PARKSIDE community
EQUITY
COALITION
ABOUT US
We are a team of Parkside parents, staff, and community members working together to strive towards true equity at our school. We know that there are many inequalities at Parkside rooted in current and centuries-old racist and oppressive systems that must be acknowledged and dismantled. We do this through a practice of learning with and from each other, practicing mutual aid instead of charity to meet people’s needs, and by taking action within and outside of the school system to create the systemic changes needed for all Parkside families to thrive.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has continued, the Parkside Community Equity Coalition has moved from a place of crisis response to trying to figure out how to make this work sustainable, equitable, and long-term. We are interested in more than just providing basic support to families struggling during this crisis. We also want to stay involved in the lives of our fellow Pandas and listen, learn, and share well past COVID-19. The reality is that many of the families hardest hit by COVID-19 are also the same families routinely left out of the decision making process in schools, government, and beyond. The only way to make decisions that are equitable is by 1. Centering the voices of those most impacted at decision-making tables, and 2. Examining, unlearning, and dismantling oppressive policies and systems.
The Parkside Community Equity Coalition aims to be different from the PTA or GO Team, since both of those organizations focus exclusively on the school. The PCEC focuses on the school, surrounding community, and larger systems that impact the lives of our students and families. Often, our work will overlap with the work of the PTA and GO Team, and we aim to coordinate when appropriate.
Currently, the PCEC’s work is focused on three main categories: mutual aid, advocacy, and education. To learn more about each, click here!