“It is difficult to maintain a democracy without a public school system.”
– Gloria Ladson-Billings
2017 Keynote Speaker and Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Madison
As part of our commitment to engage communities, schools and the private sector in conversations and solutions thinking to create more equitable learning communities in Dallas, the Simmons School of Education and Human Development at SMU hosts an annual conference on race, equity and inclusion.
Paving the Way to Inclusion, which began in 2017, provides a place for PK-20 educators and administrators, social sector practitioners, elected officials, students and parents to deepen their knowledge of social and structural forces shaping our educational communities.
SMU faculty, community leaders and students facilitate thought-provoking breakout sessions designed to examine and challenge beliefs and practices about race, gender and religious diversity, while providing participants with resources that address the dismantling of oppression and the creation of inclusive learning environments.