Thank you to Black Parents Workshop for your years of advocacy on behalf of Black students in our district and for continuing to demand accountability for their educational outcomes.

This open letter underscores much of what I’ve been saying throughout my campaign. I support the goals of integration, but we cannot continue to measure success by the demographics of our school buildings while ignoring what is happening inside our classrooms.

Black children and families have borne a disproportionate burden of Triple I, while the district has failed to demonstrate meaningful improvements in Black student achievement. Meanwhile, years of poor resource allocation and cuts to classroom budgets have compromised the educational opportunities of students across our district.

Integration should be a means to an end, not the end itself. That end must be better educational outcomes for all our children (regardless of race). And how much longer do they have to wait for it? 

We need to shift our focus and resources toward what actually improves student achievement: excellent teachers, rigorous instruction, timely academic support, access to advanced coursework, and accountability for results.

Our children deserve more than the appearance of equity. They deserve the outcomes.