Shared and Not Hoarded: Reimagining Public Education for Our Communities. By Pastor Kyev Tatum, Black Texans for School Choice.

Shared and Not Hoarded: Reimagining Public Education for Our Communities. By Pastor Kyev Tatum, Black Texans for School Choice.

We need a public education system that cultivates our children’s potential, not one that traps them in a school-to-prison pipeline. Our schools should be launching pads for success, not warehouses of lost opportunity. Yet, for too long, the inner-city Black community has been subjected to a punitive public school system that punishes rather than nurtures, controls rather than empowers, and isolates rather than collaborates.

Having worked on every side of this issue, I know firsthand that, at its core, public education is driven by money. Decisions are too often made based on financial interests rather than the well-being of the students and the communities they serve. For decades, traditional public schools have failed to address systemic inequities, perpetuating cycles of poverty, trauma, and disinvestment. Despite cries for reform, there has been little willingness to embrace real change.

The rise of charter schools has forced some adjustments, but the resistance of public school systems has come at a cost. Instead of adapting in meaningful ways, many districts have dug in their heels, refusing to acknowledge their failures. As a result, thousands of students and educators have left for charter schools, seeking alternatives that provide a sense of hope and possibility. But even charter schools are not a perfect solution, they, too, exist in a system that prioritizes competition over collaboration, often leaving communities fractured rather than unified.

What’s missing is a true partnership between public schools and the neighborhoods they are meant to serve. Schools should not operate as closed systems, hoarding resources and decision-making power while leaving families and communities on the outside looking in. Education must be a shared investment, where parents, teachers, students, and community leaders have a seat at the table and an equal voice in shaping the future.

After 20 years back home, I’m still searching for a model where public schools and communities truly work together, one where resources and revenue are distributed equitably, not concentrated in bureaucracies that fail to deliver. The answer isn’t simply more funding; it’s about ensuring that funding reaches the students and families who need it most. It’s about accountability, transparency, and a commitment to educational justice.

If we are serious about breaking cycles of inequity, we must demand an education system that is shared, where knowledge, opportunity, and resources flow freely between schools and communities. We cannot allow our schools to remain fortresses of exclusion. It is time to build bridges, to create a system that lifts every child, strengthens every family, and honors the collective potential of the communities it serves.

About the Author

Pastor Kyev Tatum is a civil rights leader, historian, and advocate for educational and economic justice. He serves as the Pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and is the President of the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas. With over 30 years of experience in policy, program development, and public advocacy, Pastor Tatum has been at the forefront of initiatives addressing racial injustice, economic disparities, and community revitalization. A former student assistant to the president of Tarleton State University, he has worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between underserved communities and institutions of power. His leadership extends to numerous initiatives, including the Inner City Coffee Exchange, the Texas 6888th Project, and Farm Fort Worth, an urban farming initiative addressing food insecurity in Fort Worth’s 76104 ZIP code. Through his work, Pastor Tatum continues to fight for policies and programs that uplift and empower historically marginalized communities.

Contact Information

Pastor Kyev Tatum

The Voice for Black Texans for School Choice

Phone: 817-966-7625

Email: kptatum1@gmail.com