With the Department of Education dismantling, and concerns of billionaire infiltration in the public school system, the yearn to learn in a way that prioritizes accuracy, cultural competence and the prosperity of future changemakers raises a pressing issue in curricula beyond the nation’s capital.
Laura Fuchs, Washington Teachers Union
“Our hope is to move towards a place where we’re doing what the government should do: asking parents what they want, and students what they want, and educators what they want. We really want to push bargaining for the common good. We will definitely be calling on parents, students and the community to join us because we want to really develop that team of people who care about our public schools and want to make them better. And since it’s mayoral control, well, the contracts are negotiated with the mayor, so it’s a point of entry.”
Brandon Fleming, founder of The Veritas Schools
“If we want to truly create economic mobility, if we truly want America to continue to be one of the most innovative countries in the world, our collective advancement is contingent upon our ability to train the next generation of ideators, the next generation of innovators, the next generation of change makers. No matter what industry students go into, there are two things they will always have to do: think critically [and] communicate effectively. That’s how we are preparing and developing the next generation of leaders.”
Lauren E. Banks, actress and alumni of Howard University
“School isn’t anything without the people they invite to teach and the people they invite to learn, and it’s important as alumni to come back [and] be here. The preservation is in our commitment and recommitment every year to our community. And in a very specific time in this country where Black stories are being oppressed, suppressed and ignored, it’s really important that we invest in ourselves…[and] champion institutions that champion our stories.”