Responding to Eduwonk's Zachary and RFK

Dear Eduwonk,

I wanted to share my thoughts on your post about Zachary. I was truly moved.

I would like to start by saying I find it both timely and important that you share a story of grassroots political activism on a day you had planned to write about Kennedy, Obama, and education. The mother in your story showed up at the meeting to take an active role in making our educational system fairer and more just for all students. It was not an act of grandstanding or “theater,” but rather an ethical act of hope that through her words, policy may be informed by the very people who it affects. The picture you paint of a woman waiting to be heard with a sleeping child in her arms is a poignant image of justice-seeking—a quiet reminder for all in the room about the connection between laws and life.

A few words about Zachary’s legacy…Simply based on this story, I know the effect he had on the world was great. As his mother shared their story that night, people heard. The busy, tired, and perhaps cynical leaders of the meeting looked out across the room and thought more deeply about the decisions with which they were confronted. Zachary changed the world by his example.

We are all asked to be as involved, like Zachary and his mother, in creating the educational system we want for our children.

Thank you for sharing his story.