What if we believed in CAN? With the upcoming Oct. 6 Board of Education elections, there has been debate about the “less than 40 percent of students at any school will qualify for free and reduced price lunches” component of the WCPSS assignment policy (6200), referred to as the diversity policy. Supporters of the continuation of bussing for healthy SCHOOLS over community-based schools have said it is necessary because schools with greater than 40 percent F&R can’t be healthy, good teachers won’t want to teach in those schools, and F&R parents won’t be involved in a school even if only 300 feet away. Can’t, won’t, won’t – how hopeless. Higher poverty communities that believe in CAN, HAVE. If you believe in CAN’T, you WON’T and if you believe you WON’T, you CAN’T. If you believe in CAN, you WILL and in WILL, you CAN.
What if we focused on healthy STUDENTS and CAN? What if instead of focusing on WHO is in a school (percentage of F&R) or to WHERE those students will be reassigned for balancing, we focused on WHY the achievement gap is not narrowing and HOW to fundamentally improve trends with innovative community-based solutions and schools?
Candidates Malone, Tedesco, Prickett, and Goldman believe in CAN.
Lisa Monroe
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