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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowMike Hicks [through his columns] is a smart and grounded thought leader. However, the recommendation in his Nov. 7 column has me concerned. He tells readers to “vote with their feet” if their local school districts don’t improve in a few years. From the perspective of true community leadership, this philosophy of action is wrong.
As Mark Miles mentions in his Oct. 24 column, “Neighborhoods are city’s next challenge,” Center Township has already “lost 67 percent of its population.” This is mainly due to failing IPS schools.
Indianapolis has lost enough great leaders to suburban flight. It is now time for our thought leaders to encourage community members to stand up and fight poor school performance.
Call a meeting with your school principal, Parent Teacher Association or child’s teacher. Go to school board meetings and get vocal. Start mentoring students, or donate to the Mind Trust’s capital campaign. Encourage your state legislators to enact legislation that supports school reform. Stage a strike and picket against Indianapolis Public Schools until administrators take aggressive steps to radically reform the system. Do something.
If our city is to become world-class, we must band together, stand up and fight to build a fantastic community.
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Jamar Cobb-Dennard
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