Rachel B. Weinstein
2019 Candidate for Cambridge School Committee
Home address:
60 Standish St. #1
Cambridge, MA 02138
Contact information:
email: info@rachelforcambridge
phone: (857) 600-1265
website: www.rachelforcambridge.com
Twitter: @RachelforCambridge
Facebook: @RachelforCambridge
Send contributions to:
Committee to Elect Rachel Weinstein
60 Standish St #1
Cambridge, MA 02138
OR via ActBlue
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/committee-to-elect-rachel-weinstein-1
Rachel B. Weinstein is a new candidate this year.
Bio:
Rachel Weinstein is a proud K-to-12 product of - and parent in - the Cambridge Public Schools. She has had extensive experience with a variety of schools. Her early career included stints as a paraprofessional at the Graham and Parks School and as a reading teacher (in AmeriCorps) for sixth graders performing below grade level. For the last eight years, Rachel has served as the Chief Collaboration Officer for the Boston Compact, coordinating the partnership of Boston’s district, charter and Catholic schools. In this capacity, she has catalyzed productive professional relationships across a diverse array of educators as they establish a path forward that benefits children and families across Boston.
Rachel has worked on education policy with elected officials. As a young woman, she served as an intern to then State Representative Alice Wolf. During a decade that she lived in California, Rachel dove deeply into the realm of electoral politics. Among other roles, she ran the home office of the state Senate President, working in partnership with a wide range of constituents and community members.
Rachel has been a parent advocate for her son, whose elementary years have given her new insight into the experience of students of color in our schools. She has served on the Tobin Montessori School Site Council and participated in the Cambridge Public Schools’ Building Equity Bridges initiative as a member of a sense-making team focused on racial disparities in school discipline.
Longtime Cantabrigians may know Rachel as the daughter of Diane and Larry Weinstein and the sister of Noam Weinstein, another CPS grad and parent. In response to the racial violence during Boston’s desegregation efforts of the 1970s, Larry was the parent lead for creating the Controlled Choice plan in Cambridge. He served on the School Committee from 1986-94.
Why I am Running:
I look back on my time at CRLS as the most important four years of my education. I was both challenged and affirmed by the talented teachers in that building. I had a great education in and out of those classrooms, learning with and from peers who were social justice warriors, thinkers, and artists. My experience in the Cambridge Public Schools inspired me to champion public education in the years since.
Even so, with the exception of my Pilot School classes at CRLS, I noticed as a student that the cohort of peers in my classes became whiter and wealthier the older I grew.
More than a quarter of a century later, inequity still pervades our school system. My experience as a white girl in our schools was markedly different than my son’s as a Black boy. Across our schools, students of color and students from low-income families have rightfully demanded that we do better.
I am running because I know we can and must do better. I am running to partner with students, families and educators on the critical task of providing all children with the academically rigorous, joyful, culturally affirming education they deserve.
Priorities
If elected, I will push for:
Citywide Pre-Kindergarten
I know the power of early childhood education. At the Tobin Montessori, where children enroll at 3 years old, every child in my son’s class could read by the age of kindergarten – whether they lived in public housing or on Brattle Street. We can prepare all our students for success through early access to a curriculum rich in language and literacy.
Supporting All Learners
The idea that we must focus either on students who are academically behind or on advanced learners is a false dichotomy. When we appropriately support our teachers with paraprofessionals and training, they will structure their classrooms to provide all children with access to the material.
A Champion for Every Child
Imagine the impact if every Cambridge child had an adult helping them navigate school, identifying their interests and ensuring they received the appropriate supports. Calling on a family member, volunteer, teacher or social worker, we should ensure that each young person has a champion who monitors their progress.
School Culture-Building
- The Building Equity Bridges initiative made clear that not all of our teachers and school leaders feel safe and supported. We cannot create productive learning environments for our young people when adults are ill at ease. We must address issues of school culture so that teachers and administrators are positioned to succeed.
- Relationships between students and teachers also will improve with ongoing support for adults to strengthen their cultural proficiency. I am keen to explore a systems approach to making our classrooms more affirming for students of every demographic.
- Finally, but perhaps most importantly, we know our children succeed when we work in collaboration with families and community partners. Our schools are ahead of most in working with out-of-school-time providers and in employing all schools with family liaisons. Building on this foundation, we can achieve even more.
CCTV candidate video (2019)