I recently sat across from a mother whose voice trembled with anger and heartbreak.

“My daughter was jumped at school,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “The system that was supposed to protect her didn’t. What am I supposed to tell her now?”

I felt the weight of her words.

As a former school leader, I’ve witnessed the gaps in our systems—the moments when policies fall short and children fall through the cracks. I know how these failures leave parents feeling powerless and students questioning their safety and worth.

What do we do when the very institutions meant to uplift our children fail them?

We listen.

We reflect.

And we act.

For me, this means working alongside schools to implement restorative practices that don’t just address harm but actively work to repair trust and rebuild relationships. It means creating systems where every child knows they are valued, protected, and heard.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Parents need transparency and accountability. They need to know their concerns won’t fall on deaf ears.
• Students need spaces to process harm and rebuild trust with their peers and their school community.
• School leaders need tools to respond with empathy and solutions—not excuses.

We can’t undo the harm that’s already been done, but we can prevent it from happening again.

So, let me ask you: How can we create systems that protect all of our children, especially when they need us most?