CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

The organizing efforts of VOYCE have led to very impactful change to the Chicago public school system. Though not a result of the organizing efforts of VOYCE alone, the Chicago School Board recently announced it would be cutting its multi-million dollar annual contract with the police department by more than half, a huge win for education organizers working to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline (Issa, 2020). Although removing police officers from schools is just one step in this long and arduous process, the significance and sheer size of the Chicago public school system will hopefully provide motivation for organizations based in other US cities to continue their efforts and not give up in the face of political or social roadblocks. Studying how organizations like VOYCE employ conceptual frameworks for education organizing, through both their trials and successes, can provide valuable insight into how these frameworks can be translated into action. 

PERSONAL REFLECTION

In other education courses I have taken, I often feel as though we learn about systemic issues within the American education system without devoting time to developing solutions or looking at the work being done on the ground to combat these problems. This project has thus meant a lot to me. I appreciate the focus on a real organization, as well as the application of conceptual frameworks, for both taken together have enabled a clear link to form between philosophy and action. Looking at the successes of youth led organizations, in particular, is a sobering reminder of the inaction of those in power. It is also, however, immensely empowering. The work of the young leaders of VOYCE is creating real change when it comes to dismantling the school and prison nexus, and can thus serve as a powerful model for other organizers around the country hoping to do the same.