Step Up

Positive change happens when people step forward to make it.

My kids’ school district is in the midst of a giant sh*&storm about an op-ed piece, written by a high school junior about the conflict between Israel and Palestine, which was printed in the yearbook as part of a series of student-written essays about current events.

There are so many things to take into account as one looks at the repercussions of implicit vs. explicit bias, and whether it should or should not have been published in a student-run publication, and I’m part of a parent group that is actually looking at the complexity of the concerns rather than focusing on a single issue. My own position always begins with student safety – the author’s, and any students whose safety is compromised by any bias or bigotry – but then expands into the question of responsibility.

Not “who allowed xyz to be published” because that’s not my (or any non-administrator’s) call to make. I’m talking about the responsibility all of us have to contribute to our children’s education.

Pre-schools begin the parent-involvement training, with daily or weekly opportunities to join your little ones for this Mother’s Day Tea, or that trike-a-thon. I began my oldest child’s public elementary school experience with a volun-told chair position in the school’s PTA Reflections Arts program, and because I’d never seen one before, I took the concept and turned it upside down. Elementary classrooms are always looking for parents to organize donations and parties, and every field trip needs parent chaperones. Middle school was much more hands-off, so I found my way in through Reflections again, and as a chaperone for VEX robotics. In high school, parent volunteers are once again a necessary component for the success of any of the myriad of extracurricular programs, and parent donations are absolutely vital.

PTAs and after school programs are obvious ways parents can contribute to their kids’ education, but there are more focused ways to make a difference as well. I have always been a supporter of the arts in my kids’ education, and my time spent with my eldest’s robotics teams have turned me into an advocate for strong STEM programs, but when I realized there were parents in our district trying to ban a book for its trans character, who professed concerns about “indoctrination” and “political agendas,” and who managed to get a much-loved (trans) substitute teacher fired, my own advocacy for inclusion hit high gear.

I’ve brought my own research and advocacy into conversations with the high school administrators, into the district committees I volunteer for, and into action with both the school library and the GSA club. I’ve connected with the PTA DEI committee, and I’ve advocated for mental health providers and inclusive curriculums at the district level.

During my time as a parent in my kids’ school district, I’ve spearheaded two major fundraising programs including a music festival, and revitalized an arts program into a thriving showcase for student talent. I’ve met with school administrators, assembled committees of volunteers, connected programs to each other, and spoken out loud about ways parents can support the things their children are doing. It’s not hard to see the things that are missing from public classrooms, and in my experience, it’s also not hard to get a resounding “yes” from administrators when you come with a plan to fill them. Whether that thing you do is one time, for three years, or for the duration of your kid’s time at that school, you can make a difference to so many young people with every bit of yourself you share.

I was my own high school yearbook editor, and am a writer, so I have definite opinions about student writing and will happily advocate for carefully researched and thoughtful op-eds, but I am not an expert in the history of the Middle East, nor have I taken it upon myself to do the research necessary to become one, so I am not the person who will be consciously aware of things that others find problematic in the op-ed piece that particular student wrote. But the sh*&storm of outrage that hovers over all the end-of-year celebrations like a black cloud is the least productive response. My strong recommendation to any parent who sees something missing in the education their kids get, or feels there’s room for improvement, step into the vacancy, propose a program, join an organization, chair a committee and be the change you want to see the kids get access to. It truly does take a diverse and inclusive village of people willing to bring their own expertise, experience, and perspective to enrich the education of the young.