‘The success of our community is at stake if we fail to prioritize our schools and our students’
Sonya Soltani
It is no secret that K-12 public education is and has been in crisis, especially right here in our own backyard. Let’s be real – students and families aren’t always centered in all decisions that pertain to them, and it’s time we all took a seat at the table to stand up for our youth.
I started teaching because I know that some of the most important work that can be done in education is being done daily in the classroom with students. Despite this truth, our community is failing our students if we don’t speak up to let our voices, and the voices of our children, be heard. I’m motivated to fight for all our students and schools in Oakland because I believe that it’s our collective responsibility to ensure the needs of students and families are centered at the heart of all educational decisions that are made.
I have hope for our thriving Town. If we work together on this journey for educational equity and quality, student outcomes will improve, and so, too, will our community. One major way to do this is to vote. I am personally going to cast my vote in favor of candidates that are champions for school choice, and policies that prioritize all student policies that prioritize all student in our beautiful Town, but we can each do our part.
Here are some actions you can take to prioritize our students:
- Get registered to vote, make sure your voter registration is up to date, and register others.
- Cast your vote in the upcoming election this November.
- Talk to your community about the issues affecting education in our Town.
- Attend school board meetings to show the board members we care, we are here, we are listening. Tell them: Prioritize educational choice. Prioritize quality. Prioritize equity. Prioritize choices that best serve our kids.
Remember, the success of our community is at stake if we fail to prioritize our schools and our students.
By ensuring school choice and equitable access are at the forefront of our vision as a community, we make a promise to our youth for a brighter future.