Parents, we can’t let FWISD flounder any more. Let’s demand accountability | Opinion
The next few months promise to be a pivotal time for Fort Worth ISD stakeholders who need the district to succeed. With a new superintendent and school board elections in May, parents, taxpayers and voters have the power to change the trajectory of the district’s future and, by extension, children’s lives.
As a lifelong, fifth-generation Fort Worth resident and product of the public school system, I understand the importance of excellent leadership and accountability. I’m a public school parent and leader of the city’s newest parent-led educational advocacy organization, Parent Shield Fort Worth.
We believe every child deserves an excellent education, and our mission is to make a high-quality education reality for every child in Tarrant County. The foundation of our work consists of advocacy, awareness and providing tools to Black and brown families to disrupt systemic inequities that fuel generational trauma.
For too long, the truth about our education system has been a well-kept secret. There is little public discourse around the overall performance of FWISD. Worse, the silence surrounding the literacy crisis among Black and Hispanic children in Fort Worth is deafening.
Thankfully, we have a mayor who uses her platform to spotlight on the injustices and amplify a call to action. “We must come to the realization that in Fort Worth we, the collective we, have not ensured that success is actually possible for all students, and that is directly connected to our success as a community,” Mayor Mattie Parker said in her inaugural state of the city address.
Still, we need more elected officials with Parker’s courage. Our children’s lives depend on it.
As parent leaders, we wholeheartedly believe that the collective “we” is the secret sauce to ensure our children’s success. That’s why we spent January meeting with each FWISD trustee to offer an opportunity to share their personal truths, hopes and legislative agendas for Fort Worth students. Each was gracious with his or her time and radiated positive energy about the direction of the district. From each trustee, we heard a commitment to work for our children and reflect the values of the Fort Worth community.
Though Parent Shield is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical education advocacy organization, we are committed to the idea that our vote is our voice. While we will not endorse candidates, we will work to get out the vote and urge parents to identify candidates with a powerful, unapologetic platform that sets high expectations for Black and brown children.
We need candidates who know the data and understand that behind the numbers are children’s lives and the future of our city. Those vying to be a trustee should disavow a system in which only 16% of fourth-graders and only 12% of eighth-graders read at or above grade level. We plan to vote for candidates with a clear plan to increase the literacy rate for Fort Worth children.
Parent Shield will also hold the new superintendent, Angélica Ramsey, current trustees and candidates accountable for setting high expectations for children that have languished at the bottom of the performance gap for far too long. We pledge to work with anyone willing to establish citywide urgency about the literacy crisis in Fort Worth. Finally, we will make our voices heard by showing up strong at the polls.
On behalf of the members of Parent Shield, I welcome other Fort Worth parents to join the movement to ensure every school provides the level of education that prepares our children for college and career. The saying goes: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Together, we change the narrative and our children’s reality.
