This election is a big deal: Are you ready to vote?

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This election, of course every election, is a BIG DEAL. In the case of the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education, both your votes and mine are about the trajectory of the district for all our children in grades Pre-K – 12. Our votes must be about advancing the district as a whole. School board members’ priorities need to focus on moving effectively and urgently in the direction of improved student achievement for all students in all Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). Continue Reading

“Better” is just not good enough; Excellence is required

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As one of nine Board members at Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), this blog is a platform for my perspectives on community as a mother, teacher and policymaker. I do not speak for the Board; that is the role of the School Board Chair. Rather, this is an opportunity to offer a perspective when I, as a board director, feel that we, as a school board, have fallen short. With this goal in mind, I present Why We Can’t Wait blog #6. Continue Reading

“Let’s Celebrate our #BelovedCommUNITY” on Saturday, August 23rd

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Join your friends and neighbors at the 3rd annual park event to honor the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s free celebration will include musical entertainment, kids activities, food vendors and the unveiling of the Beloved Community Project. Years in the making, the project includes a paved walkway, granite benches and landscaping around the Freedom Form II sculpture and a plaque marking its significance in the park. The Beloved Community Project was a collaborative effort between the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park Legacy Council, the Kingfield Neighborhood Association and Chicago Fire Arts and partially funded by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. Continue Reading

Is there an app for that? Beyond MPS conversations and presentations

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As one of nine Board members at Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), this blog is a platform for my perspectives on community as a mother, teacher and policymaker. I do not speak for the Board; that is the role of the School Board Chair. Rather, this is an opportunity to find a space beyond the restrictions of a majority vote regarding governance topics. With this goal in mind, I present Why We Can’t Wait blog #2. Continue Reading

We remember Brown v. Board – now what?

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Saturday, May 17, 2014, marked the 60th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education. This landmark Supreme Court decision determined that separate schools for Black and White students unconstitutional. As I reflect on this case and subsequent decision, attention must be paid to the “v.” or verses that connects an eight-year-old African American student, Linda Brown, to public education during that time. This detail serves to remind us of the oppositional history that existed for Black students because all kids are our kids, and equally important, why this history deserves constant consideration. Continue Reading