Gwen Samuel

Gwen Samuel is the founder and president of the Connecticut Parents Union. She is an advocate for the educational rights of all children to ensure that race, zip code and socio-economic status are not predictors of student success. A parent of two children in Connecticut Public Schools, she also is the founder of two volunteer organizations in Connecticut—State of Black CT Alliance and Meriden Kids Walk Safe Coalition: A Safe Routes to School Initiative. Ms. Samuel, along with other parents and educational advocates, successfully introduced the state’s “Parent Trigger” law, in the form of School Governance Councils, which allows parents to make recommendations that support turning around systemically low-performing schools. In recognition of her work, Parenting magazine selected Ms. Samuel as one of 51 mothers nationwide to represent Connecticut at the inaugural Mom Congress on Education and Learning Conference in Washington, D.C.

Post's By Gwen Samuel

California

Black Leaders, We Need You to Break Your Silence of Complicity and Protect the Educational Choice of Black Parents for Their Children

This is the moment in time when Black leaders must decide how committed they are—or are not—to the education of Black and Brown children. This week, ground zero of our education war is California but...

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Charter Schools

Black Parents Don't Have Time for a Charter vs. Traditional Schools Debate

Black parents have enough to worry about just by virtue of having a Black child. We worry about our Black babies’ safety every day when they leave the house, whether they are walking or driving. In...

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