The Importance Of Special Education - George Stewart

George is an educator, non-profit leader, and public policy advocate who is committed to the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of our youth and their families. He started his service career as a teacher's aide and worked his way up to becoming a certified teacher in the state of Texas and the state of Mississippi. As an urban educator, seeing parents not armed with basic education policy information, recognizing needed system changes in education, and his son's autism diagnosis, led George to seek opportunities in youth/family advocacy and public policy. An example of his advocacy is his service as board president of the only family run organization, in the state of Mississippi, that supports families who are raising children with mental health and behavioral challenges. This organization serves families all over the state of Mississippi. George has also shown leadership in the public policy arena. He effectively advocated for a bill that was written and introduced in the House of Representative as HB 490 during the 2020 legislative session. HB 490 is a bill that addressed the issue that 50% of children, diagnosed with autism, tend to wander away from their safe space. George received a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and is currently pursuing a Master's degree from the New Life Fellowship School of Ministry. He is also a graduate of the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute and the National Education Association's Teacher Leadership Institute. Last but not least, George is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He resides in the Jackson, MS area. To learn more about Families as Allies visit - https://www.faams.org