"Children are the future of the nation. If the children are intelligent, the country will be prosperous."
This Thai proverb is echoed in Linda Creed’s lyrics: "I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside."
These inspirational words feel hollow when considering a troubling disconnect between our societal ideals and the nation’s tangible commitment to our children, particularly in the realms of education and the arts — the twin pillars of an informed and flourishing society.
Read the entire commentary on Substack In The Center Lane With Herb Paine →
More commentaries from Herb Paine
-
Commentator Herb Paine says masculinism is a challenge to our democracy. -
We spend a lot of time asking what AI can do. We spend far less time asking who is accountable when it acts. That question sits at the heart of Pope Leo XIV's new encyclical — and it is the focus of Herb Paine's latest commentary. -
Commentator Herb Paine says King Charles III's address to Congress last month was remarkable as an example of civic intelligence and an exhortation to defend democracy. -
Commentator Herb Paine on the troubling revival of capital punishment in the United States and Israel. -
In the midst of all the current social and political disruption, commentator Herb Paine takes a step back and reflect on how we shifted from an age of aspirations to an era of polarization.
