Dontia Dyson
IPS Parent
My ancestors fought for my right to vote. I fully believe that by voting, I am continuing their legacy. But voting isn’t just picking our federal and state lawmakers – it’s also making sure we vote for the lesser known roles, like our school board members, who play a vital part in our community.
As parents, the relationships we have with our schools and the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) district is important. We can’t sit on the sidelines now, during a pandemic that’s showcased just how much racial inequity is prevalent in our society and our schools.
Your vote is important because it will determine if we have school board members who will make decisions in our kid’s best interests, who understand the IPS student population and who will have our children’s success and well-being in mind when voting for future policies and plans. We need school board members who have a focus on and commitment to equity.
IPS educates thousands of students in different types of schools. I hope the people who become future board members understand that some kids need different options. I hope they strive to turn around struggling schools and don’t make blanket statements that push out options some kids need. Having someone who listens and responds to this community means everything right now.
You should care who sits on the IPS board even if you aren’t a parent. It takes a village to raise a child. We have to get back to supporting one another and we need everyone to step up. We need everyone to be concerned about the growth of our community, and these kids are our future.
If you live in the IPS district, please honor the people who came before us and fought for our rights by voting for school board members in the upcoming election. You can make sure the people with the power to make choices about the youth of IPS live their lives through a lens of equity.
If you’re not yet registered to vote, there’s still time.
