by Darren W. Armstrong, purpose preparatory Leadership Fellow
Darren Armstrong, Leadership Fellow, and Purpose Prep students
“The paradox of education is precisely this – that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated.” – James Baldwin
The spirit of author and civil rights activist James Baldwin knows North Nashville and its zip code 37208 far too well. According to 2018 data from the Brookings Institution, zip code 37208 is home to the highest incarceration rate in America.* However, North Nashville’s high-performing Purpose Preparatory Academy, a predominantly African-American K-4 public charter school, refuses to allow this community and its citizens to be defined by an American-made tragedy.
At 8 a.m. on a fall day in 2018, I traveled to Purpose Prep for an observation visit as part of an education fellowship I was participating in. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but something piqued my ears in the parking lot as I approached the main entrance. When the doors opened, I was greeted by the thunderous roars and chants of 360 children, thrilled to learn. They wore their zeal for education on their sleeves, and if you didn’t know it, they had no problem reminding you. I marveled at how the kids were appropriately called “scholars,” an act of awareness that speaks victory into their current and future existence. As I took additional time to be present in this extremely sacred and safe space, I noticed that higher education and beyond was the mentality put into action; classrooms represented various colleges and universities, Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) included. Immediately I was confronted with the fact that culture and inclusivity were also part of the Purpose Prep fabric, designed and implemented by its Founder and Head of School Lagra Newman.
I’m glad that I wasn’t prepared for this particular morning because it gave me reason to both pause and desire to discover more of what I had not been previously accustomed to during my time as an education professional. Sounds of learning pulled me into classrooms to witness reading circles, reading comprehension and critical analysis exercises, a strong emphasis on phonetics, scholars engaging in healthy debates following guided reading, and scholars glued to books featuring themes and characters that mirrored scholars’ identities.
Taking a deeper look at Purpose Prep, it became clear that scholars’ level of consciousness was being realized as evidenced by achievement data showcased on a front office bulletin board. I observed that for years, scholars had consistently outpaced both the district and state in reading and math TNReady scores. My admiration was heightened after discovering that Purpose Prep was the first school in North Nashville to be designated a TN Reward School based on academic achievement in 2016.
Throughout the day, scholars were consistently affirmed by their teachers and each other: “Way to go, Dedrian!” Intrigued, this powerful yet normal interaction was nothing less than the Purpose Prep way. Scholars knew themselves and their worth. Impactful slogans, many stemming from notable African-American icons, graced the walls and matched the nurturing ways of all people in the building. Scholars and teachers alike entered these halls to flourish inward as well as outward.
The above is only but a snapshot of that visit. As I did that day and do now, I admit to myself that something awesome other than the zip code narrative attached to North Nashville is happening in North Nashville and at Purpose Prep. I’d like to call it for what it is: excellence in spite of.
Fast forward to October 29, 2019, a day filled with deep discussion about zip code 37208. There was no coincidence that this town hall meeting was scheduled to occur at Purpose Prep. Local education advocates partnered with Purpose Prep to host a community-wide open dialogue about breaking North Nashville’s school-to-prison pipeline. Panelists included educators and Purpose Prep parents. The opportunity presented itself for some participants to unlearn tropes such as “reasons why children of color cannot learn,” and other complementary vehicles of institutionalized racism undergirding the school-to-prison pipeline. Purpose Prep parents rallied together to commit to making 37208 a community of hope, access, and investment, where a school like Purpose Prep is not an anomaly.
I no longer make observational visits to Purpose Prep. That simply wasn’t good enough. Because seeing and educating these beautiful children are valued here (with results to match!), I had to become part of this story. History. I am now a full-time employee and report to Purpose Prep each day, anticipating how my professional role contributes to the development of all 360 little geniuses.
Each Purpose Prep scholar is being exposed to knowledge and changing the status quo as a result of the emphasis Purpose Prep places on holistic education, scholars seeing themselves culturally and historically, celebrating identity, delivering a robust literacy and mathematics curriculum, critical thinking, success, love, and breaking chains and generational curses. As a team, we too are being transformed to best examine society and press the “reset” button.
James Baldwin’s third eye was on to something just as our scholars are preparing to be great in all things, and most importantly, preparing to be FREE and AWAKE.
*The study looked specifically at the disproportionate percentage of African-American men born between 1980-86, who are incarcerated.
