Dr. Bonita Jamison · The Building of a Black, Radical, Grassroots Organization

Name of Hero

Dr. Bonita Jamison

Community Impact: Significant Contributions and Sustainability

Dr. Bonita Jamison became the superintendent of the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District in 2021. She had come from the Ferguson-Florissant School District and served our schools for 5 years. At the core of her work is improving outcomes for ALL students while staying deeply connected to the people she serves. Her north star has been educational equity; she has focused on closing gaps for "student groups" (e.g., students of color, students who receive free/reduced lunch, students with IEPs, or Individualized Education Plans) and ensuring that access and opportunity are not dependent on a student's background. Her achievements reflected this commitment when the school district earned 100% of possible points for student growth and sustaining a pattern of APR (Annual Performance Report) improvement over three years - topping at 98.5% in 2025. As someone who worked to implement the systems Dr. Jamison created, i can state with certainty that her clarity of focus and commitment to educational equity delivered these successes. She emphasized not only achievement, but also getting students to school and ensuring that they were supported while they were there. These systems will outlive her and will continue to have positive impacts on our school community.

Alignment with Values: Social Justice, Cultural Preservation, Service, Selflessness

Dr. Jamison embodies kindness, care, inclusion, courage, and humor. She often says that it "costs nothing to be kind" and she prides herself on treating everyone with care. As a leader, she is often scrutinized; as a black woman, that scrutiny is even more magnified. Yet because she leads with her heart, her commitment to humanity is undeniable. Even as she holds others accountable, she does so with care. She believes deeply that there can be room for everyone at the table; if there isn't, she makes sure to create room. She has been kind and gracious even with those who have mistreated her the most. She models courageous conversations and is among the bravest people i have known. She also has an absolutely hilarious sense of humor. She loves telling the corniest jokes and insists that those around her experience as much joy as they do challenge.

Underrecognized Efforts: Modesty, Lack of Formal Recognition, Grassroots Nature

Dr. Jamison is incredibly selfless - she always nominates others for awards but does not seek the limelight for herself. In fact, i was not confident she would even give me permission to submit a nomination on her behalf! When she is recognized, she always references the team that surrounds her. With this nomination, i hope that she herself is held in the light she deserves.

Consistency and Dedication: Commitment, Resilience, Innovation

Dr. Jamison is born of resilience. She has shared that her story begins with adversity; she was born into instability, she experienced homelessness, and she was a young mother. These early experiences shaped her ability to navigate systems, advocate for herself, and create opportunities that otherwise did not exist. Her commitment to mental health is personal; one of her sons had painful experiences with mental illness that ultimately took his life. When she speaks of self-care to her staff, she does so as a model. And even so, i know of no one who is harder working than she is. Her dedication to the most marginalized students is also personal. During her final commencement address at MRH, she recognized a student who was among our most marginalized - but who walked across that stage with his class. And this was not by accident; Dr. Jamison was among the several adults that went out of their way to engage him in school. She does this because she sees herself in them and she is committed to ensuring that students - particularly those who have come from circumstances like her own - have access to opportunities and support that change their life trajectory.

Inspiration and Leadership: Role Model, Empowerment, Collaboration

Dr. Jamison has long been a role model for me and many others. One moment in time illustrates this better than any words i can share. At the same time that Dr. Jamison was experiencing racism, sexism, and misogynoir, she recognized that another group of individuals - representing a community of which she was not directly part - was experiencing unprecedented levels of fear and ostracization. Exactly one week after the current administration took office, at a time when so many of us were feeling unmoored, Dr. Jamison released a statement to our school community that immediately provided me with a foothold. She wrote:

"Our school community reflects the beauty found in diversity, resilience, and promise. Together, we strive to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where every child has the opportunity to learn and grow. However, recent national rhetoric and policies targeting immigrant families have heightened concerns for the safety and well-being of many students and families in our community.

Let us be clear: our schools are places of learning and belonging for all children, regardless of their immigration status. Every child has the right to a free public education, as affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Plyler v. Doe (1982).

Immigrant students are not just a part of our schools, they are an integral part of our community. Their diverse perspectives, cultural knowledge, and linguistic abilities enrich our classrooms and contribute to the vitality of our community. Their presence is not just welcomed, but celebrated, and we are grateful for the financial support they provide during times of declining enrollment.

To protect our students, we are committed to the following:

● Continuing to provide a safe and supportive environment for all students.
● Ensuring staff are trained on protocols if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers approach our campuses.
● In collaboration with our Director of Student Services, Vince Estrada, supporting families with resources to address their concerns and help them navigate this challenging time."

Within days, staff members had information about the plans our leaders had made to ensure that all of our students - including our immigrant students - could feel safe.

This is not the only time Dr. Jamison has shown up as an ally. She was a constant presence at multiple Trans Visibility rallies in our community. She posted publicly that serving in our district, as our superintendent, allowed her to stand tall as an ally with our transgender community. She shared that "Miss Major Griffin-Gracy said, 'We have to remain visible. They have to see us, they have to know that we're not going nowhere...'" This is how Dr. Jamison has shown up for EVERY marginalized individual and groups within our community.

Relevance to Current Issues

Dr. Jamison's courage and resilience has served as a model for me and countless others who have worked alongside her. She inspires us to be the best version of ourselves - not demanding that we do better, but showing us what it looks like to do better and then letting the rest of us follow her lead. Her messages about inclusion are heartfelt and each one centers and grounds me in my work as a social justice educator.

Adoption and/or Expansion: The Wider Influence of Their Actions and Strategies

Dr. Jamison's influence is far and wide in educational spaces in St. Louis. Her mentors and mentees work in many schools throughout the region and while i currently grieve the loss of her at Maplewood Richmond Heights, i am simultaneously thrilled for the Hazelwood community knowing she is bringing her brilliance there. Every quote about education changing the world is a reflection of what Dr. Jamison does every day. Her influence is boundless because she has touched so many lives. Her approach to leadership in education is replicable; she leads with empathy, understanding, and a laser focus on improving outcomes for all students.

Subject

public education

resilience

black woman leaders