It’s been often said that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

Kenya Bradshaw and her colleagues agree, and that’s why they “Stand for Children.”

A grassroots organization devoted to mobilizing grassroots advocates to make sure every child has access to quality education, the Memphis branch of the 14-year-old national organization held a kickoff at the National Civil Right Museums in mid-May with an outpouring of support for its approach and agenda for public education.  “There is such a strategic opportunity to transform public education in Memphis, and we are working to ensure the community is engaged in the process,” said Ms. Bradshaw. 

“Parents have not been told that they have power, and there’s been no vehicle for them to work through to address what happens in their schools and to work with other parents to affect the changes needed.  All children can learn, and we want to make sure every child gets their chance for a rigorous, quality education.”

The good news for Stand for Children is that parents are no longer content to sit on the sidelines but are looking to play active roles in the education of their children, she said.  Already, the Tennessee chapters of Stand for Children have made their voices heard in Nashville on issues dealing with K-12 funding and funding for infant mortality programs. Working with the other branches in Nashville, Chattanooga/Hamilton County, Knoxville, Rutherford County, and Sumner County, Ms. Bradshaw said parents are speaking out. 

“I’ve never met a parent that didn’t want to get involved in their child’s education, and when given a chance, they become leaders for greater opportunities.  Often, parents don’t know the opportunities that they have, and we want to make sure they know,” she said, drawing on her own experience in Memphis when as a high school student, she didn’t know about college preparatory programs. “It’s not about a lack of drive.  It’s about lack of exposure to what’s available and mediocre expectations become the level that kids perform to.”

Stand for Children strongly supports Tennessee’s winning Race for the Top proposal to the Obama Administration, especially its focus on teacher effectiveness, and it also champions the successful bid for $90 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for a comprehensive Teacher Effectiveness Initiative.  “We have great teachers, and many times, they have not been given the power or the professional development that they need,” said Ms. Bradshaw, adding that her organization supports teacher training becoming a top priority for Memphis City Schools. 

Tennessee will receive approximately $500 million from Race to the Top to implement comprehensive school reform plans over the next four years, and Stand for Children will be at the table speaking for parents and their children, she said.  “This is a special moment for our city and our state, and we will do our part to make sure we make the most of it.  Every child deserves a highly effective teacher in his or her classroom. 

“Our agenda is member-driven, and we will identify issues like educating the community to support the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative or getting involved in school board and City Council races and endorsing candidates who we believe will be the most kid-friendly elected officials.” 

It begins this fall the election of four members to the Memphis City Schools Board of Commissioners.
It’s in engaging the public sector that Stand for Children sees an important part of its work as connecting the dots. “Why talk about closing libraries when our literacy rates need to be higher?” said Ms. Bradshaw.  “We need to beef up summer youth programs.  Should we close community centers without considering the impact on kids?  Our elected officials need to make decisions that look forward to what we want Memphis to be in the future instead of what we can do for the financial challenge of today.”

“It’s simple,” she said.  “We want people to have a clear understanding that for a city to thrive, it has to have strong schools. It’s a disservice to our children and to our city if we don’t take this opportunity to make sure no decision in government is made without considering kids.”

Ms. Bradshaw is excited by the response that Stand for Children is receiving in neighborhoods across Memphis, knowing from personal experience that focusing on schools can make a difference.  “I know what education did for me, growing up poor and never having seen anybody in my family go to college.  If not for the support of Memphis City School teachers, my life would be totally different.  I know what great teachers can do and what empowered parents can do and that’s what we want for every child.”