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A Voice for Choice
In April of 2023, The Economic Times carried an article about World Voice Day, a day to acknowledge and respect the beauty of the human voice and the power it has to inspire, create feelings, and unite individuals of all backgrounds. Voices command our presence and influence our thinking. Some voices are louder than others, some voices are lost by disease or trauma, or just simply never heard. On April 16, 2025, World Voice Day will again be celebrated with a call to action to educate and celebrate one’s voice. While the world observes this day, we too want to honor and lift up the many voices for choice among us. The public charter school community is just that; a choice for families and an option for children whose voices may not be heard, and yet matter the most. Public education is complicated and perplexing in some respects. Some believe it’s all about how well scholars perform on a test, others believe it’s the school’s job to teach the whole child, to be the mother, the father, and the counselor, while others believe that as long as the child is happy and safe that is really all that matters. To be clear, as educators, I suspect we all believe that every one of those viewpoints have value. And we believe that every voice should be heard…which is precisely why public charter schools are so important to our communities throughout Mississippi. Charter schools by design offer families a choice. A choice to choose the educational option that is right for their child. A choice to choose an educational model aligned to their beliefs and values about what the school should and shouldn’t do. And a choice to provide their child with an educational journey they envision not what someone else has envisioned for them. Successful charter schools engage their community with purpose to ensure all voices, beliefs, and opinions are not only heard, but respected. Quality is then determined as the collective and individual needs and aspirations are met by the schools’ serving children and families in those communities.
Have you ever thought about your voice? Listen carefully to the voices found on the pages of the 2023 annual report, let the children and families speak and then consider the impact your voice can have in improving educational outcomes for the children and choice for all the families of Mississippi.
It is time. Let your voice be heard.