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JACKSON, MS - October 25, 2005 - Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced a $40 million commitment in a multi-phase, three year education initiative in the Gulf Coast region to aid in post Hurricane Katrina rebuilding activities. The 21S initiative is a blueprint for reconstructing and improving schools that will begin in Mississippi and can be replicated around the country. With this effort, Cisco intends to bring together a coalition of public, private and non profit organizations to provide a holistic approach to building a 21st century educational program benefiting current and future generations of Gulf Coast children.

The 21S initiative stems from Cisco's long-standing commitment to education. Cisco's experience in education programs includes the establishment of Cisco Networking Academies, a comprehensive e-learning program that provides students with the Internet technology skills essential in a global economy. Cisco now hosts over 10,000 academies in 165 countries with nearly 500,000 students.

Why did the United States become the leading economic power of the 20th century? The best short answer is that a ferocious belief that people have the power to transform their own lives gave Americans an unparalleled commitment to education, hard work and economic freedom.

1. In a hierarchical meritocracy, experts selected on the basis of intelligence run the country.


2. In a pure democracy, the entire population makes collective decisions about every aspect of governance.


3. In a representative democracy, a small group of people selected by the entire population makes decisions.





Any one of these three systems could work well if all participants were well informed, rational, and of good will—so the fundamental issue is which system works best given the human condition, which includes ignorance, irrationality, and the lust for power.

I am afraid that this is particular problem with blacks, Hispanics and other minorities that are under-represented in technical careers, perhaps because the students and their families don't have the role models that would give them a more complete view of what technical careers are really like and the many choices available to them.