Committed Parents Can Only Overcome So Much
Fixing troubled schools requires collective action, and no one should underestimate the difficulty.
In an introspective column for The New York Times Magazine, Nikole Hannah-Jones reflected on the unintended consequences of her efforts to improve education for Black children. Writing "In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?," Hannah-Jones admitted enrolling her daughter Najya in underperforming New York City schools to challenge the status quo.
However, Najya's experience in these schools mirrored the struggles faced by many students—poor facilities, ineffective teaching, and a lack of accountability. The final straw for Hannah-Jones was when Najya opted for a more challenging high school, despite her mother’s wishes, illustrating the limits of individual efforts to transform our deeply flawed education system.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
