QECR Town Hall Questions to Panelists
From July 9th, 2020
All questions were consolidated into 6 question groups. Click one of the categories of questions to read responses.
l. What is “Quality Education”?
Definitions of Quality
l. What is “Quality Education”?
- Are we working on a common definition of “quality of education”?
- What is considered a “basic minimum education”? How do vocational classes/degrees play into this conversation?
- Formal Education (Pre-K – 6)
- Secondary Education (7-12)
- Post-Secondary (Associated, Bachelor, Masters)
- Terminal (Doctorate)
Or is it more a baseline or reading, writing and arithmetic? Or throw the current system out and build a new foundation and structure?
- Who defines “quality,” “education,” and differentiates it from “basic,” “adequate,” or “inadequate”? In countries with strong national educational programs, there is a national curriculum, a national vision and national measures. With the lack of US national standards and vision of what students should know and be able to do by the end of k-12, who determines those standards? Quality education to a Trumpite and to a Sanderite would be quite different. Teaching history and science in Trump’s America would look very different than in a Biden America. So, if this becomes a Constitutional right, who creates the national vision and curriculum?
Where does quality already exist?
l. What is “Quality Education”?
My concern is reinventing the wheel. Are there public schools or publicly funded charters that are getting positive results? Harlem Children’s Zone – NYC and Codman Academy Charter Public School – Boston might provide some lessons learned.
What academic/core content is implied by “quality”?
l. What is “Quality Education”?
- As difficult as it has been to get buy in at the constitutional level for fundamental reading and writing literacy, at least virtually everyone from all backgrounds agrees that reading and writing ARE important. We seem to live in a society that does not value math. How will this complicate things in affirming a constitutional right to a basic level of math literacy (or numeracy)?
- Is anyone talking about getting Trades back in the school systems especially in lower income communities and school district?
What does oversight and accountability mean in a system dedicated to “quality”?
l. What is “Quality Education”?
- The inadequacy of the Detroit school district to provide literacy and reading developmental skills to their students is accentuated by the absence of caretaking of the school buildings and facilities. How did this take place and how do these situations take place without proper oversight and disregard by public officials?
- How do you expect Quality education to be measured? Will you rely on standardized high stakes tests, designed by so-called education reformers who want to privatize public education?
ll. The 6th Circuit Case
All questions were consolidated into 6 question groups. Click one of the categories of questions to read responses.
What is the current stance of the case?
ll. The 6th Circuit Case?
- What is the current legal status of the decision in light of the effort by the full 6th circuit to rehear the case? Does the appellate panel decision retain the status as a legal precedent?
- Is this decision from the 6th District Court final or can it be appealed further?
- Is this case going to be appealed?’
- Please explain what it took to get such an incredible win and how can it be replicated.
Civil versus natural rights:
ll. The 6th Circuit Case?
Rights like the right to assemble feel like individual powers that the government can’t take away. In contrast, this right to education seems more like something the government must provide, perhaps like some of us think about healthcare. I’d love to hear more about what the government responsibilities are for these kinds of rights.
To what extend is this case precedent for other jurisdictions?
ll. The 6th Circuit Case?
How can this decision be “nationalized”? For example, can citizens of Illinois (where I live), utilize this court decision in any way? Could this decision be used as a precedent in a legal proceeding in Illinois?
lll. Policy
All questions were consolidated into 6 question groups. Click one of the categories of questions to read responses.
Legislative pathways:
lll. Policy
- How do you anticipate the effect of Covid-19 on legislators prioritizing policy for a quality education?
- Given the court’s decision recognizing a right to an “adequate” or “basic” education but explicitly not recognizing a right to educational “quality” or “equity,” do you think that the next step is to enact state and federal legislation establishing a statutory right to a high quality public education for public school students, especially low income students and students of color?
Local pathways:
lll. Policy
How do you get community control of our schools?
lV. Rousting Racism from the System
All questions were consolidated into 6 question groups. Click one of the categories of questions to read responses.
Education reform movements:
lV. Rousting Racism from the System
- Ed reform has always been rooted in racism-as we move to education 2.0 with new technology we face colonization 2.0 where tech “solutions” will re inscribe racism using data mining surveillance and AI to ensure persistent oppression
- Are charter schools doing this? or continuing to perpetuate White Supremacy?
Leveraging community resources:
lV. Rousting Racism from the System
Would love to hear discussion about the distinction of community-based grass roots sustainable systemic change versus philanthropic-led astroturf which re-entrenches racist models of capitalism
Visioning an anti-racist system:
lV. Rousting Racism from the System
- The future has a lot of color in it. When can school education reflect that reality? When is the time if not now?
- How can we spend more of our time casting a vision of what equitable instruction looks like for Black children, and steps to get there, rather than focusing on the inequities?
- How might we interrogate our collective imaginations that allow a free society to sleep at night while it subjugates some of its children into second class citizenry?
V. Next Steps/Taking Action
All questions were consolidated into 6 question groups. Click one of the categories of questions to read responses.
Individual Action:
V. Next Steps/Taking Action
- I’m a faculty member at a large public university in a city where access to education is unequal. What can I do personally to help locally? What can the university do institutionally?
- I want to know today, right now, what do I need to do outside the classroom to support this case and this young man in this fight. I am certified teacher in a Title 1 school, and have some challenges with resources for the community I serve in DC Public schools. Resources are limited too in the community.
- Exactly, what do you need teachers to do better? Will work for kids.
- Jamarria, I feel your pain and the struggle. I choose to be influential and use my power as a teacher in a very urban setting in Jackson, Mississippi. What is the solution for us to be treated fairly and our voice to be heard?
- What do each of us need to surrender/give up to make liberated futures possible?
Platforms for Action:
V. Next Steps/Taking Action
- I wonder if there is a national platform for Jamarria and other voices to be heard? Something like the Trevor Noah show? So much of the US population has no clue about the extreme inequities in and between our public school systems.
Collective Action:
V. Next Steps/Taking Action
- How can we make a difference? The system is BROKEN and it has been designed to reinforce inequity and inequality-it is up to each of us to do something to promote change
- Thank you Jamarria for telling these personal stories. My question is, where can cities like Detroit or also Chicago start to help black communities so that the existent massive violence starting in young age stops? are there projects?
- I believe that some of the young people who are not learning the academic skills have learning disabilities that are not being addressed. I think this needs to be included in the big picture also.
- How can we make a difference? The system is BROKEN, and it has been designed to reinforce inequity and inequality-it is up to each of us to do something to promote change
Tools for Action:
V. Next Steps/Taking Action
- I have valuable books and artist tools gently used to donate to schools and or universities …any suggestions how to get them to schools and institutions of need ?
Vl. Direct Panelist Question
All questions were consolidated into 6 question groups. Click one of the categories of questions to read responses.
General
Vl. Direct Panelists Questions
- What is the appropriate way to connect with participants and panelists?
Mark:
Vl. Direct Panelists Questions
- Who are the other lawyers perhaps younger that might be carrying this work forward… Mark, are you building a bench of young attorneys?
Jamarria:
Vl. Direct Panelists Questions
- What is Jamarria doing with himself now? Did he make it to college?
- Jamarria, were any of your teachers Black & did they live in the community?
- How did Jamarria find his strong voice to speak up? How was he supported?