Thrive by design, not by chance! vjones5280.substack.com/p/bu…

Happy 90th Birthday to our grandmother! vjones5280.substack.com/p/ni…

“Vision stamina is the willingness to stay invested through the distance between seeing what is possible and making it real. It means looking for meaningful progress while understanding that a relationship cannot be rushed into trust because a report is due.” vjones5280.substack.com/p/vi…

It’s Juneteenth. A day that reminds us that the system can free us on paper but keep us bound by unchanged practices. Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved people were free. On paper, enslavement had ended January 1, 1863. But because there was no Union presence to enforce it, those who were enslaved in Texas continued living under the conditions of enslavement because no one was there to challenge the slavemaster mindset or to inform the enslaved that they were free. Grapple with that in the spaces that you work in, especially education and youth serving spaces. It is declared on paper, educational excellence, equity, freedom, access, readiness, high-quality choice and all of the words that connect with our souls. But in practice, black, brown, poor, multilingual and special needs children remain enslaved by mediocrity because unchecked mindsets keep things operating by the same design. Where are the “troops” to challenge and to demand that paper and practices agree? Where are the “troops” that are actually looking at inputs and outcomes? Looking at how structures and systems sustain injustices and therefore oppression? Where are the “troops” who refuse to be tranquilized by gradualism and demand the guarantee of justice right now? Where are the “troops” that will hold system leaders accountable to leading in alignment with declared freedom? It is Juneteenth. We are the troops. Let freedom ring!

Frustrating. We already know a system or policy is failing Black and Brown children and their families. Despite that, the response is often to study the problem more instead of fixing it right away. Do we need more research or data? Do we need courage to act on the truths that we already know? It’s a both and. But too often, people use the “more research and data” tactic to delay action. This delay effectively allows the injustice to continue. This delay effectively gives the system more time to continue to harm the same children, families, and communities by design. People dying of thirst don’t need us to research their need for water. We know they need water. We have access to water. They need water. Frustrating.

Grateful to work with an amazing group of people who believe that systems of injustice are intentional and therefore our efforts to undo them with Justice By Design must be intentional, together. boardhawk.org/2026/02/in-pub… @FaithBridgeCO

Gains Achieved Without Justice Are Fragile and Incomplete There is evidence of academic improvement during periods of reform. But progress that is not grounded in fairness, legitimacy, and shared governance cannot be sustained. Innovation pursued without transparency, community consent, and meaningful participation (co-creation) erodes trust — particularly in communities that have historically borne the costs of experimentation. School closures, boundary changes, and program redesigns have too often occurred without equitable engagement or accountability for harm. A system that moves quickly while leaving families uninformed, unheard, or displaced is not innovative. It is unjust. Justice Is Not Families Navigating Mediocrity When tens of thousands of families leave their neighborhoods — fleeing mediocrity or worse — to find quality schools, this is not evidence of success. It is evidence that the system has failed, by design, to equitably deliver high-quality education where families live. Look at the data. Listen to the lived experiences. Look at the communities that have demanded better schools for generations — not just choice, but justice. A system that guarantees transportation to underperforming schools while denying transportation to other options that families choose does not operate neutrally. It allocates benefits inequitably and treats innovation and excellence as privileges rather than rights.

Day 1 of Justice Week! Marade and SHIFT Luncheon were on point! Have you signed our Justice Manifesto? Do it!! Stand with students!! Can we count on you? #DoJustice #SHIFT #StudentVoice #Education SHIFT Justice Manifesto docs.google.com/forms/d/1B4K…

Justice Week 2026!!

Thank you @BoardhawkCO! boardhawk.org/2025/11/podcas… #elections #dps #students

Vernon sat down with At-Large DPS Director and former East High School Principal, John Youngquist! Listen in. youtu.be/1d-WaOd-3YI

Collective bargaining for parents and students…..

My conversation with Denver School Board Director, Dr. Carrie A. Olson. She is the current president of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education and a life-time educator. youtu.be/cEMvIUXNKcw

Had the opportunity to sit down with Dan Schaller, President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, this week on our Justice Cast. Listen in! youtu.be/YIwlsSQXorg

Schools need to be truly committed to partnership with their community. The siloed, “we’ve got this” posture is not to the advantage of our children. A great education is the responsibility of the entire community.

Having a convo with my 7th grade daughter, preparing her to go to school where they are grieving the loss of a peer to senseless violence….this cannot be our acceptable norm. Violence in streets. Violence at parties. Violence at schools. Violence in public spaces. Violence in places of worship. Violence by the badge. Violence by a brother or sister. Violence by parents. Violence by peers. Violence by the known. Violence by the unkown. Violence. Lives lost. Lives traumatized. Lives grieving. The statement has been made, we must be better. The question remains, will we? This one will not leave me….. “For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.” Proverbs 4:17 We are intoxicated with violence. We need to sober up in our minds. GOD be with CHILDREN as they grieve!!

“It’s too slow to change hearts and minds, so we changed the curriculum….” What? This is why people!! #EndTheViolence