Office report.