Transcript of the testimony of Tanya Parker

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Tanya Parker
Tanya Parker testifying before the SRC

My name is Tanya Parker. I am the Committee Person for the 28thDivision of Ward 4.

I am here to put on record, the educational injustices occurring at the hands of elected officials and school district leadership, who have been systematically working to undermine underserved communities by destroying our Public Schools.

The assault on Strawberry Mansion High School continues with increased intensity.

Instead of cultivating a high-quality District that serves every student in every neighborhood, the Hite Administration continues to parcel funds to privatize schools and cripple communities.

For example, instead of ensuring that every school has a qualified, full teaching staff and adequate school amenities, in Strawberry Mansion they have allowed classes to be taught by a revolving door of substitute teachers. For example, Mansion High School has a Culinary Arts teaching position to remain vacant since November 2017. They also have not supported programming that ensures our students’ development and success. For the 21stcentury education, the Hite Administration creates the illusion of improvement with diversions like the Redesigned Schools, Turn Around Schools and charter schools. Let the record show that I’m here to demand the following:

  1. Equal funding for all public schools. This entails quality educational programs, supplies and teachers with proper qualifications.
  2. The immediate firing of the employees that you already know misappropriated school board funds in North Carolina.
  3. Transparency in all meetings with community stakeholders and respect for the opinions of parents, students and community stakeholders in Strawberry Mansion and throughout the district.

As it stands, these and other indicators of a quality transparent school district are severely absent for those of us at Strawberry Mansion High School .In Strawberry Mansion our motto is “We Are Knights! We stand to protect and fight for what is right.”

SM Knights