Soon after enrolling her older son in a Boston public elementary school, Susan Naimark began to see that opportunities offered to her kids were often unavailable to their classmates of color. In The Education of a White Parent Naimark candidly describes her sometimes faltering efforts to create change in the school system, tracing what turns out to be the gradual transformation of a dismayed parent into a parent leader, school board member, and advocate for equal opportunities for all students.

IPS’ program, Inequality and the Common Good proudly co-sponsors with Teaching for Change Bookstore and Many Languages One Voice this discussion and book signing with Susan Naimark. Alongside compelling stories about her experiences, Naimark will discuss national studies and trends that identify patterns of inequities in public schools and some signs of progress. In a clear, conversational tone, Naimark shares what she has learned about navigating school bureaucracies, collaborating across race and ethnicity, and achieving results that benefit all kids.

Susan Naimark is an independent consultant who works with public school parents, grassroots groups, and nonprofit and public agencies to create responsive community institutions. She was a founder of the Boston Parent Organizing Network, a member of the school board for the City of Boston, and has served in leadership roles with several national nonprofit community development organizations. Susan’s home since 1977 has been the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, where she and her husband raised two now-adult sons.

Co-sponsors: Institute for Policy Studies, Teaching for Change bookstore, Many Languages One Voice, and Busboys & Poets.