Title
Recognizing the 10 year anniversary of the Summer Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools in the City of Saint Paul Public Schools.
Body
WHEREAS Freedom Schools were birthed in the 1960’s in Mississippi as a direct response to the Civil rights movement, civil unrest and mis-education of sharecropping with intentions to energize disenfranchised African Americans to become active political participants at the nexus of the struggles for liberation and full citizenship; and
WHEREAS Freedom schools at it’s genesis engaged elementary and high school students to become social change agents that would participate in the ongoing Civil Rights Movement;and
WHEREAS Freedom schools recognized the integral role and contribution of Black Activists and educators who have historically provided a counter narrative to inequalities and injustice through education grounded in needs, aspirations, and wisdom of local community organizing and has been instrumental in disrupting the school to prison pipeline; and
WHEREAS today we celebrate the ongoing partnership of Saint Paul Public Schools as an independent sponsor of CDF Freedom Schools which is a free, research- based educational and cultural six-week summer program for scholars currently in grades K-8; and
WHEREAS the program integrates reading, conflict resolution and social action in activity based curriculum to promote social, cultural, and historical awareness with enriching group activities, field trips, culturally affirming materials, well-trained and caring staff, and parent involvement with an emphasis on literacy, math, leadership development and college and career readiness; and
WHEREAS CDF freedom Schools culturally responsive approach has strengthened the connection between academic achievement, self-confidence, pride in cultural heritages and identities, and success motivation over time and has been instrumental in closing the achievement gap specifically for African American students; and
WHEREAS we ackn...
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