Author: Vesia Hawkins

Extremely passionate about education choices, fairness, and good football.
Accountability, Tennessee

Will Two Years Of Second Grade Solve The Literacy Crisis?

A piece of the sky has landed on my head. Similar the chick in the story Chicken Little, I am compelled to try to communicate to readers news about the falling sky, to translate a sense of urgency about the barriers to today’s children becoming fully equipped citizens of tomorrow. Unlike Chicken Little, my news, such as our children’s inability to read the world around … Continue reading Will Two Years Of Second Grade Solve The Literacy Crisis?

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School Choice

The ABC’s Of The ABC’s And What Parents Need To Know

I’m no educator, I just play one on Twitter. Seriously, I respect the profession too much to pretend or mislead. Yet, I find myself in this very specific space occupied by mostly educators discussing, debating best scientifically-based instructional practices and curriculum for reading. I have no business hanging out here but after nearly two years of searching for answers to the literacy crisis, here I … Continue reading The ABC’s Of The ABC’s And What Parents Need To Know

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Accountability, Black Community, Nashville, Tennessee

It’s Just Literacy, No Big Deal

In August 2017, former Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced the Read to be Ready program with an ambitious goal of 75 percent of all third-graders reading at or above grade level in the year 2025. In response to the news, I wrote: “…in eight years Tennessee promises all but 25% of its third graders will be able to read at grade level. We … Continue reading It’s Just Literacy, No Big Deal

Vesia Hawkins4 Comments
Black Community, Tennessee

Tennessee’s Love Affair With Its Racist Past Must End

I live in a state that is required by law to observe Nathan Bedford Forest. Today. In his first year as Tennessee’s 50th governor, Governor Bill Lee signed a proclamation designating July 13 a day to observe the guy as a “recognized military figure and native Tennessean.” According to Gov. Lee, he signed the proclamation because the law requires him to do so. Just as … Continue reading Tennessee’s Love Affair With Its Racist Past Must End

Vesia Hawkins4 Comments
Black Community, Nashville, School Choice

An Independence Day Message To The System Protectors and Opportunity Hoarders

It’s not broken. It was built this way. It was built to oppress. It was built to control. It was built for profit. It was built for political gain and power. It lives off of us. – Ava DuVernay On the weekend leading up to Juneteenth, Black Americans’ Independence Day and my wedding anniversary, I watched with my husband of 25 years, 11 months, and … Continue reading An Independence Day Message To The System Protectors and Opportunity Hoarders

Vesia Hawkins3 Comments
Black Community, Nashville

Nashville’s First Black Female Schools Leader Is Criticized For — Leading

I’ll make this brief. “Researchers found that when a group is shown photos of different people, black women’s faces were least likely to be recognized out of a group of white men and white women. Statements said by a black woman in a group discussion were also least likely to be correctly attributed compared to black men, white women, and white men.” Harvard Business Review … Continue reading Nashville’s First Black Female Schools Leader Is Criticized For — Leading

Vesia Hawkins4 Comments
Accountability, Nashville

Learning Heroes Help Parents Bridge The Gap Between Report Cards And The Truth

At a Friday morning coffee meeting with a new friend who works at a highly respected Tennessee education policy organization, I was happy to share information about a project I’ve been married to for the past year. Equally excited and bummed about the findings from months of research, one of the things that I had not been able to justify, I admitted, was that more … Continue reading Learning Heroes Help Parents Bridge The Gap Between Report Cards And The Truth

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