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Parents, Stand Up…Critics, Have a Seat!

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Woke parents—I LOVE you guys!  Over the past week, there have been a number of you who have publicly voiced your concerns over the impending teacher’s strike.  And I, for one, am especially elated that there are more of you who are becoming more aware of the disparities in education in Chicago, inserting yourselves into the conversation, making you more engaged in your child’s education.  However, I have also seen comments where you have been attacked on every level from your intelligence, parenting skills, to the validity of your opinion based on presumed socioeconomic status.  And my question to the critics is, how dare you?

This is what we know: there always has and will always be an underlying power struggle between these bureaucracies in Chicago in which the best interests of families are often pushed to the backburner.  Secondly, within this power struggle, certain stakeholders –specifically parents- have limited or no representation in the conversation or decision making process.  Thirdly and as a result of this, the parents and students end up getting the short end of the stick–particularly those in high need communities.

Now these parents may not be college professors, political strategists or well versed in union business. But, what does qualify them to have an opinion AND say-so is that they are, first and foremost, people who care about their child’s education and secondly, taxpayers—which makes their voice just as, if not more important than, yours, the CTU President’s, and the Mayor’s.
So here’s what I suggest to the critics: instead of attacking parents, making unfounded generalizations, disempowering them, and throwing your unsubstantiated expertise in their faces, try listening with empathy, educate when given the opportunity, and most importantly, support them.  These parents have been beaten down enough AND are trying to raise children in a city that frankly, doesn’t put them first.  At the end of the day, we are all passionate about and enduring an uphill battle in education and we cannot win when half of our battalion doesn’t feel strong enough to or are discouraged in the fight.  Uplift, elevate, and excel.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Tanesha Peeples

South Side community leader Tanesha Peeples is a Chicago Public Schools alumna and proud Englewoodian. She currently serves on the board of the Montessori School of Englewood. Formerly, she served the Deputy Director of Outreach for Education Post, for whom she penned the long-running column Hope and Outrage. As an undergraduate student at Northern Illinois University, Tanesha began to develop a passion for and understand the importance of public service. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration, she returned to Chicago with a new perspective on community, politics and civic engagement. Tanesha then attended and graduated from DePaul University with a master’s degree in public service management and urban planning and development. Throughout her professional career, Tanesha has used her education, passion and experience to navigate a number of nonprofit, political and independent ventures, advancing her mission to educate and empower marginalized populations. Prior to joining Education Post, she also managed her own consulting firm specializing in community relations. Tanesha’s vision is one where everyone—regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender or zip code—can have access to a comfortable quality of life and enjoy the freedoms and liberties promised to all Americans. Find her on Twitter at @PeeplesChoice85.

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