100+ Providence Students and Community Members Join Youth-Led Conversation on the History of State Takeover, Future of PPSD
On Tuesday, December 10, more than 100 Providence students and community members gathered for a youth-led conversation about the future of Providence schools. The event included a youth-led political education session on the State takeover of PPSD and two rounds of breakout sessions for students to share their experiences in schools.
“The people who came learned about the Turnaround Action Plan (TAP) metrics and the State takeover extension. They seemed engaged and eager to learn about the event and the conversation. I hope the decision-makers that were present at the event take what was said into deep consideration to help fix and rebuild our school system,” said Milia Odom, event emcee and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Leader, who is an 11th grader at Central High School and youth organizer at ARISE.
Youth facilitators highlighted the history of the OurSchoolsPVD alliance, which formed in 2019 after the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) took over Providence schools. To address the root causes of issues facing PPSD, the alliance is fighting for a broader platform called the 3Ds–Democracy, Dollars, and Dignity. As a part of this vision, OurSchoolsPVD is leading a campaign to implement Ethnic Studies infrastructure in all Providence schools.
“Our Ethnic Studies campaign reminds us to center the youth and communities who are directly impacted by the violent racializing systems we are operating in. We need PPSD back under local control, and we also need PPSD to be led by youth and adults with lived experience and knowledge of how to support a school District with over 90% BIPOC. We need more structures for hiring and supporting teachers of color, curriculum that reflects students’ communities, and youth partnership in PPSD decision-making,” said Belinda Hu, a staff coordinator for OurSchoolsPVD.
Policy staff from the Mayor’s Office supported the event as a stakeholder engagement component for the City’s Return to Local Control Plan. Elected officials from Providence City Council, the Providence School Board, the State Legislature, and leaders from PPSD attended the event to listen to student perspectives.
Youth leaders hope to see the experiences and priorities of current PPSD students set the foundation for the City’s approach to preparing for local control of Providence schools. Participants elevated issues like school building infrastructure, school climate, the importance of more teachers of color, Ethnic Studies, students’ rights in schools, and school discipline policy.
“Before the event, our group didn’t know much about the political aspects of our school system, such as the Turnaround Action Plan (TAP) metrics and the funding lawsuit the City was facing. Many in our group were concerned about money making it into schools. Students talked about how the schools are old and falling apart, which leads people in the schools to get hurt. Overall, everyone had opinions, whether they were students of PPSD, students in other districts, or teachers and adult allies,” said Jesslynn Melendez, breakout facilitator and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Leader, a former student of Central High School.
“A student in my group shared that it is impossible for them to feel comfortable in school when the history they’re learning isn’t being told by the voices they want to hear. When what we are learning isn’t relevant, it makes it hard for students to take school seriously,” said Mariah Ajiboye, breakout facilitator and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Leader, who is a 12th grader at Classical High School and youth leader at Young Voices.
“My breakout group talked about how they don’t like the current school system because of how mentally draining it is. Students’ rights and powers are being taken away from them, and they are threatened by suspension and tardiness on their school records. Youth are taking action, and we want to be heard,” said Timmy Soeung, breakout facilitator and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Member, who is an 11th grader at E-Cubed Academy and youth organizer at ARISE.
Student leaders appreciated the intergenerational space and the chance to share their experiences with adults during breakout groups.
“We were listening and gaining each other’s perspectives, from students to the adults. It felt like the past was hearing the future at the same time, meeting in the present. We were there in the space to listen to each other and walk out with the message we are trying to spread,” Timmy said, reflecting on the event.
Facilitators invited participants to join the OurSchoolsPVD alliance at the Mayor’s Community Conversation on Education on December 14, 2024, to uplift youth and community priorities for the future of PPSD.
For more information about OurSchoolsPVD, you can visit @OurSchoolsPVD on Instagram.
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About OurSchoolsPVD: OurSchoolsPVD is a community alliance of Providence youth-led organizations and allies, including the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education (ARISE), Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM), Providence Student Union (PSU), Youth In Action, Young Voices, Rhode Island Center for Justice, and the Center for Youth and Community Leadership in Education (CYCLE), working towards education justice in PPSD. OurSchoolsPVD came together in 2019 to ensure that State control of the Providence Public School District (PPSD) results in an educationally just and equitable system that adequately serves and centers the voices and leadership of all students and families. Grounded in our collective work, which for decades has pushed for asset-based, youth and community-driven visions for our public schools and communities, OurSchoolsPVD is excited to bring together an intergenerational alliance of grassroots organizations and allies to build the power we need to create the school system Providence youth and families deserve.
