Where do we go from here?

Gloom and doom! Entire staff are being fired from schools. Layoffs of teachers and support staff for economic reasons in the United States are being realized every day. The economic divide is increasing with more children living in poverty than ever before which effects their learning and their future. Throwing money at schools is not the answer and neither is major education reform. We have to think about education in a more broad way. Education is a part of our society and culture. There has got to be a bright side to all of the negatives.
I would like to see real critical thinking about how to change fundamentally our society. It is true that the powers that be (government but also school administration and boards) affect positively or negatively the lives of our children. Ultimately our society needs to decide how we can do right by all members of this country, rich and poor and those in between.
It should not be ok that people that want to work cannot find a job, families are homeless, without health care and cannot take care of their kids. Once these things in society are addressed than education reform can move forward and the youth in this country will be better off. Our society will be better for it as well.
The question remains, where do we go from here? Will society become more divided testing our humanity or will it pull together for the common good of all? I wish I had the answers but I do remain hopeful.