‘I’m Down With Any School That’s Successfully Educating Children’: Here’s How Social Media Reacted to Roland Martin’s Indianapolis Town Hall on Education & Equity

At a packed event Sunday evening at the Indianapolis Public Library, journalist Roland Martin asked tough questions of local school leaders about education, equity, and America’s persistent achievement gap between students of different races.
The event, “School Choice Is the Black Choice: Indianapolis,” marked the first education town hall in what will be a national series of such events, engaging black families on issues of student achievement, parent involvement, and classroom equity. The tour is being organized in conjunction with The 74’s newest website, Keeping It 100, which prioritizes stories, profiles, and essays about how schools across the country are serving students and families of color.
Hundreds turned out for the Sunday town hall in Indiana, where Martin pressed local education leaders to reflect on teacher diversity, school discipline, and parent engagement.
Here were some of the remarks, reactions, and questions that followed the event on social media:
SCHOOL CHOICE IS THE BLACK CHOICE w/ @rolandsmartin. Powerful panel and a full house for a candid conversation on educational choice, quality, access and opportunities in the Black community. #schoochoice @The74 @Dyrnwyn pic.twitter.com/79Xdqfp7Rj
— Jason Gaulden (@jasongaulden) December 3, 2018
Great question by @rolandsmartin “What schools in Indy are ran by blacks?” @The74 #SchoolChoiceistheBlackChoice
— David McGuire Jr. (@MrMcGuire_Teach) December 3, 2018
I appreciate @rolandsmartin asking panel members to give specific numbers instead of accepting generalizations because your definition of ‘good’ and my definition of ‘good’ could be two different concepts. #RolandMartinUnfiltered #KI100 @The74 pic.twitter.com/GFSOUONUyW
— S.S. Barnes (@educatorbarnes) December 3, 2018
Throughout the night, Martin stressed the need for education advocates to work together to create change through school choice.
.@rolandsmartin: This is about pushing you to create a movement, not just a moment. What do we do next? The decisions we make today with education are going to impact the children’s children. #SchoolChoice #SchoolChoiceIsTheBlackChoice @The74
— Romy Drucker (@romydrucker) December 3, 2018
“The decisions we make today will impact the children’s children” @The74 #SchoolChoiceIsTheBlackChoice
— David McGuire Jr. (@MrMcGuire_Teach) December 3, 2018
Panelists included education consultant George Parker; Derrell Bradford, executive vice president of 50CAN; Candace Pate, director of admissions and community partnerships at Providence Cristo Rey High School in Indianapolis; Aleesia Johnson, Indianapolis Public Schools deputy superintendent for academics; and Kelli Marshall, CEO of Tindley Accelerated Schools.
.@rolandsmartin is doubling down on the nitty gritty of school choice with an all star panel. @Dyrnwyn of @FiftyCAN, @GParkerDC, @AleesiaLJohnson of @IPSSchools, Candace Pate of @CristoReyIndy and Kelli Marshall of @TindleySchools #schoolchoice @the74 pic.twitter.com/gAKDcRT0LG
— Naomi N. Shelton (@NaomiSheltonDC) December 3, 2018
“I’m down with any school that’s successfully educating children.” @rolandsmartin #SchoolChoiceistheBlackChoice pic.twitter.com/6Dxxy48h3F
— Nathan Hoffman (@Milenatehoff) December 3, 2018
Great question by @rolandsmartin “What schools in Indy are ran by blacks?” @The74 #SchoolChoiceistheBlackChoice
— David McGuire Jr. (@MrMcGuire_Teach) December 3, 2018
Panelists also weighed in on union politics, equity, and school discipline.
“With Choice there needs to be equity” ~Kelli Marshall CEO @TindleySchools @The74 #SchoolChoiceistheBlackChoice
— David McGuire Jr. (@MrMcGuire_Teach) December 3, 2018
.@GParkerDC: As union prez the fight that I was fighting was not about children but about my own bottom line—teacher job security & union dues. I asked myself am I going to be about children or am I going to be the guy supporting a pol agenda? #SchoolChoiceIsTheBlackChoice @The74
— Romy Drucker (@romydrucker) December 3, 2018
“No child should be denied their education. No child should deny another child their education” ~Gerald Parker @The74 #SchoolChoiceIstheBlackChoice
— David McGuire Jr. (@MrMcGuire_Teach) December 3, 2018
After hearing about Indianapolis’s system of traditional district schools, innovation network schools, and charter schools, Martin pressed the panelists to think about how they can change a “convoluted” system.
@rolandsmartin says, “Indy has a whole lot of cooks in the education kitchen” @The74 #SchoolChoiceIstheBlackChoice
— David McGuire Jr. (@MrMcGuire_Teach) December 3, 2018
“The reason #schoolchoice has become so convoluted is because of money and power [of institutions].” @rolandsmartin #SchoolChoiceistheBlackChoice pic.twitter.com/gyb5BXQXZ6
— Nathan Hoffman (@Milenatehoff) December 3, 2018
The event brought together more than 300 local educators, parents, and advocates.
I’m here at School Choice is the Black Choice with my fellow @IndyKidsWinning writer @kirk_kirk15 & Connecticut parent advocate rockstar @RealTalkGwenS @The74 @rolandsmartin #KI100 pic.twitter.com/SDOw1FKXn5
— S.S. Barnes (@educatorbarnes) December 2, 2018
You can learn more about the national tour right here; register to get the latest “School Choice Is the Black Choice” coverage delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for The 74 Newsletter.
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