Education
Following is a list of reforms which we believe will raise the educational attainment of students in the City of St. Louis School District.
Background
Our overall goal is to provide a better education to Black students living in the St. Louis School District (SLSD). Presently, the School District is not giving students the skills and knowledge they will need to function in society. If we are to use education as a tool of social change, we must drastically improve the quality of education students receive.
There are three effective elements in the educational process: the student, parents, and teachers and administrators; a good education depends upon each element making contributions. Parents should take an interest in their children's education, teaching basic skills and reading to them before they enter school. Parents should talk with the teachers regularly, taking an active and ongoing interest in their children's education. By doing so, parents give teachers a better product to work with, making the teacher's efforts much more effective. Teachers are then able to give children the skills they will need to function in life.
Unfortunately, this model no longer seems to hold true. Many students have no interest in education, many parents do not take part in their children's education, and teachers are often overwhelmed by the task asked of them. Every element of the equation for successful education seems to have broken down. Improving education requires that we address all of these factors. Treating any element in isolation will negate the impact; instead all must be reformed simultaneously. Our goal is to address each element of the educational process and so improve the quality of education available in the City of St. Louis School District.