Please view this video, which will give you a better understanding of the reasons that I've decided to seek election to the Board of Education. Please respond to this video with your thoughts and observations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV960_tYNQM
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
Why I'm Running
I believe that every child has a right to an education that prepares them to reach their potential.
I was appointed to the Board of Education in January
2012. In the last two years I have had
the opportunity to become more knowledgeable about the extraordinarily complex
challenges that the District needs to address to improve the educational
outcomes of our children.
As a sitting Board member I also have gained, from my experience, an understanding
of the strategies that the Board should support through policy and advocacy
that will strengthen our District’s capacity to provide a quality education to
the children. The problems that the
District has are not new and did not materialize overnight, nor will they be
eradicated quickly. It will take
sustained and consistent leadership to achieve sustained and consistent
change.
In the last two years, we have
seen incremental progress in several areas that are indicators of positive
change; an increase in graduation rates, decrease in suspensions and in
absenteeism. Are these numbers where
they need to be? Absolutely not but they
are moving in the right direction and I would like to ensure that we stay the
course as I believe that continued change in the positive direction is possible
and I believe that I can contribute to that change.
The Sisterhood: Setting the Record Straight
Welcome to the inaugural post on my new blog: “Board Matters: the Politics of Education”, a commentary on
the issues of the Buffalo Board of Education that matter. The campaign season leading up to the
election to fill three seats on the Board this May has just begun and it
appears that there will be a crowded field of candidates (11 at last count) and
a plethora of issues to discuss/debate.
If you notice the Blog owner’s profile, it references the
GTM Sisterhood. I decided to keep that
profile, with a few modifications because it is a fitting representation of the
true definition of a “sisterhood”. It
contradicts the meaning that one Buffalo Board member wants to ascribe to African
American women on the Board and staff.
He uses the term to convey his contempt for this group of Black women, and
to label us as incompetent, seeking undeserved status, negative, destructive,
clandestine and irresponsible. He tries
to mask his use of “the sisterhood” by claiming that this is the reference we
make to ourselves. However, he means
the term to be demeaning and derogatory.
Historically and presently, the “sisterhood” describes the
tradition of black women banding together, formally or informally, to create agency
(self-help), advocacy and service to members of the community (theirs as well
as the community in general). Members of
the “sisterhood” are leaders but also understand the power of “strength in
numbers”, so they collaborate and coalesce.
So, when you understand the true meaning of the “sisterhood”,
you understand why we embrace that descriptor, celebrate it and proudly call
ourselves, members!