A diverse group of over 60 Richmond area residents gathered at Sixth Baptist Church on Sunday to explore new educational possibilities for the city’s schools. The “Reimagining Education” town hall, led by journalist Roland Martin, aimed to spark discussion on innovative approaches to improve student outcomes, particularly for children of color.

“You have to decide your next meeting, establish your agenda and where do you start,” said Martin, addressing the audience. “The next step is for the folks in this room to decide how committed are you to the concept of reimagining education in Richmond and what are you prepared to do next.”

Martin moderated a panel discussion and Q&A session, featuring Richmond educator Jonathan Davis, 228 Accelerator founder Caroline Hill and Richmond Public Schools parents Lannell Harris and Johnathan Siler.

 The panel at the “Reimagining Education” town hall at Sixth Baptist Church.
 Photo by Regina H. Boone  

New Schools for Virginia, an education reform group, organized the event. NSVA Director of Community Engagement Jonathan Bibbs explained that the town hall was intended to spur discussion about alternative education methods to address performance and proficiency challenges in Richmond.

Topics ranged from various school models to parent-teacher relations and workforce preparation. Hill and Davis shared their experiences in public and charter schools, while Harris and Siler discussed their efforts to ensure quality education for their children.

“It has been challenging post-pandemic, but I’m a hands-on parent,” said Harris, a mother of two schoolchildren. “Keeping that communication with teachers is key because there is no ‘I’ in team when it comes to the acceleration of our children.”

NSVA is a proponent of charter schools, with their previous community discussions and proposals focused on bringing new ones to Richmond and building support among residents. Audience members brought many other options to the table during the town hall, from smaller classroom sizes to partnerships with churches.

Attendees also stressed the need for better faculty support and involvement from parents, and called to bring the many ideas discussed to the city’s housing projects and underprivileged.

Martin, for his part, made clear that he was open to any method of education that the community approved of and that helped students in need.

“The goal is improving the outcomes of our kids,” Martin said. That’s the absolute goal, it’s not about politics, it’s not about party, it’s not about anything else. It’s about our kids.”