Geoffrey Canada, the educational wizard behind the Harlem Children’s Zone success story, dropped some real talk in San Antonio, warning that the pandemic's ripple effect on kids is a ticking time bomb for society's future. The advocate, who famously starred in "Waiting for Superman," pointed out at the San Antonio Report's education forum that "Our children are in deep, deep trouble, and we need to do something extraordinary if we are going to save them," as students face state academic achievement plunges, unruly classrooms, and a strained discipline system.

A recent gut punch by think tank Texas 2036 underscored the crisis, revealing over half of Texas kids being mathematically challenged despite rosy parental perceptions, as only one in 10 think their child is underperforming, the analysis, which marked a 21-point drop in grade-level math since 2011, also noted that the state still hasn't bounced back to pre-pandemic learning levels, despite a heavy push for tutoring, but Canada sees San Antonio as a potential savior city that could buck the trend and build a brighter future for the so-called 'COVID kids'.

He told the forum, “Here in San Antonio, you have an opportunity to make history — and I really mean that,” as the city sits on a war chest, including a massive $114 million investment, fueling the "Future Ready Bexar County" initiative aimed at ramping up the number of high schoolers headed for postsecondary education, with lofty goals and generous funding, Canada sees this as a key moment for the city to set an example for the nation, according to the San Antonio Report.

"When we say we want to save every kid, we’re gonna save every kid," he charged, driving home the relentless mission ahead, the pioneer educator's vision is bolstered by local "promise" initiatives offering a financial ladder into UTSA, Texas A&M University–San Antonio, and Alamo Colleges with fee-free education for those who make the grade, while pilot programs like CAST schools are ditching the old either/or educational mindset for a multifaceted approach.

The education leaders took Canada's rallying cry to heart, as they huddled for roundtable discussions to blueprint blueprints for tackling the educational emergency, Canada, bouncing between tables, urged them to double down on the most vulnerable students, ensuring that no child gets lost in the shuffle and to remember, “When you come up with the plans, I hope you constantly ask yourself, ‘Where are our kids struggling the most? And what is our plan for those kids? And how are we going to ensure that those kids are successful?'” demonstrating a drive to forge pathways to higher learning for all, not just the easy wins, as reported by San Antonio Report.