By: Kim Whittle, EEA Coordinator
Recently Education Equity has become a hot topic in Delaware schools, but it’s important to keep in mind that equity can look differently given student, family, and community needs.
That’s why family involvement is an essential part of the framework for achieving education equity. However, all too often parents face barriers like a lack of accessible information or tools that prevent them from being able to advocate for their childrens’ needs and navigate the school system confidently. This allows inequitable systems and processes to continue generation after generation without being challenged.
Shannon Griffin, Senior Policy Advocate at ACLU-DE, is pushing back against histories of inequity by empowering parents and guardians through the Education Equity Ambassador (EEA) program. The EEA program trains parents and guardians to advocate for children and ultimately their larger communities. EEAs complete six training sessions that equip them with the tools to own their voice, speak truth to power, and become agents of equitable change.
EEA Chantae’ Vinson completed her training last fall, and is now the PTA President of Warner Elementary in the Red Clay Consolidated School District. Chantae’ is a single mom of two children, both of whom attend Wilmington Learning Collaborative (WLC) schools.
Education Equity Ambassador coordinator, Kim Whittle (KW), sat down with Chantae’ Vinson (CV) to get more insight into how she uses the EEA program to advocate for her children.
KW: How has the EEA program allowed you to connect with administrators and teachers, so they provide better services for your children's success?
CV: The EEA program streamlined and fine-tuned the access I have as a parent. Specifically, the different documentation and reports I can ask for. I knew about certain things from my own research. But I couldn’t grasp and fine tune the process of receiving specific information until I joined the EEA program.
KW: How do the tools you’ve gained through the EEA program help you encourage other parents?
CV: We want to meet parents where they are. We want to help parents empower themselves for their children. I always hype up the EEA program. I tell parents not to be scared of “the ask”. Don't be scared of the empowerment that we are able to have. It's about the needs of our children and not about us. We as parents want to be good trouble!
We are currently recruiting the next cohort of the Education Equity Ambassador program. To apply, visit aclu-de.org/eea or sign up for our newsletter.
For questions or to learn more contact Shannon Griffin at [email protected].
