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• By Paige Duggins-Clay, J.D. • IDRA Newsletter • February 2026 •

“Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.” These prophetic words of Coretta Scott King remind us that the struggle for justice is as much moral as it is legal (The King Center, 2023).

Coretta Scott King, a civil rights leader beyond her time with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., challenged us to see women as custodians of conscience and change, not mere caretakers. Her words echo bell hooks, who wrote in her seminal text, All About Love: New Visions: “Love is a combination of care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect and trust” (1999).

Coretta and bell remind us that love, courage and moral clarity shape society’s soul. The work of racial and education justice requires many hands, yet Black women’s significant work and sustaining labors – organizing meetings, providing aid, nurturing the next generation of advocates, demanding accountability – are too often overlooked or taken for granted.

In Black History Month, we highlight and honor the legacy of the many mothers, grandmothers, aunties and allies whose fierce love and unyielding courage have shaped the pursuit of education justice in Texas and beyond.

Their voices remind us that justice is born from lived experience, from sleepless nights worrying about a child’s safety, and from the unwavering commitment to ensure all children can learn and thrive.

Paige Duggins-Clay, J.D., (center) with Lubbock families after speaking at school board meeting.

Phyllis Gant: Standing in the Gap for Black Students

Phyllis Gant, NAACP legal redress chair in Lubbock, Texas, has been a steady presence against racial harassment in schools. In meetings, school conferences and at the state capitol, she has lifted up stories of Black students subjected to racist slurs, “monkey” taunts, and discriminatory discipline that unfairly threaten and exclude Black students from equal educational opportunity. Phyllis has been instrumental in demanding accountability from school districts that often dismiss or minimize these harms. She is a steady source of support and inspiration for families in Lubbock and beyond.

Tracy Kemp and Shardae McGaha: Parents Who Refuse to Be Silent

Tracy Kemp and Shardae McGaha, co-founders of Parents Against Racism Texas, stepped forward when their children were targets of identity-based bullying in Lubbock-area schools. Kemp’s son and McGaha’s children suffered harassment after appearing on a racially offensive “LBMS Monkeys” social media page, leading to consistent harassment at school. Rather than accept the schools’ excuses, these mothers demanded action, transparency and protective policies.

Their advocacy grew from daily encounters with administrators who failed to protect their children to organizing at the Texas Capitol and filing federal civil rights complaints. They stand shoulder to shoulder with families, teachers and civil rights leaders to demand real change.

Autumn Roberson

Autumn Roberson: A Child’s Courage in the Face of Harassment

The story of Autumn Roberson is one of heartbreaking resilience. As one of the few Black students at her high school, Autumn endured persistent racial harassment, such as slurs, threats and daily dehumanization. After repeated pleas to administrators yielded no meaningful change, Autumn confronted the behavior herself. Born of exhaustion and pain, her act of resistance resulted in punitive discipline by the school that derailed her senior year, negatively impacted her mental health, and ultimately compelled her to file a federal civil rights complaint seeking justice and systemic change.

Now a mother herself, Autumn’s story reminds us that when schools fail to protect children, the harm extends beyond a single incident. It can shape a child’s sense of self, safety and future. But, Autumn fought, not just for herself, but for all students who deserve a bias-free learning environment.

Lisa Youngblood: A Family’s Fight for Fairness

When Lisa Youngblood’s daughter, Madison, shared concerns after overhearing what she feared was a school safety threat, school officials instead severely punished her and sent her to an alternative disciplinary placement for most of her eighth-grade year.

Rather than accept this gross injustice, Lisa pushed back. She researched education laws, connected with IDRA, challenged the decision through the school grievance process and filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

She and her daughter shared their story on NPR’s This American Life and in Dallas Morning News articles documenting their journey for justice (Richman, 2023a, b, c).

The family’s persistence not only led to the punishment being overturned but also prompted broader scrutiny of their school district’s discipline practices. Lisa now supports and trains other parents, sharing the knowledge and experience she gained from her advocacy.

The fight these families lead goes beyond specific incidents. They are affirming the humanity of every student.

IDRA is honored to help turn these experiences into movements that demand schools be places of belonging and opportunity for all. These families’ advocacy informs policy recommendations, legislative testimony and model practices to help schools prevent harm.

This Black History Month, we celebrate and thank the mothers and students who have given so much for education justice. Like so many Black women before them, many have not yet seen justice, but every legal complaint, every news story and every connection strengthens our movement. We see you. We thank you. We will keep working until every student’s right to a safe, affirming and excellent education is fully realized.

Resources

Hooks, B. (1999). All About Love: New Visions.

The King Center. (April 26, 2023). #DearCoretta.

Richman, T. (March 2, 2023). How a Texas girl scared of school shootings was punished. The Dallas Morning News.

Richman, T. (August 13, 2023). Teen’s discipline sparks changes. The Dallas Morning News.

Richman, T. (November 10, 2023). Parents Are People. This American Life.

Paige Duggins-Clay, J.D., is IDRA’s chief legal analyst (paige.duggins-clay@idra.org).

FAQs

Why are Black mothers central to education justice movements?

Black mothers have long led advocacy efforts to protect students from racial harassment, unfair discipline and inequitable school policies. Their lived experiences drive policy change and community organizing.

How does parent advocacy influence school policy?

Parents can file grievances, submit civil rights complaints, testify before lawmakers and organize community action to strengthen school accountability and student protections.

What role does Black History Month play in education justice?

Black History Month honors the leadership, resilience and moral courage of Black communities, including mothers whose advocacy continues to shape public education today.

[© 2026, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the February edition of the IDRA Newsletter. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]