Dr. Ravi Perry, a longtime activist and advocate for African-American and LGBTQ issues who currently chairs the political science department at Howard University.
https://www.metroweekly.com/2020/10/most-lgbtq-candidates-in-d-c-are-seeking-lower-level-elective-office/
My interest in politics blossomed in high school as I became active in student government and was elected student body president.
Democracy is only as good as what we make it together. Fueled by Trumpism, public education today is under attack. We are a nation in crisis and it hits right here at home in the shadow of a White House occupied by an ideology that is against education.
I’m Ravi (Sanskrit for ‘sun’). I was raised in a home of educators in Toledo, Ohio. Like my parents, I’m a life-long educator and I proudly live in Ward 7. When I had the opportunity to move to Washington, DC, I wanted to live east of the river.
I believe in the dignity of every person.
DCPS sets per pupil expenditures for academic subjects. Principals should not have the authority to redirect funds to other needs.
With over a billion dollars annually, DC residents must be able to track every dollar, every day in real-time.
Every DC student matters. We are a community; not merely a collection of residents. I will work to ensure every school is held to the same rigorous standard.
Every student in every school where grade-appropriate ought to have opportunities to enroll in AP courses. All students, especially ELL students, should be directly encouraged to enroll with targeted appeals that speak to their interests.
Studies show that parents of students in lower grade levels are more active in their children’s student experience. Parents of upper level students need incentives to engage. If parents can’t make physical parent/teacher conferences with their child’s teacher, then teachers can inform parents of their student’s progress in recorded messages with read receipts so we can track parent involvement.
Currently, schools seem to be responsible for tracking students’ matriculation through different schools. This responsibility should be left to OSSE. DC families deserve data that is accurate, not manipulated for political advantage. We should also ensure the dollar amount attached to the student ‘travels’ with them as they go from school to school. (We should also be minimizing student school transfers to the extent possible; studies show stability encourages improved learning outcomes).