Call to action
Dear fellow educators,
I’m writing today because I’m concerned about closing the achievement gap for students of color, and I’m equally concerned about the resources you have to do so.
First and foremost, I am confident that the achievement gap can be closed. Obviously, it will take time, but it will take forever if we can’t find a way to collaborate. I blame the system of oppression in America for the achievement gap, not parents, teachers or students.
Look at this problem historically: America never intended to educate the Africans it enslaved here. Even after emancipation, America continued to use oppression to stabilize White America at the expense of destabilizing Black America. Withholding education was a deliberate part of this destabilization.
The achievement gap exists because America designed it that way. So the real question is, how do we make up for hundreds of years of educational destabilization? Let’s be honest, if racism didn’t exist in the beginning, we could imagine an America where all of us had an equal education, equal job opportunities and equal housing opportunities. Unfortunately, we have been dealt a hand that many of us didn’t create nor want to sustain. Regardless, this problem simply won’t go away if we just wait; it is a problem that needs our attention right now.
You could call this one BIG, impossible mess. I choose to see this as one BIG opportunity to improve education in America.
I know you are working hard. My goal is not to ask you to work harder, but to encourage you to share more. I want you to share your voice — NOW. At this very moment, Educational Equity Consultants is providing communication, resources and training to share knowledge with educators all over America.
We are starting our movement by simple means: We are putting articles online that answer the questions that educators frequently ask us about workin with students of color. We are also using social media to facilitate communication and to yield up-to-date news.
So here’s what we’re are asking from you:
- Like us on Facebook to join the discussion.
- Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates.
- Make noise. Ask a question. Vent frustration. Celebrate success. Offer insight.
If we have to wait for books or for local and federal government to close the achievement gap then we’ve already lost. We don’t have time to wait for a difference. We can start a movement online that can translate into success offline today.
I realize that some won’t see the point in this. I know some might not have “the time” for it. I’m certain that some might even be afraid to speak up. In these cases, it’s clear that oppression is winning because this is what oppression is designed to do. Oppression wants us to be too confused to make a decision about how to make a difference. Oppression wants us to be too busy to find the time to do things better. Oppression wants us to be too afraid to speak out. Don’t be a victim to it, too.
This movement is starting now. Oppression wins if we remain silent. Let’s make some noise. Let’s help each other help our students. Teamwork makes the dream work!
What do you need to close the achievement gap?