Town meeting on public schools set Feb. 10

4:17 p.m., Feb. 6, 2004--One Voice for Inclusion, a new collaboration of Delaware human rights organizations, will be asking people to come together to consider the results of 50 years of integration in Delaware public schools when it holds its first town meeting from 5-8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, at P.S. du Pont Elementary School, West 34th and North Van Buren streets in Wilmington.

Lisa Oursler, executive director of the National Conference for Community and Justice, a co-founder of One Voice for Inclusion, said the new collaboration is hoping that “this dialogue among community members, parents, teachers and students will help us understand and respect steps that will build a community of inclusion and social justice.” She said the partnership was formed to help make Delaware public schools equitable, safe and nurturing for every student.

The town meeting will feature remarks by Sharon Robinson, president of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Educational Policy Leadership Institute; comments by state and local leaders; the debut of the film, “With All Deliberate Speed,” commemorating the 50th anniversary of the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision; and breakout discussion groups on topics such as teacher and parental involvement, early childhood education, what a good education means, funding equity, student perceptions and involvement in the success ratio.

Robinson heads the public policy arm of ETS and is the primary voice for the organization in education and education reform issues. Before joining ETS, she was assistant secretary of educational research and improvement in the U.S. Department of Education.

“With All Deliberate Speed” is a video documentary produced by Teleduction/Serviam Media Inc. of Wilmington. Producer Sharon Baker said the documentary is an “an outreach tool,” providing an overview of the Brown vs. Board decision with six three-minute video clips designed to stimulate discussion.

The One Voice of Inclusion planning group includes representatives of the National Conference on Community and Justice, Quintin E. Primo Jr. Lecture Series, YWCA of Delaware, Stand for Children, Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, American Association of University Women, Lutheran Office on Public Policy and the Delaware Office of Human Relations. Supporting organizations include the state education department and the Red Clay, Colonial, Appoquinimink and Christina school districts.

For more information, call Lisa Oursler at 655-0039, Cynthia Primo Martin at 234-1111 or Geoffrey Sawyer at 655-5530.

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