Dennis W. Bega, senior policy advisor for the U.S. Department of Education, will be in Charlotte this month to share information that can benefit every parent with children enrolled in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

He will facilitate a workshop and parent forum titled “What every parent needs to know about Elementary and Secondary Education.” The discussion also will include information on the No Child Left Behind Act.

The forum, which is free and includes a full breakfast, will be held at Johnson C. Smith University on Saturday, June 25, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. The Coalition for Strengthening Community Education in Charlotte is hosting the event.

“This is the information that parents need to know,” said CSCEC Chair Mildred McCullough. “It will help parents understand what their rights are and how they can be an advocate for their child.”

In addition, she said parents also will learn how they can actively engage in assisting and supporting their child’s academic growth and success.

McCullough said the response from parents has been overwhelming. Nearly 200 people have signed up, she said.

CSCEC also announced it will host another forum in July titled “Office of Civil Rights 101: Protecting Yourself & Others From Civil Rights Violations.”

The mission of CSCEC is to educate parents and the community at-large around issues of inclusion, diversity and equity as it relates to the local public education system and the impact that these issues have on children's futures.

Currently, the CSCEC steering committee consists of 11 members representing E.E. Waddell High School, University Park Elementary School, Oakhurst Elementary School, Bishop Spaugh Middle School, Lincoln Heights Elementary School and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

“We want to make sure that we can be that voice of the voiceless, meaning the children,” McCullough said. “We also want to make sure that parents are truly aware of what’s going on because we know that there is a huge disconnect.”

McCullough said segregation within CMS is depriving students of opportunities to build cultural competency, which she believes is a necessary skill to compete in today’s global economy.

“If my school is segregated and all I’m ever in school with is this segregated population of people, well then that’s all I know," she said. "I don’t understand any other cultures. I don’t understand any social skills. I’m basically being robbed of cultural competency, which is an absolute requirement to be able to compete in this global society.”

For more information about CSCEC or to register for the workshop, email shampton@jcsu.edu.

Related article: Coalition for Strengthening Community Education in Charlotte Formed 

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