Yesterday I congratulated Drexel's leadership on standing up for free speech and academic freedom. This morning I have another reason for feeling proud of my hometown.
Last year a gutsy mayor and a ballsy city council passed a sweet-drinks tax. The city solicitor then successfully defended it against a court challenge. And today the first pre-school facilities opened that are being funded by the tax.
The tax hopefully means we over-weight Philadelphians will be putting fewer worthless, empty calories into our already well-fatted bodies.
But, better yet, our kids will get more pre-school prep.
You don't think that's important?
Well, it's too true that we in higher education point the finger at our high schools when freshmen show up ill prepared for college. The high school teachers and administrators no doubt blame the elementary schools, and they in turn point a finger at the parents.
Fact is, the parents do deserve the lion's share of the blame... at least in this commentator's view. Especially in the case of low-income households, the kids come to kindergarten (if there is one) or first grade with little to no reading ability and often no social skills. This I have on very good authority.
Now, of course --- as came out during the 2016 election campaigns --- there is a philosophical side to the soda tax. It is indeed a regressive tax, meaning it hits the poor harder than the rich. In that respect, it just isn't PC with some on the left. At the same time, it will diminish sales of sodas, annoying those on the right who are slavishly dedicated to free markets.
But, honestly, does it do harm to the poor? Rich, middling or poor, we would all do well to drink more good, clean, calorie-free water. And as for the merchants, let them shift what they bottle and place on their shelves and cover their potential losses. No need for anyone to suffer.
Meanwhile, the more pre-school programs of quality we have, the better off are our kids, our families and our communities.
Way to go, Philadelphia!
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