A student perspective on why the Cambridge School Committee needs radical transformation
The tried-and-true solutions of top-down education reform aren’t working. It's time for a new approach that listens to parents, educators, and above all students.
Cambridge Day does not endorse candidates or positions. Views expressed in this column are those of the writer.
When choosing who to vote for in the Nov. 4 School Committee election, remember that students are our future. History teaches us that change happens because young people are the spearheads of progress – we break the mold and demand change when we see that the status quo isn’t serving us well. Youth are the ones whose lives are most directly affected by School Committee policies and actions. Now, more than ever, what the School Committee needs is student perspective.
School Committee Candidate Lilly Havstad is bringing student voices back to the table. I am volunteering for her campaign because I believe she understands that to serve its constituents best, the district needs to pivot from repeating the same failed strategies that leave out students, families, and educators, and move toward dismantling the institutionalized racism and biased structures behind the most challenging issues that schools face.
The tried-and-true solutions of top-down education reform aren’t working. In four of CPSD’s elementary schools, only 50% or fewer 5th-grade students met or exceeded school standards during the 2024-2025 school year. Students who are high needs (economically disadvantaged, disabled, or English language learning) are failing math at nearly twice the rate of their classmates. MCAS data released last month showed that the achievement gap between Black and white students is only growing. It isn’t enough to make excuses or continue to push the same futile strategies. Havstad understands we need solutions that target these problems at their root, namely the institutional racism produced by poorly-designed policies that fail to consult with students and educators. CPSD wants to blame teachers rather than reform the policies and practices in place that perpetuate racism.
Rhetoric versus reality
Buzzwords and rhetoric are not the same thing as commitment. While the district projects a mission of equity, voices throughout Cambridge tell a different story. Voices that the current School Committee is ignoring, as evidenced by their failure to lift up and implement the Building Equity Bridges (BEB) initiative findings and recommendations from 2019.
From her work in the schools and community, Havstad understands that what the BEB report revealed is still relevant now:
“For decades, parents of color have demanded that the district hire more educators of color. They want the district to train and provide resources for all current educators and administrators to be increasingly culturally competent. Yet Cambridge continues to pat itself on the back… [without being] honest and [putting] its vast resources where it says its values lie.” – CPSD parent
Progress is rarely comfortable or easy. It’s demanding, forcing individuals to step outside of what is familiar. Often, however, exiting the familiar and entering the unknown is the only way communities have been able to make progress. When the status quo continues to fail, the solution isn’t to point fingers or simply try again, hoping the outcome will be different. For our schools, the solution is to elevate leaders who are willing to do the hard work to press for institutional, systems-level change in partnership with students, educators, and families.
The importance of centering student and educator voices to bring radical transformation are at the heart of Havstad’s vision for CPSD. The district’s willingness to discuss equity, transparency, and commitment is not equal to a willingness to make meaningful change. For years, the School Committee and Central Office administrators have harmfully excluded the students, families, and educators who are most impacted by their decisions. Again, from the BEB report:
“Students HAVE opinions. But when we’re told to fill out another survey, and we’re NEVER given any indication that those surveys are even read, it’s only natural that we lose hope in the administration’s ability to take our opinions into consideration.” – CPSD student response on youth impact in the district.
Students will feel heard
Partnership, rebuilding trust and transparency, and uplifting student perspectives; these values that shape Havstad’s priorities are exactly why students like myself have mobilized to support her campaign. I spent my K-12 years in an Ohio public school district, graduating last May and becoming a Harvard first-year. I was in the shoes of many CPSD students until recently: experiencing support from dedicated and passionate educators, yet feeling unheard and unheeded by the district leadership, which created policies that directly impacted my education. These administrators were supposed to be representing me and my peers, so why weren’t they listening to us?
Havstad is exactly the type of candidate I wished I had had representing the interests of my classmates and me, our parents, our teachers, and our entire community. A candidate who goes past simply identifying problems and actually does the legwork to solve them – as demonstrated by her mock policy order to establish a district budget process that actually responds to the needs of educators, students, and families. A candidate who knows that when the same strategies haven’t been working, it’s time to listen to community members and make a positive change. A candidate who will be transparent and engage all stakeholders, rather than restricting decision-making power from the people who are most impacted.
Teachers, parents, and students in Cambridge are feeling ignored. In a district where the absence of discourse is falsely viewed as consensus and perspectives go unheard, what the School Committee needs are members who are committed to uplifting community voices; with her collaboration-focused policies, Havstad aims to bring all stakeholders back to the table.
With her, student voices are heard. Families are supported, educators are trusted, and power is shared. Most importantly, the excuses stop and change starts. So hit the polls on November 4 and cast your #1 vote for Lilly Havstad for Cambridge School Committee.
The writer is Director of Policy Research for the Havstad for School Committee Campaign and a Harvard first-year student.
