Introducing The Folding Chair Project
The great Shirley Chisolm once said, “If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” This quote became my mantra as I advocated for my children and their educational opportunity in the traditional public school system, which preferred parents to show up for the bake sale rather than chiming in on curriculum or instructional practices. As my advocacy for school choice and innovative learning models like online learning progressed, Shirley's powerful call to action became the force behind my work to support families who are often marginalized or silenced during education policy discussions.
2021 was “The Year of the Parent,” as parents activated to address educational issues exacerbated during COVID-19. However, work remains to ensure parents have a seat at the table addressing educational issues -- whether in the classroom, at school board meetings, or in statehouses across the country.
Parents still find themselves fighting for a seat at the table, and far too often, powerful and influential special interests drown out their voices. Parents are treated as passive participants in their children's education rather than rightful stakeholders. And even after the recent focus on education in elections across the country, we still have parents fighting to get their voices heard. For example, parents in New Jersey have advocated for remote learning options during this pandemic, only to be ignored by Governor Murphy, who has implemented a remote learning ban. This remote learning ban has left vulnerable students and their families with inferior home instruction. Still, in the grips of the pandemic, parents worry for their students’ access to instruction and continuity in education. And, in Texas, a commission on virtual education has been created, and parents have no representation. This commission was established to develop and make recommendations regarding the delivery and funding of virtual education in the public school system. Experienced online public school parents could share insights and inform the process, and still, they wait for an invitation to the discussion. These are just a few examples, but the message to parents is clear -- the education establishment still has a long way to go in honoring the expertise of parents.
And that is where the idea for this blog was born. The Folding Chair Project will be a forum to share perspectives on education reform, school choice, and parent advocacy. Our right and responsibility are to fight for our children and their educational opportunities. Our duty as advocates is to point out when parent voices are missing from discussions that will impact our children and their school choice. The Folding Chair Project will elevate and amplify the parent voice at every level of the education system.
I look forward to sharing my perspective after decades of parent advocacy and learning from my fellow advocates as we work to improve education for all students. I hope you will join me in this project -- if you have a story to tell, I want to hear from you! Get your folding chairs ready, parents -- we are going to carry the momentum of “The Year of the Parent” into 2022 and claim our rightful place at the table!
Help us share the stories of parent advocates and their efforts to improve education for students. Email tillie@parents4support.com
Tillie Elvrum is an education advocacy pioneer with experience at the state and national level. She founded Elvrum Consulting after two decades of education reform and school choice advocacy. She currently leads the Parent Support for Online Learning initiative.
