Let's look at how we can stop doing so much individual advocacy and instead engage in more collaborative advocacy.

 

When we think beyond our own children, the changes we can create will include students and parents whose voices are not heard at the IEP table. 

We need to think about how our work can positively impact others and then take collective action. That's when systemic change happens in our schools.

Our advocacy can be about fixing an immediate issue for our children, AND working collaborating so that change in our education system is sustainable.

If you've been following my coverage of the Billings, MT school district's policy of  "The District will not assign or admit any person who has reached age 19 on or before September 10 of the year to be enrolled."  you know this impacts more than one individual student.

You may be thinking, Charmaine I have enough to think about without worrying what's going on in Billings, MT. for one student with Down syndrome.

 

Yet, we have many lessons we can learn from the collective advocacy that has been building in this Montana community.

We can have more impact and make systemic changes when we have more voices collaborating.

This Thursday on our live training we'll be discovering answers to these questions:

How do you get a variety of community members to rally for change in school district's policies and practices?

Who do you want to attend school board meetings with you?

What goes into organizing a large event?

How is the momentum for change maintained?

I hope you can be with us on Thursday, April 7th at Noon Mtn. Time, 2 pm ET, 1 pm CT, 11 am PT.  We'll be on my Visions and Voices Together Facebook page.

I'd love to hear your positive experiences of making change on a district level.  We can learn what works from each other.
 

 

 

Last Thursday, March 31st many supporters of Emily Pennington, including classmates, state legislators, Montana's State Superintendent, and community members shared their voices at a 4 hour school board informational meeting about this district policy.  All of the speakers are in favor of changing the district policy.

 

As a result of that meeting the school district told the Pennington family yesterday that the district would be happy to allow Emily her senior year as an exception, but not to change the school policy.

The family has declined that offer and said, "We're going to use this platform to make them change their policy here at the Billings' School District to get this taken care of for all the other parents and kids like Emily, who don't have that platform."

 

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a case study in Collective Advocacy.  Let us engage in more collective advocacy in our communities!

 

The time is now to gather all thoughts, ideas and values into a more inclusive voice. 

Will I see you this Thursday for our live training?  We'll be on my Facebook page, Visions and Voices Together.

 

 

 

P.S. The Billings' school board is having another special meeting tonight, Tuesday, April 5th at 6:00 pm Mountain Time.  They will be considering at least 5 options to their current policy.   Here's the link to the options the Board has suggested so far.

You can view the live school board meeting on the Billings Public Schools Facebook page.  Click here.