The OurSchoolsPVD Alliance press release:
100+ Providence Students and Community Members Join Youth-Led Conversation on the History of State Takeover, Future of PPSD
On Tuesday, December 10, more than 100 Providence students and community members gathered for a youth-led conversation about the future of Providence schools. The event included a youth-led political education session on the State takeover of PPSD and two rounds of breakout sessions for students to share their experiences in schools.
“The people who came learned about the Turnaround Action Plan (TAP) metrics and the State takeover extension. They seemed engaged and eager to learn about the event and the conversation. I hope the decision-makers that were present at the event take what was said into deep consideration to help fix and rebuild our school system,” said Milia Odom, event emcee and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Leader, who is an 11th grader at Central High School and youth organizer at ARISE.
Youth facilitators highlighted the history of the OurSchoolsPVD alliance, which formed in 2019 after the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) took over Providence schools. To address the root causes of issues facing PPSD, the alliance is fighting for a broader platform called the 3Ds–Democracy, Dollars, and Dignity. As a part of this vision, OurSchoolsPVD is leading a campaign to implement Ethnic Studies infrastructure in all Providence schools.
“Our Ethnic Studies campaign reminds us to center the youth and communities who are directly impacted by the violent racializing systems we are operating in. We need PPSD back under local control, and we also need PPSD to be led by youth and adults with lived experience and knowledge of how to support a school District with over 90% BIPOC. We need more structures for hiring and supporting teachers of color, curriculum that reflects students’ communities, and youth partnership in PPSD decision-making,” said Belinda Hu, a staff coordinator for OurSchoolsPVD.
Policy staff from the Mayor’s Office supported the event as a stakeholder engagement component for the City’s Return to Local Control Plan. Elected officials from Providence City Council, the Providence School Board, the State Legislature, and leaders from PPSD attended the event to listen to student perspectives.
Youth leaders hope to see the experiences and priorities of current PPSD students set the foundation for the City’s approach to preparing for local control of Providence schools. Participants elevated issues like school building infrastructure, school climate, the importance of more teachers of color, Ethnic Studies, students’ rights in schools, and school discipline policy.
“Before the event, our group didn’t know much about the political aspects of our school system, such as the Turnaround Action Plan (TAP) metrics and the funding lawsuit the City was facing. Many in our group were concerned about money making it into schools. Students talked about how the schools are old and falling apart, which leads people in the schools to get hurt. Overall, everyone had opinions, whether they were students of PPSD, students in other districts, or teachers and adult allies,” said Jesslynn Melendez, breakout facilitator and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Leader, a former student of Central High School.
“A student in my group shared that it is impossible for them to feel comfortable in school when the history they’re learning isn’t being told by the voices they want to hear. When what we are learning isn’t relevant, it makes it hard for students to take school seriously,” said Mariah Ajiboye, breakout facilitator and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Leader, who is a 12th grader at Classical High School and youth leader at Young Voices.
“My breakout group talked about how they don’t like the current school system because of how mentally draining it is. Students’ rights and powers are being taken away from them, and they are threatened by suspension and tardiness on their school records. Youth are taking action, and we want to be heard,” said Timmy Soeung, breakout facilitator and OurSchoolsPVD Youth Member, who is an 11th grader at E-Cubed Academy and youth organizer at ARISE.
Student leaders appreciated the intergenerational space and the chance to share their experiences with adults during breakout groups.
“We were listening and gaining each other’s perspectives, from students to the adults. It felt like the past was hearing the future at the same time, meeting in the present. We were there in the space to listen to each other and walk out with the message we are trying to spread,” Timmy said, reflecting on the event.
Facilitators invited participants to join the OurSchoolsPVD alliance at the Mayor’s Community Conversation on Education on December 14, 2024, to uplift youth and community priorities for the future of PPSD.
For more information about OurSchoolsPVD, you can visit @OurSchoolsPVD on Instagram.
###
About OurSchoolsPVD: OurSchoolsPVD is a community alliance of Providence youth-led organizations and allies, including the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education (ARISE), Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM), Providence Student Union (PSU), Youth In Action, Young Voices, Rhode Island Center for Justice, and the Center for Youth and Community Leadership in Education (CYCLE), working towards education justice in PPSD. OurSchoolsPVD came together in 2019 to ensure that State control of the Providence Public School District (PPSD) results in an educationally just and equitable system that adequately serves and centers the voices and leadership of all students and families. Grounded in our collective work, which for decades has pushed for asset-based, youth and community-driven visions for our public schools and communities, OurSchoolsPVD is excited to bring together an intergenerational alliance of grassroots organizations and allies to build the power we need to create the school system Providence youth and families deserve.
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