Event Report: Stolen Education Panel

What does a student do when their community's education system does not serve their needs? 

Speak up. 

What does a policymaker do when they see an education system that is biased and broken? 

Take action. 

What does a teacher/professor do when they teach in failing schools with students that desperately need help? 

Work hard.

What can a community do to mend America's broken system?

Lend a hand.

This past Wednesday, April 18,  I had the pleasure of hearing stories of these four scenarios presented in real life. I attended AU's Alternative Break panel: "Stolen Education: Parallels Between New Orleans and Washington, D.C." This panel gave an insightful inside look at the education system in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina and its relationship to D.C.'s model. The panel was lead by a group of AU students alongside a diverse group of panelists that each advocate for educational equity across America. 

Before I discuss the content of this panel, it is important to note the intentional choice of panelists. The panel featured education experts of all levels including Dr. Amaarah Decuir (a leader in the field of Islamic Education Leadership), Jon Valant (a researcher that studies education politics and policy), and Larry Brown (an 18-year-old student from New Orleans who advocates for educational equity). This representation of individuals at all levels of power is a great model of effective advocacy that gives a voice to all parties. It gives a richer narrative that accurately represents the key issues these communities face and allows all voices to have value. 

(Dr. Amaarah Decuir, Jon Valent, Alexis Foster, Larry Brown, Kimberly A. Worthy)

The panel discussed a wide range of education-based topics including racial disparities within the school system, the charter school model, quantifying school success, and community issues that impact schools. As an individual that grew up in a predominantly public school system, it was surprising and insightful to learn about NOLA and D.C.'s charter school model. Specifically, the way that students select their schools. In some ways, students and their families have to create "advocacy campaigns" in order to get accepted to schools. For example, panelist Kimberly A. Worthy, a teacher and administrator,  shared that at certain points in the school year her phone rings non-stop because of families desperately calling in order to advocate for their child to get into the best school. In other cases, families are stuck in a system that acts as a game of chance. These systems often create unintended consequences such as racial and income biases. Overall, the panel gave an insightful look at how these four education influencers are advocating for changes in schools through policy, school practices, and relationships with community members. 

While this panel was focused on advocacy and activism, it did not bring the digital world into the discussion. Currently, the panelists' model of education advocacy is best represented by the term collective action. Most advocacy is organized by power structures such as school administrators, teachers, or policymakers. However, I believe the model of advocacy that these individuals use can be translated to collective action with more emphasis on digital elements. These powerful testimonies and personal accounts can be used to organize people online through weak ties to get more people involved. This model can get individuals like parents or students, such as Larry, to partner with the established organizations already fighting as well as share their own stories through digital means. Larry's generation could greatly benefit from this model and may be more inclined to advocate through digital mediums in which they are already well versed.

The panel concluded with a call to action asking the audience to continue to educate themselves and advocate for just education systems in communities across America. In addition, this Active Citizen Continuum was featured in the panel's program. This continuum relates to the four main participatory styles: enthusiasts, individualists, traditionalists, and minimalists. No matter where we fall on the continuum or our style of participation, we are empowered and educated to raise our voices. I am grateful for all I learned at this panel and the action the panelists and AU students are taking to make education equitable for all students.