"Speak Out" is an expression of opinion from the Editorial Board of WBTV, and is presented by General Manager, Nick Simonette.
On Good Friday, police say 18-year-old Chauncey Sterling gunned down Bob Barber in his SouthPark neighborhood.
Two families…tragically affected.
The Barber family lost a beloved husband and father…a man well respected in our community.
And Sterling's family must live forever with what he has allegedly done.
Sadly, this is not a unique situation.
Each day, young people like Sterling lose their way and destroy lives.
Telltale signs of this troubled teen seemed to be posted on FaceBook.
Could someone or something have prevented this tragedy?
We'll never know, and we're NOT making excuses for his actions.
But we do wonder if there's another child out there we CAN reach in time.
State Education budget cuts are looming on the horizon; CMS is slated to cut 100 million.
Programs like Bright Beginnings, the pre-kindergarten program for low-income children, would dramatically be cut.
Do you know how much it will cost taxpayers if Chauncey Sterling is convicted and sentenced to life in prison? An estimated 1.9 Million dollars.
1.9 Million dollars could educate about 20 Sterlings from Kindergarten through high school.
Will the budget cuts spawn more Sterlings?
Well, maybe not. It's not all up to the education system though.
It's up to parents, friends, relatives, mentors…Really it's up to all of us.
Investing in a child's future today, could prevent tragedy tomorrow.
Tell us what YOU think. SpeakOut@wbtv.com.
