Watch my speech to IPS leaders at the July Action Session:
Read my speech here:
Good evening board commissioners,
My name is Dontia Dyson, and I am an IPS dad and have come up here and advocated for my kid for over 4 years.
I want to first thank you for passing resolution 8020. It truly does mean a lot to me because I believe this is a step in the right direction and I was one of the 1000+ community members who signed the petition you all received in February that requested the growth of schools that close the opportunity gap.
I appreciate every board member, but I am disappointed that we still don’t have enough schools for our kids that are working I have come to this podium for 4+ years and as a parent with 2 autistic sons and 2 straight A daughters that are not autistic. I am all over the scale, I believe parents like me should be listened to. I believe we are an actual factor WE ARE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY. Yet, many edits parents like me asked for in this resolution were not included, specifically things like using DATA to replicate models that serve kids like mine well.
I hear chat behind who is the community, I want you to know that everyone coming to this podium is an asset to IPS regardless if they are a parent or community stakeholder. It’s important for all families that come up, to have a voice. We may not always agree, but WE ARE ALL THE COMMUNITY.
Us, middle- and lower-class parents, come out and speak because we are solution based, we aren’t here to argue or be offensive, but we do want s results. The back and forth regarding school type needs to be tucked away. It hurts our kids. I am a single dad, and I live day by day making sure my kids are getting the best education possible, and IT IS HARD. WHICH IS WHY I LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS. WE HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE. I currently participate in school 63 and George Washington as a PARENT. I encourage anyone that has pushback or feedback in the things that parents are asking, please go into the schools personally before you go against a parent doing the work and asking for solutions.
To get those 1000 signatures should not be overlooked. – This is the COMMUNITY> We have been out there talking to parents and educating them about the DATA, which is why they are inclined to sign a petition so please, when you start implementing this resolution, make sure you are thinking of my autistic kids all the way to my straight A daughters. Make sure the plan that comes from this resolution truly focusses on growing the schools that close the opportunity gap. ALL KIDS DESERVE TO THRIVE.
