Sophie’s Reflection:
I am finishing my first semester of my junior year at Bowdoin College, where I study American Politics and Education Studies. Having grown up in Los Angeles and New York City, I am especially interested in how larger systemic and policy related issues affect public education in densely populated areas. An urban education class has allowed me to explore these topics and participate in dynamic conversations with other Bowdoin students.

Through readings, discussions and research this semester, I have discovered that grassroots organizing is challenging yet empowering. The issues that seemingly plague the American public education system (based on the readings and voices that we encountered over the past three months), such as racial segregation of students and schools, the school-to-prision pipeline, the effects of high-stakes testing, lack of funding sources to provide adequate facilities and programs for students, among others, are commonly fought against through grassroots organizing. Though difficult to accomplish major change through solely community voices and local partnerships, I’ve seen that it is possible to create awareness of and, consequently, an impact. Passion and conviction is necessary and are two attributes commonly seen within and among communities and individuals advocating for change in urban education.

I chose to make a website devoted to community organizing surrounding getting children vision screenings and glasses in school because as one of the five senses humans use to understand and experience the world, vision is a basic need. The fact that not all children are able to excel in school, many because they just cannot see the board, the lesson or the teacher, is frustrating to me, especially as the idea of providing services in school that take care of the whole child, not just their education, is a growing phenomenon. Because of the shift in view to the “whole child” and the growing interest in “wrap around” services via The Harlem Children’s Zone and/or community schools, I expected there to be numerous communities engaging in grassroots organizing around vision care. I was surprised to find in my research that maximum and clear eyesight is not as sought after as are programs addressing hunger, dental care and/or basic health. This surprised me because it is much more challenging to absorb lessons and be an engaged learner if a person literally cannot see what she’s supposed to be learning.

Some states do offer students free eye examinations in school. However, when a child “fails” the exam and told he has a vision problem, often the school does not do anything to help that child fix his uncorrected vision. School screenings do not cover in depth all aspects of eye health. A comprehensive eye exam, administered by an eye doctor, can diagnose vision problems, such as lazy eye and find missed signs of disease that have no symptoms, such as diabetes. What’s more, vision problems are often overlooked as the source of struggle for students not achieving in school. Because eye exams and prescriptions require training and skill, partnerships with optometrists and glasses manufacturers are necessary to identify and remedy vision problems. A further difficulty is that prescription glasses are expensive and many students with uncorrected vision come from families without the means to afford a pair of frames.

From this project, I have learned that community organizing can be an impactful element in creating change and addressing an important issue. However, when specialists are needed, as they are in providing accurate prescription glasses, it is difficult to gain community support and act effectively. A lot of the positive organizing that I found resulted from community voices advocating for support in some aspect and larger foundations or health organizations partnering with communities and schools to provide the necessary and desired services. Even if not carried out, ultimately, by the local communities, the accomplishments resulting from partnerships are beneficial to students, teachers, families, and schools as a whole. When a student can clearly see, her academic performance and self-confidence will grow, a teacher whose students perform well in school will be evaluated more highly. Families and schools can both appreciate academic and social success of children, and if comprehensive vision programs are provided for all children, it’s a win for everybody. I will take this notion of positivity and hope with me as I continue to learn about and expose myself to the realities of urban public education, holding onto the successes in what is otherwise portrayed as a bleak situation.