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🦉 When parents go to jail for wanting better schools (#111)

🦉 When parents go to jail for wanting better schools (#111)

Resources
ArticlesPodcastDaily’s

🦉 When parents go to jail for wanting better schools (#111)

Resources
ArticlesPodcastDaily’s

🦉 When parents go to jail for wanting better schools (#111)

Hey there!

Today we're tackling a tough but important topic: what happens when parents will do anything - even risk jail time - to get their kids into better schools. Thankfully, there's hope on the horizon!

In this edition:

  • 🤯 Why a mom's "crime" of using her dad's address sparked national change
  • 📊 The states leading the charge to end ZIP code education
  • 📚 A special discount for young writers heading to StoryCon (Feb. 21 - 22)
  • 🐮 Plus: When Dr. Seuss meets Dr. Dre...
If you enjoy this edition, forward this email to a friend! First time reading? Subscribe and learn more at OpenEd.co.
💡 THOUGHT

When Your Address Matters More Than Your Aspirations

"I remember my mother and grandmother having this conversation about whose address we might use so I could attend Mount Royal," 50CAN President Derrell Bradford recalls with a knowing smile. "Looking back now, I realize - that was highly illegal. But it was also deeply subversive in an important way."

Bradford, now a leading voice in education reform, breaks down how families typically access school choice:

"There are really just four ways: You're lucky. You're connected. You're rich enough to buy in the right neighborhood or pay tuition. Or you lie - which is how most families actually do it."

Derrell Bradford, President of 50CAN

His conclusion is stark: "A system that prioritizes a child's address over their aspirations is not one I aspire to."

Watch and learn Derrell's full story on the latest OpenEd podcast.

📊 TREND

Zoning Out: Schools Drop the ZIP Code Game

In 2011, Ohio mom Kelley Williams-Bolar spent 10 days in jail. Her crime? Using her father's address to enroll her daughters in a better school district.

In nearly half of U.S. states, parents can face criminal prosecution – including jail time – for using a different address to access better schools. Some districts even hire private investigators to track down families they believe "don't belong."

But the tide is turning. States are finally recognizing that a child's potential shouldn't be limited by their postal code. Here's what's happening:

Instead of criminalizing parents for seeking better opportunities, we should be breaking down the barriers that force them to make such desperate choices in the first place.
🛠️ TOOL

StoryCon: Where Young Writers Find Their Voice

Got a budding author at home? StoryCon - coming to Salt Lake City's Salt Palace on February 21-22, 2025 - might be their breakthrough moment.

The Highlights:

  • Keynotes from bestselling authors Neal Shusterman (Scythe), Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), and Brandon Mull (Fablehaven)
  • Writing workshops for all ages
  • Agent/editor pitch sessions for aspiring authors
  • Teen Readers' Choice Awards - the only national book award decided by teens

Operation Literacy presents

Pro tip: Register for the masterclasses early - they fill up fast! And don't forget to check out the Teen Writing Contest with cash prizes.

Register here and get a 15% discount with code OPENED15→

Have questions about becoming a teen author? Submit your questions for Operation Literacy CEO and StoryCon event organizer Jennifer Jenkins on this week's OpenEd podcast!

– Charlie

(RAP) OF THE DAY

Dr. Seuss Meets Dr. Dre

When bedtime stories get a beat... Mr. Brown's moos just hit different. 😎

That’s all for today!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)

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