This letter is co-signed by campaign team members who are also public high school graduates attending Harvard:
Gabriela Vásquez Rosado, Director of Youth and Community Engagement
Olamide Adekoya, Director of Communications
Liv Birnstad, Campaign Manager
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A student perspective on why the Cambridge School Committee needs radical transformation
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Cambridge Day does not endorse candidates or positions. Views expressed in this column are those of the writer.
When choosing who to vote for in the Nov. 4 School Committee election, remember that students are our future. History teaches us that change happens because young people are the spearheads of progress – we break the mold and demand change when we see that the status quo isn’t serving us well. Youth are the ones whose lives are most directly affected by School Committee policies and actions. Now, more than ever, what the School Committee needs is student perspective.
School Committee Candidate Lilly Havstad is bringing student voices back to the table. I am volunteering for her campaign because I believe she understands that to serve its constituents best, the district needs to pivot from repeating the same failed strategies that leave out students, families, and educators, and move toward dismantling the institutionalized racism and biased structures behind the most challenging issues that schools face.
The tried-and-true solutions of top-down education reform aren’t working. In four of CPSD’s elementary schools, only 50% or fewer 5th-grade students met or exceeded school standards during the 2024-2025 school year. Students who are high needs (economically disadvantaged, disabled, or English language learning) are failing math at nearly twice the rate of their classmates. MCAS data released last month showed that the achievement gap between Black and white students is only growing. It isn’t enough to make excuses or continue to push the same futile strategies. Havstad understands we need solutions that target these problems at their root, namely the institutional racism produced by poorly-designed policies that fail to consult with students and educators. CPSD wants to blame teachers rather than reform the policies and practices in place that perpetuate racism.
Rhetoric versus reality
Buzzwords and rhetoric are not the same thing as commitment. While the district projects a mission of equity, voices throughout Cambridge tell a different story. Voices that the current School Committee is ignoring, as evidenced by their failure to lift up and implement the Building Equity Bridges (BEB) initiative findings and recommendations from 2019.
From her work in the schools and community, Havstad understands that what the BEB report revealed is still relevant now:
“For decades, parents of color have demanded that the district hire more educators of color. They want the district to train and provide resources for all current educators and administrators to be increasingly culturally competent. Yet Cambridge continues to pat itself on the back… [without being] honest and [putting] its vast resources where it says its values lie.” – CPSD parent
Progress is rarely comfortable or easy. It’s demanding, forcing individuals to step outside of what is familiar. Often, however, exiting the familiar and entering the unknown is the only way communities have been able to make progress. When the status quo continues to fail, the solution isn’t to point fingers or simply try again, hoping the outcome will be different. For our schools, the solution is to elevate leaders who are willing to do the hard work to press for institutional, systems-level change in partnership with students, educators, and families.
The importance of centering student and educator voices to bring radical transformation are at the heart of Havstad’s vision for CPSD. The district’s willingness to discuss equity, transparency, and commitment is not equal to a willingness to make meaningful change. For years, the School Committee and Central Office administrators have harmfully excluded the students, families, and educators who are most impacted by their decisions. Again, from the BEB report:
“Students HAVE opinions. But when we’re told to fill out another survey, and we’re NEVER given any indication that those surveys are even read, it’s only natural that we lose hope in the administration’s ability to take our opinions into consideration.” – CPSD student response on youth impact in the district.
Students will feel heard
Partnership, rebuilding trust and transparency, and uplifting student perspectives; these values that shape Havstad’s priorities are exactly why students like myself have mobilized to support her campaign. I spent my K-12 years in an Ohio public school district, graduating last May and becoming a Harvard first-year. I was in the shoes of many CPSD students until recently: experiencing support from dedicated and passionate educators, yet feeling unheard and unheeded by the district leadership, which created policies that directly impacted my education. These administrators were supposed to be representing me and my peers, so why weren’t they listening to us?
Havstad is exactly the type of candidate I wished I had had representing the interests of my classmates and me, our parents, our teachers, and our entire community. A candidate who goes past simply identifying problems and actually does the legwork to solve them – as demonstrated by her mock policy order to establish a district budget process that actually responds to the needs of educators, students, and families. A candidate who knows that when the same strategies haven’t been working, it’s time to listen to community members and make a positive change. A candidate who will be transparent and engage all stakeholders, rather than restricting decision-making power from the people who are most impacted.
Teachers, parents, and students in Cambridge are feeling ignored. In a district where the absence of discourse is falsely viewed as consensus and perspectives go unheard, what the School Committee needs are members who are committed to uplifting community voices; with her collaboration-focused policies, Havstad aims to bring all stakeholders back to the table.
With her, student voices are heard. Families are supported, educators are trusted, and power is shared. Most importantly, the excuses stop and change starts. So hit the polls on November 4 and cast your #1 vote for Lilly Havstad for Cambridge School Committee.
The writer is Director of Policy Research for the Havstad for School Committee Campaign and a Harvard first-year student.
This letter is co-signed by campaign team members who are also public high school graduates attending Harvard:
Gabriela Vásquez Rosado, Director of Youth and Community Engagement
Olamide Adekoya, Director of Communications
Liv Birnstad, Campaign Manager
Like this:
Related Stories
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.