Engaging Urban School Reform

There are many critics out there who misdirect the public's attention regarding the cause of school reform. These critics direct the public to think that a plethora of people and organizations are responsible for the state of America's educations system today. Politicians, land developers, think tanks, unqualified teachers, and whatever group you want to add to the list are not responsible for the events that lead to failing test scores, school closings, and the emerging trend of privatized education. That is not to say that they, too, are not apart of the problem. However, they are not the originating source. The  truth of the matter that is not being discussed with the public can be obtained with the yes or now answer to the following two questions:

1. Generally speaking, is education (the process of learning, retaining, and demonstrating knowledge) a priority in every home of students across the country?
2. Generally speaking, is every parent who is involved with their child, truly able to assist their child in pursuing and appreciating the education they receive?

The answer to these questions, unfortunately, are "no." Of course, there are individuals who are the exception: there are parents who do instill the notion that education is a priority in the home over other things, such as entertainment, materialism, etc. and these same parents explain the value of education their child. But this is not happening in every home; this is a truth that you should not deny.

The conversation about the advantages that some households have over others in reference to money and ethnicity can continue ad nauseam. Get off that narrative! Continuing to play the role of the victim is precisely what lead to school closings in the first place! This mindset allows for politicians, land developers, think tanks, unqualified teachers, and whatever group you want to add to the list to take advantage of you. Stop blaming others for your weakness and your unwillingness to admit your part in this debacle. It is only after you admit responsibility for your actions (or in this case, lack of action) that you can begin to truly address and resolve the mess that you created.

In case you have not realized it, there is a war going on...an education war! Those who do not prioritize education will be without it. Those who are not involved with assisting their child in pursuing and appreciating their education will be left to complain about what to do with their child when the doors of the neighborhood school are permanently closed.

Unfortunately...this is already happening.

However, things are not as bleak as they appear. War-like times call for war-like measures. Besides admitting guilt for taking the system for granting and expecting someone else to do what you should have done yourself, you need to completely and totally change your mindset. You must do whatever is necessary to ensure that your child's rights to receive a quality education is not infringed upon. That may mean that you have to make sacrifices; more than you are already making. This is the nature of parenthood, and therefore, must be done. Do not continue to listen to the critics out there who continue to tell you. They are not the ones who are directly effected--you are. Work on two things to achieve the results you are looking for:

1. Take the time to reflect on what you can do as an individual. Remember that your battle is an individual one. Join groups and organizations to help your cause, but do not solely rely on them to achieve the results you are looking for. That kind of thinking leads you right back to where you started. Come up with a series of plans that demand accountability on the part of all those involved. Just as you had to become accountable for your actions, so do they.

2. Stay informed and communicate with others. If the mayor, chancellor, or any other politician is making certain decisions that you don't agree with, make sure that your voice is heard. Also make sure that others know what is happening, too. If you think that it takes a village to raise a child, then the village needs to stay concerned about, and always be aware of the status of the war.

The fight for your child's education should not have started when the announcement came that school doors were permanently closing. But now, hopefully, you are ready to engage the problem known as school reform. There will be many battles to fight. Remember, anything worth having is worth fighting for, and trust me, the right to a robust and rewarding education is truly worth fighting for.