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CEO: 'When It Comes To College, Do What Rich People Do'

MACKINAC ISLAND (WWJ) - While talking about education reform at the Mackinac Policy Conference, Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO of Harlem Children's Zone, told a crowd of hundreds his theory on raising successful kids.

"I tell people, when it doubt, now it's gonna get me in trouble because this gets me in trouble in lots of places, but I'm honest... I tell people, when you're in doubt, when the experts are Harvard are writing that college is not for everyone, when in doubt, do what rich people do. That's my theory, right? Right? That's my theory," Canada said.

But he's not talking about just throwing away money.

"I know a lot of wealthy people. And I have yet to see one of my friends who has three kids, and says 'Ok, I'm sending you to Harvard, I'm sending you to Princeton, but you, I'm thinking hair dresser school,' right? I've never heard it. They only have one goal, which is to get all of their kids in college," Canada said.

Canada thinks the problem facing Michigan, and the country, is too few schools are able to successfully educate kids. He said if you get paid to teach other people's kids, you should have the same expectations for those kids as you do your own.

Listen to Canada's entire speech below.

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