Outside of our family, my daughter’s second grade teacher is the most important person in her life.
This is reconfirmed every time I witness her hug her teacher in the same way she hugs my wife every morning. These moments make it obvious that teachers are far more than instructional leaders.
Teachers are the caretakers of our children’s minds. They’re part of the DNA of our communities. They are, in many ways, part of all of our extended families.
This is one of the reasons that I am motivated to run and represent District 3 on the Board of School Commissioners for Indianapolis Public Schools.
And that’s what I’ll be thinking when I vote in support of the operating and capital referenda for IPS on Nov. 6. This important vote is an important first step toward making sure that our teachers receive the compensation they deserve and that all schools have the resources they need to serve our children well.
I’ll also be thinking of all my family members who have dedicated their lives to strengthening Indianapolis Public Schools. They chose to do so because education embodies the values they believe in most: fairness, service, integrity and hard work.
My great-great-uncle Mathias Nolcox served as the first principal of Crispus Attucks High School. Opening in 1927, Attucks became a model of educational excellence in part due to the school’s brilliant all-Black teachers, who believed in each and every one of their student’s ability to achieve in spite of blatant and systematic inequities.
My grandfather Grant Hawkins, a graduate of Manual High School, became the first African-American elected to the IPS Board of School Commissioners in 1956. His IPS education would catapult him to Indiana University in Bloomington and equip him to eventually open a hardware and janitorial supply company on what was then Northwestern Avenue.
The success he achieved as a businessman, he believed, came with a responsibility to be a voice for the voiceless, and that’s exactly what he did as a commissioner. He shared this belief with his family — many of whom have chosen to teach, lead and volunteer in Indianapolis Public Schools.
As a child growing up in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood, I never imagined that I would be running for the very board that he once served on.
But I had a family that raised me to understand the central importance of education and service to others. As an extension of that family, I had teachers who encouraged me to become a leader. They built positive relationships with me and encouraged me during difficult times.
My family and teachers have made me into the father, husband and advocate I am today. They gave me the opportunity to become an experienced K-12 business operations leader and taught me to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. This is exactly what I plan to do if I am elected to represent District 3 on the IPS Board of School Commissioners.
I believe that all children in IPS deserve the very best schools, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location. This means that all of our students should receive a fair and equitable distribution of funding, and especially our students in the most underserved parts of our community.
Our school leaders and teachers must be empowered to make the decisions that are best for our children. They know families best and they should be able to operate their schools in a manner that serves all children fairly.
And because of this, our teachers deserve to be compensated fairly for the important role they play in our families, our neighborhoods and our city.
Evan Hawkins is a candidate to represent District 3 on the IPS Board of School Commissioners.
