A new initiative aims to gather community feedback on how Columbus City Schools can improve to ensure high quality public education.
The "Our City, Our Schools" project launched last week.
Leaders says it's the first step by the Columbus Education Justice Coalition to include educators, parents and students in conversations to hold city and school officials accountable.
The coalition's lead organizer Izetta Thomas said she wants marginalized communities to have a seat at the table throughout the listening campaign. "Maybe it's jobs, maybe it's homes, maybe it's food,” said Thomas. “We want our schools to be able to help serve the community in that way and in turn the community serve the schools.”
The project involves a series of what organizers call listening sessions that are scheduled through June 14.
A district spokeswoman would not comment other than to state this is not a district-led initiative.
Thomas said they are hoping to hear ideas and concerns from at least 1,000 unique voices throughout the campaign, which will then be compiled and shared with the public to make change.
"So it's really about empowering the community as decision makers in our schools, trusting them to be solution makers and change makers for our city and our district and using that information to power forward. This is ours. Our city doesn't just belong to the mayor and elected officials," Thomas said. "The city belongs to the people, and same with our schools. And so we as community members, as students, as educators, as neighbors right...we are taking our power back."