Our goal is to increase involvement and collaboration between organizers, community members and educators to build long term and durable connections which in turn will create positive change for students. Our aim is to show that integrating sections of the film into school activities can help stimulate conversation, and lead to the creation of objectives and plans of action to use in schools and communities.
1. Relationships Matter
In Oakland, as in many school districts, local schools face a myriad of challenges – from aging facilities to unhealthy and inadequate lunches to chronically low student achievement.
Discussion Questions
• What are key characteristics of strong, respectful relationships based on shared priorities and values?
• To what degree does the success of your local work require the building of respectful relationships between parents, students, community leaders and school and district officials?
2. The Power of Youth
In the Bronx, parents and community members have supported the work of a youth-led organizing effort to open and then try to find a permanent home for a new high school. In this segment, youth and adults take their concerns to the New York City Department of Education where they challenge the administration’s facilities planning based on a 36 percent graduation rate.
Discussion Questions
• What unique perspectives and abilities do young people bring to organizing for school reform?
• How can adults – parents, organizers, and teachers – provide young people with the support they need to play a leading role in an organizing effort, rather than simply following a strategy defined by adults?
3. Changing the Existing School Culture
In many schools and districts, parents are not viewed as assets – equals with whom educators can partner to make positive changes for students. Too often, the existing school culture is one that discourages parents from voicing their concerns and then collaborating with school and district staff to identify and implement solutions.
Discussion Questions
• What is the existing school culture with regard to parent involvement in the schools and districts in which you organize?
• How might schools demonstrate their commitment to including parents in a respectful manner?
• How can your organization communicate this alternative vision to educators?
What’s Next? Taking Action
Identify a number of specific, shared problems in your school / district. Select one or two to work on in this session. Break into small groups to discuss potential solutions to the identified problem, and bring back to larger group. Before concluding the meeting, outline concrete next steps you can take — individually, and/or as a group until the next time you meet. Following meetings should review progress and plan next steps in reaching goal on one issue. Problems identified in first step can be re-visited as progress is made.
