Why should we care?
SCS’s ability to provide a quality, equitable education is being undercut by high teacher turnover and year-long teaching vacancies, as well as significant maintenance deficiencies within the schools, all of which leads to higher financial, educational, and health costs. A lack of access to wraparound services provided by qualified social workers, psychologists, and nurses inhibits the successful treatment of trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). Abuse, neglect, and trauma significantly increase the likelihood of suspensions, juvenile criminal behavior, and incarceration. With a median age four years below the national average, Memphis’s population can support economic development, but only if we provide children in our community access to opportunities and support.
Tyre Nichols was brutally murdered by the Memphis Police Department on Jan 7th, 2023.
Since then, the Memphis community has asked for systemic change in policing that would dismantle abusive, harmful practices such as those that cost Tyre Nichols his life and to replace those practices with those that not only value all human life, but treat each resident they serve with respect, dignity, and compassion.