When people think of Silicon Valley, they imagine a place where people are well-educated, well-to-do technologists. Palo Alto has some of the most expensive real estate in the world — and innovation thrives there.
But if you go on the other side of town to East Palo Alto you see poverty and despair. High school dropout rates are 65 percent and only 10 percent of its children go to college. Most don't have access to basic computer technology.
It is no different in nearby towns such as Oakland and San Jose — and other parts of the United States.