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Businessman who surprised students with free tuition says it's his "responsibility"

By Steve Hartman CBS News February 7, 2020, 6:55 PM


Toledo, Ohio — It's safe to safe no school assembly has ever been more life-altering, after businessman Pete Kadens announced he would pay tuition, room and board, books and fees for the seniors at Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio. He will be spending about $3 million to send the students to college.

Pete also offered to pay for their parents to go to college or trade school. But what really stuck with me is that Pete asked to never use the word "gift" to describe what he did. "Only use the word responsibility," Pete said.

Over the years, I've done a lot of stories about wealthy people doing good deeds, but I've never seen one presented with this stipulation. Pete says "gift" implies he had a choice. "Responsibility," on the other hand, implies obligation.

Like the students he's helping, Pete Kadens also grew up in Toledo. But he attended a much wealthier school where college was expected. He worked hard, made a fortune and started three different companies. For that reason, Pete could easily claim to be a self-made man. But that's not how he framed it in his speech.

Pete Kadens grew up in Toledo before he started three different companies.

"What became of my life was as much a factor of the inequities that exist in our society today as it was my skills, my talents, and my work ethic," he said.

In other words, Pete says he didn't win at life fair and square. He says many successful people don't.

"The competitive set, the people I compete with, were a lot smaller than otherwise could be if everyone got the same level of education. And Martin Luther King always said history has a long and sordid path of people and groups with privilege protecting their privilege. Well, I'm done protecting my privilege," he said.

Pete Kadens changed many lives that day. Now he hopes to change mindsets, too.

"I hope others share in my responsibility in Toledo and around the world," he said.


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/free-colleg...responsibility/

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Good for him. Kudos Pete Kadens.


Scott is probably 99% black these days. My father went to Scott. It was white in his day...the late ….maybe class of 41-42? My grandmother lived there years beyond. She was one of the few white people living there in the mid 50's. We would visit and I would go out to play. All these black kids would come over...Huhh?...Huhh?...who are you, I would do the same, but after 10 minutes of staring and gaining trust, we were just 6 year old kids playing. Skipping rope, tossing a ball, whatever.

Grandma died in that house. She never left. She never had a problem. I think the people appreciated the fact she never left.

At least that is what I like to think.

Expanding the minds and opportunities for people is as great as it gets.


If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

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Wow, I didn't know you had ties to Toledo. You're right, Scott is about as inner city as it gets here. This was an amazing gesture.


And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.
- John Muir

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I saw this a few days ago. Part of my student teaching experience was spent at Scott, and it helped cement me into the track I've pursued.

Good for those students. They deserve it.

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Oh, Grlfrnd, thank you-

I should have offered this up when it first dropped. Since then, I've been focused elsewhere (Opera Week: Puccini/La Bohème).
I'm so glad you posted this. People need to know about things like this when they happen.


Yeah, Grrrl... the whole town's abuzz. Folks are walking on clouds right now.

Jessup W. Scott High School and me go way back. The first kids I ever interacted with at that place are getting their first gray hairs now... and I had no gray hairs, back on Day One.

Scott High is that "Inner-city school" you see depicted on TV... except, it isn't.

______________________

I love this school.

They have all the stereotypical 'Central City' obstacles, but they rock a collective spirit that constantly compels them to overcome the tilted playing field.

The entire school vibrates like it's on a perpetual sugar rush. You feel it the minute you walk in the door.

Everyone who attends this school is poor. Every student is starting Life at the base of 'America's Hill.' They all get it. But they also get this: "I don't care how steep my mountain is- my job is to climb for me and mine."

Scott High is a trip, Jules.


I can see why this guy chose them.
He's a fanboy just like me.


Really great things are happening for Americans in every corner of the nation. I'm really thankful that you shared this with The Kennel. Maybe some day, I'll talk about Dorothy Price, and how she changed the culture of another Central City (Catholic-based) High School.

Scott and Central Cath are making good things happen.
Inner City Kidz are getting a shot...


"too many notes, not enough music-"
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