Category: Accountability

Are we holding our schools and ourselves accountable for educating all kids and giving every one of them a chance at a successful, fulfilling life?

Accountability, Nashville, School Choice

Why Is It So Hard For Families To Get The Respect They Deserve?

“We build relationship systems.” — Mia Howard, founder and CEO of Intrepid Schools in Antioch, TN. Last year, I had the pleasure of visiting Intrepid Schools, a Tennessee Reward school (top five percent) and charter school. The interview with the school’s fearless leader Mia Howard has been on my mind as of late because of what she listed as Intrepid’s secret to success. Relationships and … Continue reading Why Is It So Hard For Families To Get The Respect They Deserve?

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Accountability, Nashville

A Look Back At The Nashville School Board, Same As Today

A controversial and expensive decision affecting thousands of students. A contentious director of schools. A divided and belligerent school board. Racial tensions. Tens of thousands of students in struggling schools in a district ready for state takeover. The year was 2007. Fast forward eleven years to a near-identical situation, only the players have changed. Playing Director of Schools was Dr. Pedro Garcia surrounded by 4 … Continue reading A Look Back At The Nashville School Board, Same As Today

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Accountability, Tennessee

Will Shelby County Schools Leader Be Tennessee’s Next Commissioner of Education?

UPDATE: It has been reported that Hopson is leaving the district for a corporate gig – presumably to practice law. I’m an unreliable source for unsubstantiated information, so if you’re looking for gossip I’m typically not your girl. But today I’m dying to dish on the circumstances surrounding an announcement coming out of Memphis, TN. Remember when Shelby County Schools (SCS) superintendent Dorsey Hopson out … Continue reading Will Shelby County Schools Leader Be Tennessee’s Next Commissioner of Education?

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Accountability, School Choice, Tennessee

Governor-Elect Lee: Let These 4 Things Guide Your Education Decisions

Dear Governor-Elect Lee: This will be short and sweet. As a political newcomer, it’s possible you are only peripherally familiar with the battles in and around education. The bloodiest of them are not found in the area of your residence, Williamson County, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation with the second highest performing school district in the state. Further, you may not be … Continue reading Governor-Elect Lee: Let These 4 Things Guide Your Education Decisions

Vesia Hawkins2 Comments
Accountability, Black Community, Nashville

Y’all Are Talking About The Director of School’s Attitude While 21 Schools Die In The Dark

A version of this post was first published in The Contributor, a community magazine created specifically for Nashville’s homeless and citizens in poverty “by creating economic opportunity with dignity.” Vendors are allowed to purchase the magazine for a minimal cost and sell them at a higher price to ensure a hefty profit margin. The program is wildly successful as it has helped numerous women and … Continue reading Y’all Are Talking About The Director of School’s Attitude While 21 Schools Die In The Dark

Vesia Hawkins2 Comments
Accountability, Nashville, Tennessee

Happy Birthday To Me: Parents Are Not To Blame For Nation’s Literacy Crisis

A wise woman once told me in my twenties “we all have a little girl inside us hurting and hopeful. And we have to honor her, too.” I think about Little Vesia all the time, as it is she who guides my advocacy and passion for the ignored, and commitment to the unheard. Like the woman, the little girl is eager to serve without condition … Continue reading Happy Birthday To Me: Parents Are Not To Blame For Nation’s Literacy Crisis

Vesia Hawkins1 Comment
Accountability, Black Community, Nashville, School Choice, Tennessee

Nashville Can’t Keep Whitewashing Its Problem Educating Black and Brown Students

Interested parties have known about it for weeks. Many people have sat in front me over coffee referring to the “rumors” about the “potential” number of schools on the dreaded Tennessee Department of Education’s priority list. But they already knew. They knew the list of Nashville schools performing in the state’s bottom 5 percent would reach into the twenties. That every single school on the … Continue reading Nashville Can’t Keep Whitewashing Its Problem Educating Black and Brown Students

Vesia Hawkins4 Comments