Commentary

After last week’s Denver school board work session, charter school students, parents, staff, and boards have legitimate reasons to worry about their future in Denver Public Schools.

I think it’s essential for young people to understand the value of savings, credit, interest rates and investing to build the future every one of us deserves, and attain generational wealth.

In the days before mandated state testing, schools could hide their dismal service to these children behind vague, aggregated data that masked opportunity gaps from public view.

I have now had direct experience with what many educators have known for decades: No two learners are created equal. And like most parents, I have a new appreciation for the work of our teachers, para-professionals, student support counselors and administrators. 

While I love highlighting all things Black, I know that equity doesn’t come through Black history month. Equity comes from listening to the needs/desires of community, being accountable to community, and taking action to make systemic change happen.

I challenge my fellow immigrants to develop an understanding of oppression that Black Americans face in this country. I believe it starts with education.

To me, it isn’t very democratic when pretty much every level of government is trying to keep the oppression of marginalized Americans intact. Unfortunately, I had to wait until college to learn any of this real history.

Growing up in a community that has been and still is heavily affected by gang culture taught me two major realities about the condition of my people: We don’t care about our people’s lives, and we are at war.

I made multiple attempts at trying to make the best decisions for kids that look like me, and as you can imagine that did not last long. My pushback to do what’s right for kids was not accepted so I had to move on. Those experiences in St. Louis brought me to where I am now — Denver, Colorado.

It seems obvious that conducting scaled-back state testing this year is a good idea — until you consider the logistical hurdles.