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Journey for Justice Alliance Hearing:
'Our Children are Not Collateral Damage!'

In January of 2013, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with organizations from 18 cities across the U.S. and present their testimony to the Department of Education on the impacts on public school closings. This is their story.
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Journey for Justice: Our Children are not Collateral Damage! from Rachel Dickson on Vimeo.

Journey for Justice Alliance Hearing: “Our Children are not Collateral Damage!”

On January 29th 2013, the Department of Education, Civil Rights Division held a Hearing on School Closures, Turnarounds, Phase-Outs and Co-Locations. The Journey for Justice Alliance worked diligently for near a year to bring this momentous occasion about. Days prior to the actual Hearing, those associated with the Alliance met with members of Congress and or their Legislative Assistants in an attempt to garner greater support for our citizens, our communities, for equal and equitable education, as well as the Sustainable School Transformation Plan.

Filmmaker Rachel S. Dickson documented the doings for days before the Hearing and at the actual event. Please view and consider the circumstances. Ask yourself these questions –

  • What must it be like to watch your neighborhood public schools close?
  • what will occur when children are forced to cross gang lines only to attend a lower performing school?
  • How would you feel if the nation and the city did not invest in your community schools?
  • What of your child…would your heart bleed knowing that your son or daughter does not have the opportunities afforded to his or her peers in affluent neighborhoods?
  • What might you do?
  • Would you consider that in time, you too might be affected by policies that privatize America’s public schools?