Tim Cook has written a new op-ed for The Wall Street Journal in which he reflects on the pandemic, and how it impacted people differently due to racial inequality. His piece points towards the fact that even when the pandemic is over, there is work to be done towards resolving issues with racial injustices in society, especially through education.
Apple CEO Tim Cook urges on reforms towards education
Cook started his op-ed by sharing how COVID-19 should have impacted everyone equally but it has not been the case. Racial discrimination in society meant that the impact was greatly felt by those who would face challenges even without the pandemic, whether it was towards medical treatment, work from home, battling tough economic issues, and so on. Even though people came together to help fight the pandemic, it does not mean that when it ends, everything will be fine. It will mean that work needs to start on ensuring that there is a better future ahead for those who still face racial injustices.
When the pandemic recedes, we can’t simply assume that healing follows. It falls on all of us—individuals and communities, companies and governments—to ensure that what’s ahead is not just the end of a disease but a durable and hopeful future for all who sacrificed and endured during this unprecedented time.
Cook says that education needs to be worked upon and that it can have a great impact on society.
An essential place to focus this work is on education, in all its forms. Education is a great equalizer, but it cannot do its work without tools and without a home. Our approach at Apple has been to ask, “How can we help?” That question has led us to build powerful learning tools and share them freely with tens of thousands of teachers, educators and parents.
Cook went on to highlight the Racial Equality and Justice Initiative projects being undertaken by Apple which includes the new Propel Center in Atlanta, and the Apple Developer Academy in the U.S.
Even though most of these changes are long overdue, Tim Cook believes that there is no better time to start than today.
The old saying goes that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is today. If this pandemic has taught us anything, I hope it’s that none of us can use injustice’s long history as an excuse not to act. Our lives on this planet are precious and fleeting, and fate has a way of reminding us that society is only as strong as those who, for too long, have gone overlooked and undervalued.
Cook has been vocal about equality on many occasions. Just last month, he had called upon the U.S. Congress to “come together and get it done” when it comes to the Equality Act.
Check out the full op-ed on WSJ here.
