MecklenburgACTS is pleased to be part of the recently formed OneMECK Coalition, which brings together organizations and individuals from across Mecklenburg County to:

• Highlight the well-established link between diverse schools and academic success for all children

• Support public policies and individual choices that promote mixed-income schools and neighborhoods – including a reimagined CMS pupil assignment plan

• Challenge ourselves and our community to take responsibility for the ways in which we fail our children – especially children of color – who are separated and isolated in high-poverty schools and neighborhoods

We live in a community that has much to celebrate. A history of bold civic leadership has sparked an economic explosion and has won us a national reputation as one of the top cities in the U.S. to live and work. But our rising tide is not lifting all boats. We cannot achieve world-class greatness while our community remains divided by income and skin color, and while our rates of social mobility are among the lowest in the country.

The CMS school board is in the process of reviewing pupil assignment policies, and has an important policy committee meeting on this subject next week. OneMECK is calling on Mecklenburg County residents to e-mail board members in support of reducing racial and economic isolation in CMS schools. For information on how to e-mail board members, click here.

This is a key moment in the history of our community. Please let your voice be heard!