CHARLOTTE—Hundreds of educators, parents, and community leaders gathered in Charlotte this weekend for the first-ever We Are Public Schools Summit, a statewide event designed to build the movement for great public schools in North Carolina.
Hosted by the NCAE in partnership with the Education Justice Alliance, the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED), and the North Carolina Black Alliance, the summit brought together voices from classrooms and the community to discuss how everyone can work together to better advocate for public education.
“Our job is leading a movement for great public schools,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, elementary school music teacher and President of NCAE, during the lunch plenary session. “But a movement can’t just be one person or one organization. It takes educators, parents, and communities working together — because when we’re united, we are powerful.”
The day-long event began with a conversation with North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green. Hosted by WCNC News Anchor Nick Sturdivant, the conversation touched on current events, advocacy strategy, and Superintendent Green’s vision for North Carolina public schools.
“There’s a lot of noise out there about our public schools and a lot of it is false,” Superintendent Green reminded participants. “We have to be sure that we are telling the true stories about public schools. Particularly the awfully good things happening in our public schools.”
Following the morning keynote, participants attended a series of breakout sessions designed to deepen skills, surface new strategies, and build local networks. The sessions were grounded in the summit’s core principles: storytelling, power building, policy, and community engagement.
Among the offerings were Policy and School Finance 101, a Public Schools Strong Training, Power Building for Parents, and a guide to dealing with ICE in schools. Each session was led by expert facilitators and featured interactive work — allowing participants to apply principles to their local context, exchange ideas, and leave with concrete next steps. By the end of the breakout sessions, many attendees reported feeling both more informed and more equipped to tell the story of public schools in their communities.
At lunch, attendees heard from a panel featuring Representative Brandon Lofton (D–Mecklenburg), Dr. Jerry Wilson of CREED, Charlotte educator Mechelle Vaughn, and Union County parent advocate Jen Sanders. Their conversation explored the challenges facing North Carolina’s public schools — from the lack of a state budget to ongoing efforts to privatize education — and the opportunities that come when educators and parents join forces.
Mechelle Vaughn, educator and member of Public Schools Strong, urged the crowd to get more involved: “Talking to your neighbors, writing to legislators, sending emails, text messages, you can get involved. Do something. Do what you can because we can change.”
Throughout the summit, one message resonated: public schools thrive when communities unite behind them. Organizers of the event hope to continue that theme beyond the one-day summit. Attendees were invited to take what they learned back to their own communities. For more information or to get involved, visit WeArePublicSchools.com.
