I’m not here to point fingers or call anyone out. We all want our kids to thrive, and none of us get everything right. But I’ve seen firsthand how quickly negativity spreads when something new comes along, especially something bold enough to challenge a system that has been failing our children for generations.

Golden Charter Academy is not perfect. No school is. But it is different, and different is exactly what Fresno’s youth have been needing for a long time. When you look at the outcomes across our city, especially for Black and Brown students, it’s clear that doing things the same old way is not an option.

Before we rush to judgment, let’s ask ourselves a tougher question: Why are we more comfortable criticizing innovation than supporting it?

I know what it feels like to get attacked while you’re trying to help kids. I’ve lived it. When you step up to build something that lifts our youth, especially as a Black man, it can feel like everyone is waiting for you to make one mistake so they can tear you down. The sleepless nights. The loneliness. The whispers. The headlines. The feeling like nobody sees the good, only the struggle.

But there’s a reason some of us keep going anyway: Because we are called to action.

Robert Golden Deserves Our Respect

Robert Golden is one of those people. He didn’t have to come back to his hometown. He didn’t have to put his name, his resources, and his faith on the line. He chose to build something for kids who often get forgotten because he believes God has a purpose for them much greater than what the status quo has provided.

That alone deserves respect.

So when I see parents and community members raising concerns, I don’t dismiss that. They deserve to be heard. But concerns should drive collaboration, not destruction. If we tear down every leader who tries something new, we will be right back where we started: Stuck with a system we already know isn’t working.

Progress is messy. Innovation takes patience. And any school worth building takes time to grow into its vision. It also takes grace.

If we can give grace to the institutions that have failed our children year after year, why can’t we extend it to a school that is working to do better?

Helping Golden Charter Academy Succeed Is a Test for Fresno

This moment is a test for Fresno. Do we knock down people trying to lift kids up? Or do we stand behind leaders who come from our communities, love our children, and dare to believe they deserve more?

Our city cannot afford another generation of youth who feel unseen and unsupported. Golden Charter is a chance, a real chance, to change the story.

My prayer is that instead of piling on criticism, we come together to help this school become everything our kids need. Not tomorrow. Not next year. Right now.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about adults or politics or social media noise. It’s about children, their hope, their future, their purpose.

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

Let’s not give up on these kids. Let’s not give up on the people fighting for them. And I’m committed to standing with those doing God’s work for our children.

About the Author

 Terance Frazier is a Fresno community developer and youth sports advocate who has worked with children and families for nearly 30 years.

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