It’s very trendy to say that New Year’s resolutions are passé. Perhaps. Many now write about New Year’s “intentions.” That’s fine. Either way, Great Schools for All sees this new year as a crucial one not only for our work, but for the students in our communities.
John Wilkinson is pastor of Third Presbyterian Church and co-convener of Great Schools for All
So whether resolutions or intentions, here is a short list. As you read it, we invite you to get involved, either with us, by reaching out at contact@gs4a.org, or by connecting yourself to some other group working on education.
1. Raise our own sense of urgency and deepen our sense of commitment. Poverty’s impact worsens on our neighbors and we can’t let inertia or entrenchment impede us. Let’s embrace the thinking of Adam Morgan and Mark Barden (The Beautiful Constraint) who propose a change of perspective, from saying “we can’t…because” to “we can…if.”
2. Get our proposal (and the thinking behind it) in front of more people. We will reach out to grass roots and grass tops leaders, city and suburban, groups and individuals, educators, business people, regular old citizens. Help us!
3. Diversify our leadership. Simply put, we are too white. That’s our problem, and a fair critique, which we aim to address.
4. Find other groups and individuals committed to education and collaborate with them. The more the merrier!
5. Work with RCSD when our energies align, support where appropriate and push where needed.
6. Keep asking the question that Nikole Hannah-Jones asked us in November: Whose child (or children) are we willing to sacrifice? Her focus on integration and justice compels our work.
Join us and push us as we re-commit ourselves to a vison of great schools for all.
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