Gwen Samuel

It’s been 65 years since the Supreme Court ruled in the historic Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. That landmark ruling, the outcome of 13 courageous black parents’ challenge to an unjust public education system, was a milestone in the civil rights struggle. But if you thought the battle to end discrimination against black and Hispanic kids in public schools was won, guess again: Communities are still being fractured by…

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5, 4, 3, 2, 1…Happy New Year! That was the collective chant across the globe twenty-four hours ago. Sad to say, yesterday, January 1, 2019 marks the end of the holiday season of goodwill towards all. The gifts of love that appeared abundant, since November 2018, will fade fast, especially for vulnerable children. As the saying goes, we are back to business as usual. While many slept in late yesterday and recouped from the new year eve celebrations, many Connecticut…

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Today I carry no title other than human being. Yes, I am a proud Black woman and a mom but I am still mentally reeling from and dealing with so many tentacles of raw emotion from my visit last week to the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. They represent America’s first national memorial dedicated to victims of racial terror lynching and a new museum dedicated to slavery and its legacy, lest we forget….

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  As a Black mom, aka mama bear, and an education advocate for equity and educational justice, I often reflect on Black history. Why? Because I am afraid if we do not learn from the past, as a people and as a country, we risk bringing back Jim Crow hidden in neatly packaged 21st century laws. And I, for one, will not accept that for my children, your children or the generations to come. These Black history reflective moments have…

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Hey parents and guardians of children, many of us are experiencing some serious anxiety right about now, because once again, we are in back to school mode and primary/general election season. This means, as parents and guardians, it is our absolute unapologetic right and responsibility to ensure every education decision-maker, and those running for public office remember that our children’s safety, the quality of their education and their overall well-being is a priority. And THAT is non negotiable. “Children should…

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In 2010, I learned about the California Parent Trigger law introduced by retired Senator Gloria Romero. This California parent empowerment law  gives parents the legal power to improve the educational experiences of their children.  As a result of this California parent empowerment law, I was awakened to “hope” for Connecticut marginalized children, knowing that there was a law on the books that can now help black parents, like me, help our children who are trapped in schools that cannot or…

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Whether you have a Ph.D., or no D, we’re in this bag together. And whether you’re from Morehouse or Nohouse, we’re still in this bag together. –Fannie Lou Hamer It is a sad day for those who fight unwavering to seek justice in education. We have lost an authentic voice in education reform. She was a children and parent’s champion, my inspiration, my role model, and my friend, Ms. Shirley Ford. The truth is, I am full of mixed emotions…

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                                       Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King, Jr. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…Happy New Year! That was the chant across the globe 15 days ago. January first marked the end of the holiday season of good will towards man and the gifts of love that appeared abundant, since November, now seem to be fading fast for children,…

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     Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin For this mom, being the Founder and a very conscious, unapologetic Black parent leader of an all-volunteer, parent led organization, leaves little time and energy to gather my thoughts to write a timely blog. Yet, I felt I could not go into 2018 without sharing some of my reflections about October 13 -15, 2017, within downtown Philly. Black Male Educators –…

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“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” Nelson Mandela As a parent, by law, I am forced to send my children to public schools. As a result, it should go without saying in the world of compulsory public education that schools must foster learning in a safe, culturally responsive, and healthy environment for all our children, educators, and support staff. But the sad reality is we do not…

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