Community invited to attend education summit | Business

What should our public education system look like?

Legislators, a BESE Board member, ministers, community members, business leaders and education officials will host a “Pre-K – 12 Public Education Summit 2012” in Baton Rouge at Living Faith Christian Center,  6375 Winbourne Avenue, at 6 p.m. on Feb. 16.

The event is a “great opportunity” for public education leaders and legislators to learn what issues are important to residents and other community stakeholders, said Representative Alfred C. Williams, District 61.

Everyone has a stake in public education, Williams said.

“Public education impacts not only children in the school system, but our whole community and not only economically, but as well as public safety issues and other issues,” he said.

Public input gathered through the event will be used to build a “common vision for advancing public education in Louisiana according to the event sponsors.

Featured panel participants include: Kim Williams, Executive Director of the Recovery School District, representing John White, the State School Superintendent; Carnell Washington, Vice-President, Louisiana Federation of Teachers; Eric Lewis, State Director, BAEO of Louisiana; Joyce Haynes, Louisiana Association of Educators is invited; Russell Armstrong, Governor’s Education Policy Advisor; Linda Johnson, former BESE Board member, Caroline Roemer Shirley, Executive Director, Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools.

At the end of the panel discussion the public will be invited to share their thoughts and views.

Parents, students, educators, school employees, community leaders and the business community are encouraged to attend.