In a recent Capital Times opinion piece by UW journalism professor Sue Robinson, it was stated that we find ourselves at a moment of racial reckoning, change and evolution. I couldn’t agree more. I want to add my voice to this conversation since I am currently the longest-serving African-American School Board member.
I also see the upcoming election as an opportunity. During my service over the past nine years, my largest frustration has been the board’s inability to support proposals that would directly benefit students of color. We can go back several years to Madison Prep and each initiative since that was offered as a possible solution to low academic achievement for students of color. The board has only been willing to pass initiatives to raise the achievement for students of color when they are embedded in initiatives that will benefit our white students. Our inability to take on risks and innovations that offer the possibility of increasing achievement for students of color are always voted down by the board.
Here we are 50 years later still experiencing the same low reading and math achievement for students of color.
This election offers the Madison school community an opportunity to change our historically risk-adverse board where students of color are concerned to a board that has a greater chance to vote in favor of initiatives that are specifically designed to increase the academic achievement for students of color.
Much more on the 2019 Madison School Board election, here.