This year, Gwinnett SToPP partnered with the ACLU of Georgia, Georgia Legal Services Program, and Interfaith Children’s Movement to conduct a day-long education civil rights workshop as part of the Dignity in Schools Campaign’s National Week of Action.

Participants met at Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, Georgia on October 21, 2017 to learn their student and parent rights. Fallon Traylor, policy advocate with the ACLU of Georgia, conducted a Know Your Rights in School session. Gwinnett SToPP’s own Marlyn Tillman filled everyone in on the current education landscape as well as Gwinnett SToPP’s current campaigns. Dana Smith, cultural proficiency consultant with Solutions VII, Inc. rounded up the day with Securing the Education Pipeline, which allowed participants to brainstorm solutions to achieve fairness, justice and equity in public education.

Between sessions, parents had the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback about discipline cases specific to them from the attorneys and policy experts in attendance. The round table setting allowed each parent or grandparent with an issue to express their frustration, fully flesh out the nuance of their issue, process the data and policy they’d learned and come up with a plan for next steps.

One of several highlights of the day included a performance by Chris McCord of Moving in the Spirit. Chris led Dancing Down the Walls, an audience-assisted choreographed performance where the attendees shared their thoughts on bias, discrimination and micro-aggressions. He then translated their thoughts, emotions, and suggested movements into improvisational dance pieces. Participants were very impressed by Chris’ artistic skills as well as his ability to turn social justice topics into dance.

In the course of the day, Tillman announced the formation of the Education Civil Rights Alliance, which includes powerful community groups, experienced educators, one of the nation’s largest teachers’ unions, accomplished legal organizations, influential national associations, civil rights organizations, and government agencies committed to protecting the civil rights of all students.

Adriana Salcedo Moore from the Gwinnett office of Atlanta Legal Aid explained the legal services that are available to parents free of charge in Gwinnett. Michael J. Tafalski, supervising attorney at Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP), wrapped up the day explaining the legal services that are available to parents free of charge through GLSP.

 At the end of the workshop, participants were tasked to take what they’d learned that day and share with family, friends and neighbors.