Education
Tennessee ranks 33rd in Education and 41st in Opportunity!
Constance believes that free and appropriate public education and job skills training are the passport to the future.
She believes in public education and/or a job skills training system that fully prepares all citizens to solve the issues of their community and allows them to compete in the world.
Hence, Constance believes in and will advocate for:
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1. Free Higher Education and Job Skills Training
Free Higher Education and Job Skills training at all institutions of higher education and job skills training facilities for those in need.
2. Student Loan Debt Forgiveness
Constance will advocate for and vote to pass student loan debt forgiveness for those persons with student loan debt.
3. Fully Funded Free and Appropriate Public School System
Constance believes in the power of a fully-funded public education system. Specifically, she will advocate for the COMPLETE autonomous return and funding for Inner City Schools using a Community Schools Model. Constance is against the charter system & believes we must follow the data and the research. The data shows us that public education works in white and/or affluent neighborhoods. Why does it not work in Black and/or other oppressed neighborhoods? It can and it must.
Constance will advocate for a complete overhaul of Inner City Schools. The overhaul renews the community’s faith in the public school system by providing a safe, fully funded, academically rigorous, innovative learning experience with highly-qualified educators.
4. Abolish High Stakes Testing
Constance believes that high stakes testing should be abolished. Teaching for standardized testing isn’t working, and we need our teachers to not feel as if their job is tied to a number. Furthermore, all students do not learn at the same pace, nor is it appropriate to use the same pedagogy on all children. Constance believes we need to establish more time on teaching and less time on testing.
Teachers should have the ability to differentiate instruction with individual student success in mind rather than teaching to a blueprint based on standardized testing that utilizes a one-size-fits-all instruction model.
5. Funding for S.T.E.A.M.
More funding for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (S.T.E.A.M). Constance believes in S.T.E.M, but he also believes in the Arts. Constance understands that the arts are a part of a complete society and therefore must be a part of our children’s global education. Thus, she will advocate for and support legislation that ensures the funding of the Arts in America’s public schools.
6. Recruit & Retain Black Male Teachers
Constance doesn’t believe in reinventing the wheel. Bowie State—a Historically Black University—is doing a great job at recruiting, training and retaining Black male teachers. Their program should be considered a national model.
Constance will advocate for federal funding for the recruitment and subsidizing of Black male teachers in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Constance believes that if we can send—and subsidize—young white teachers to Black neighborhoods to teach our children with tax-funded programs, then we can also fund Black male teachers to do the same. Research indicates that children perform better when the teacher shares that child’s race, ethnicity, culture, and language.
7. Fully Funded HBCUs
More equitable funding for Historical Black Colleges and Universities like Tennessee State University, Fisk University, Lane College, Knoxville College and many more. Currently, HBCUs graduates make up 40% of the members of Congress, 12.5% of the CEOs, 40% of the engineers, 50% of the professors at non-HBCUs, 50% of the lawyers, and 80% of the judges throughout the nation. And let’s not forget an HBCU graduate currently holds the title of Vice President of the United States of America. Therefore, it is imperative that we fully fund HBCUs equitably.
8. Satellite College Campuses in Tennessee
Constance has heard the voice of the people in Tennessee. A part of Constance educational priorities is to advocate for and find federal funding to support the creation of satellite college campuses in the workforce communities. Constance will work with community colleges and universities in Tennessee to provide the constituents with affordable trade certifications, associates degrees and other educational opportunities. Constance understands that just as education and training are important, so is access to affordable education and training.
Constance is Committed to:
-Trade Schools in Every Tennessee School District
-60k starting pay for Educators
-Universal Preschool
-Hazard Pay for Teachers & Non-administration School Employees
-NO POLICE IN OUR SCHOOLS!! Replace with Mental, Social Clinical Professionals and Unarmed Security Contractors
Sources:
https://www.usnews.com › rankingsBest States for Education | US News ...