Local stories of desegregation hold the power to uplift those who fought for justice, the demands they made, and the ways we have failed to honor that work. Over the coming months we will be diving into several local stories, starting with Denver, CO and the court case, Keyes v School District No 1. Decided 50 years ago, the Keyes case was the first to try the standard set in Brown v Board outside of the South, resulting in massive changes both nationally and locally.
Jon Tobin, and his wife Amanda, strive to continually finds ways to make decisions that reflect their values, that support their kids, and that work to make the world just a bit more just, everyday. With a deep belief in the power of community, in the need to be rooted in place, and the need to invest their resources, time and energy into their community, they support their local, public school by sending their kids, showing up humbly, and doing the sometimes slow work to build community.
There’s a difference between feeling like you belong in a space and that that space belongs to you. Dr. Shanette Porter has studied schools that have created that sense of belonging, and found that not only are strictly academic measures improved (test scores, etc), but other benefits come as well. From increased graduation rates, to decreased disciplinary incidents, to increased attendance, schools that focus on creating a sense of belonging do better for the whole child.
Dr. Porter joins us to share some of her findings, as well as a powerful definition of belonging.
Assistant Secretary of Education, Roberto Rodriguez, joins us to discuss the Fostering Diverse Schools grants recently awarded, and the federal government’s role in advocating for integration.
To close out the year, we share listener voice memos, an update on Integrated Schools, including our new board of directors, and tease a few of the episodes coming in the new year!
