Don Coleman, Richmond’s newly elected school board chairman, wants more churches to adopt local, struggling schools.
When Don Coleman (above) talks about being elected chair of the school board in Richmond, Virginia, he doesn’t mention personal agendas or his leadership skills as a local pastor. He talks about his role as a public servant and how Jesus served the poor and oppressed.
Coleman grew up in Richmond and went to the schools he now represents. A foster kid, he never imagined he’d one day be trying to help kids like him. Coleman tries to communicate to young people that no matter the challenges, they can serve their community. “I know where I came from and I know what I’m saying is reality, because I am the reality,” Coleman told us.
Coleman was elected to Richmond’s school board in 2008, and two weeks ago was voted its chairman 9-0. He talks passionately about working with the school board, the city council, and Mayor Dwight C. Jones to give Richmond public school kids a brighter future. But he’s also realistic about the challenges they face: 79 percent of Richmond’s 24,000 students receive free or reduced price lunches and belong to the 20 percent of Richmond residents living in poverty. A third of Richmond students don’t attend its public schools; those who can afford private school go elsewhere. Many of the students who stay come from broken families that are unable to adequately support them.
Coleman believes the answer to that brokenness is for other families and community members to come around those young people. He’s seen the power of such community involvement firsthand: He sat beside a young woman, a high school valedictorian, the day she received a large college scholarship at an awards ceremony. Her family wasn’t there to watch her accept the award, because they …