Author: Vesia Hawkins

Extremely passionate about education choices, fairness, and good football.
Nashville, School Choice, Tennessee

Valor Collegiate Takes Educating The Whole Child To Another Level

Imagine a classroom of teens sitting in a circle while sharing life’s difficulties and celebrations with peers who are actively listening and willing to publicly offer a hug or a pat on the back. Yes, a world where adolescent behavior is the goal, not a punchline. One of Tennessee’s highest performing charter school networks is receiving national acclaim for its implementation of a robust social-emotional … Continue reading Valor Collegiate Takes Educating The Whole Child To Another Level

Vesia Hawkins1 Comment
Black Community, Nashville, School Choice

The Writing On The Wall: WE ARE FAILING METRO SCHOOLS STUDENTS. DO THE THING THAT SAVES THEM.

After thirty months of observing the director of schools’ performance and intense media scrutiny, sometimes writing in support of the man and other times throwing shade on his administration, my effort to rise above the fray and focus on the children recently fell victim to the noise. It got personal. The writing has been on the wall for some time now, but it’s now screaming. … Continue reading The Writing On The Wall: WE ARE FAILING METRO SCHOOLS STUDENTS. DO THE THING THAT SAVES THEM.

Vesia Hawkins5 Comments
Nashville, School Choice

It’s The Final Week To Select A School For 2019. Do Or Don’t. It’s Your Choice.

You want a good school for your child, right? Something that is a good fit based on what you know your child needs? It’s tough. There are so many options out there, it can feel like you’re trying to navigate through a labyrinth. Lengthy application processes, hours of research, interrogating your friends and neighbors. Lucky for you, Nashville Metro Schools actually has a lot of … Continue reading It’s The Final Week To Select A School For 2019. Do Or Don’t. It’s Your Choice.

Vesia Hawkins4 Comments
Black Community, Tennessee

Tennessee Law To Criminalize Parents’ Clothing; Literacy Rate Gets Pass

There are no handbooks to parenting your child. I don’t remember reading anything warning me of the morning battles between the first attempt to wake my child[ren] and finally tumbling out the front door. Then there’s a daily storm of school stuff, social situations, health, homework, after-school activities, meals, and life. It’s hard. Parents are blamed for low reading scores and low performance of entire … Continue reading Tennessee Law To Criminalize Parents’ Clothing; Literacy Rate Gets Pass

Vesia Hawkins5 Comments
Black Community, Nashville

Black Girl, Interrupted: From School To The School Board

Two years ago, I sat in a diversity sensitivity training for new teachers led by a friend who’d asked me to attend for emotional support. The room filled with youthful exuberance and confidence, mostly white and female, would soon be unceremoniously doused by my friend’s real-life examples of grave educational injustices inflicted upon children of color and stories of parents and grandparents fighting like hell to … Continue reading Black Girl, Interrupted: From School To The School Board

Vesia Hawkins6 Comments
Nashville

Much Ado About Everything But The Babies

In my last post, I included a quote from the incomparable Oprah Winfrey during her now infamous Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech. The quote is simple and succinct, but the message packs a punch. “Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.” The quote would seem to take on a life of its own as tragedies and court decisions … Continue reading Much Ado About Everything But The Babies

Vesia Hawkins11 Comments
Black Community, School Choice

5 Lessons From 2018 Parents Should Resolve To Take With Them Into The New Year

It’s New Year’s Eve and by now you’ve come across a plethora of posts daring you, bullying you to leave behind various people, ideas, social media behavior in 2018. Annoying, but if it declutters your timeline and disciplines your social media behavior, then go Kondo (the Japanese art of organizing). You’ve probably also read/glanced at 4,000 “best of 2018” articles/blogs from the authors of said … Continue reading 5 Lessons From 2018 Parents Should Resolve To Take With Them Into The New Year

Vesia Hawkins1 Comment