Reply to Atlantic Article on Rolling Terrace and Outsized Role of Affluent White Parents

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Reply to "Atlantic Article on Rolling Terrace and Outsized Role of Affluent White Parents"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I am an affluent AA parent at a Silver Spring school. Do you want to know what I am doing? I am sitting on committees with the staff and administration to address the achievement gap, I am advocating with the school board on my own time, I am participating in meetings about behavior and social emotional learning. 
No, I am no taking casseroles for staff appreciation, or supervising the moon bounce at a carnival. But don't assume that I am not there and being an active participant in what our family values about education.[/quote]

Do you feel like your input is listened to and valued? I have been on so many committees, advocated at the BOE etc., and it just seems like parent input is completely ignored and devalued.  Have you seen them actually adopt any of your suggestions or change what they were previously doing? If so, I would love to know some tips.[/quote]
Honestly, I have seen some changes, but it has taken literally years of developing relationships, of showing up,[b] of advocating not just for my kid, but for kids who have issues my child will never have to contend with.[/b] It took staying on committees even when they didn't adopt the changes I wanted. things are not perfect, and we may revisit teh idea of private school for high school. But for now, I am still plugging away.[/quote]

This is 100% the key right here.  I've managed to develop a pretty good working relationship with a very prickly school administrator by consistently advocating for things that don't benefit my own kids. Items for grades my kids aren't in, or benefits for which my kids don't qualify.  It's taken a lot of effort, but the act of showing up and demonstrating that you are there for everyone's kids, not just your own, will buy a lot of good faith.  [/quote]

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