School Across America:
A Birmingham Town Hall

November 13, 2017
Birmingham, AL

Public education is intended to be the mechanism that provides every American child with an equal opportunity to succeed. Yet across the country, communities are grappling with the reality that more than six decades after Brown v. Board, access to quality education for all remains an elusive goal.

In the School Across America series, The Atlantic is examining how individual communities are grappling with the national challenges of rising inequality, persistent inequity, and a changing economy. This first installment sought to understand the shape of these national challenges in Birmingham, Alabama, bringing together local teachers, policymakers, students and advocates to explore the next steps for building a more equitable education system in the metro area.

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Speakers

Lindsey Crider Bloodworth English Techer Ramsay High School
Trisha Powell Crain Education Reporter AL.com
Richard Franklin* President Birmingham American Federation of Teachers
Marrianne Hayward* President Jefferson County American Federation of Teachers
Zadren Hill Sophomore Woodlawn High School
Waymond Jackson Senior Vice President for Public Policy Birmingham Business Alliance @LeondrasJr
Qadira Miner Sophomore Ramsay High School
Tawanda Morgan English Teacher Woodlawn High School
Joshua Ndegwa Senior Homewood High School
Craig Pouncey Superintendent Jefferson County School System
Alison Stewart Contributing Editor AtlanticLIVE @alisonstewart
Gwen Taylor Sophomore Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School
Donna Thomas President Birmingham Council of PTAs
Randi Weingarten* President American Federation of Teachers
Randall Woodfin Mayor-Elect City of Birmingham

Agenda

Note: All times are Central Time Zone

Monday, November 13
5:30 p.m.WelcomeMargaret Low, President, AtlanticLIVE
5:35 p.m.A Conversation with the Mayor-ElectRandall Woodfin, Mayor-Elect, City of Birmingham
With Alison Stewart, Contributing Editor, AtlanticLIVE
6:00 p.m.Student StoriesZadren Hill, Sophomore, Woodlawn High School
Qadira Miner, Sophomore, Ramsay High School
Joshua Ndegwa, Senior, Homewood High School
Gwen Taylor, Sophomore, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School
With Alison Stewart, AtlanticLIVE
6:25 p.m.The Promise of Public Education*
Produced by our underwriter American Federation of TeachersRichard Franklin, President, Birmingham American Federation of Teachers
Marrianne Hayward, President, Jefferson County American Federation of Teachers
Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers
_{*This session was produced by American Federation of Teachers and not by The Atlantic's editorial team.}
6:35 p.m.What Would Success Look Like?Lindsey Crider Bloodworth, English Teacher, Ramsay High School
Trisha Powell Crain, Education Reporter, AL.com
L. Waymond Jackson, Jr., Senior Vice President, Public Policy; Vice President, Workforce Development, Birmingham Business Alliance
Tawanda Morgan, English Teacher, Woodlawn High School
Craig Pouncey, Superintendent, Jefferson County Public Schools
Donna Thomas, President, Birmingham Council of PTAs
With Alison Stewart, AtlanticLIVE
7:20 p.m.Closing ThoughtsMargaret Low, AtlanticLIVE

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*This speaker participated in a session that is produced by AFT, and not by The Atlantic's editorial team.