#MyBlackHistory: My Parents Decided to Go Back to College 30 Years Later. Here’s How My Story Inspired Them.

I know the impact a great education can have on students, their families, their community and the world.…

Here’s Why One Charter School Believes Diversity Is the Future

There is a small but growing number of leaders engaging in intentionally diverse charter schools. To understand these schools and everything they are trying to…

4 Tips to Protect Your Child From Cyberbullying

I’m a busy working mom and, like many of my peers, I allow my children a limited amount of screen time. It holds their attention,…

Here’s Why a Trump and DeVos Future Looms Heavily in My Classroom Every Day

In the days following November’s presidential election, my students shared with me—in conversations and in writing—their fears about our current president. Many feared the abrupt…

I’m Trying to Be an Ally to My Black and Brown Students

When I interviewed for my current job teaching ninth- and 10th-grade English in the Minneapolis Public Schools, I was asked this question: How would I…

The Choice of Botel for White House Education Advisor Should Offer Some Comfort to DeVos Opponents

It’s not easy being a progressive education reformer in the age of President Trump. Speaking for myself only, I support high-quality public charter schools but…

Here’s How Trump Could Deport Over 700,000 Students, Graduates and Even Teachers

A stroke of the pen at the White House could put more than 700,000 current students, recent graduates and even teachers at risk of immediate…

We’ve Got to Stop Lumping All Asian-Americans Together

I was usually one of a handful of people of color at my school and invisible inside my own identity. I was seen as the…

If Betsy DeVos on Special Education Bothers You, You Should Be Watching Jeff Sessions, Too

The education world is filled with chatter for and against Betsy DeVos. Some of the loudest concerns have been over her lack of understanding of…

I’m Frustrated by the Way Education Reformers Talk About Race and Social Justice

On January 25, I had the honor of sitting on one of two panels on “Race, Social Justice and Education Reform,” co-hosted by the American…