Now Is the Perfect Time for White Teachers to Do ‘The Work’ of Anti-Racism

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted, well, everything, but at times I find that I have more time to communicate, virtually if necessary, with family and…

The Inequity Between Students Isn’t New, COVID-19 Is Just Bringing It to Light

During World War II, riding out the Blitz in his native London, theologian and fantasy author C. S. Lewis wrote, “The war creates no absolutely…

As a Black Male Educator, I Get to Be a Superhero for Students Too Often Left Behind

Teaching is one of my greatest gifts. Seeing my mother’s life’s work as a teacher in Dekalb County created my blueprint for what the life…

Three Ways to Foster a Love of Reading in Students With Disabilities

When it comes to literacy, how do we help our students with learning disabilities thrive? The research is clear: Vanessa Chratian, a special education reading…

27 Mistakes White Teachers of Black Students Make and How to Fix Them

A few years back, I was in my room meeting parents during an open house, just days before the school year started. A woman walked…

Want More Student Activism? Be Ready to Listen.

The weeks preceding the holidays are busy for any school principal. There are evaluations to be completed and parent events that require attention. Yet, in…

Our Collective Blackness No Longer Has Value to You Once We Cross Your Party Line

After a month of not writing, I took to Twitter to share some thoughts about the nasty fallout from the protest of a large group of Black…

My Black Students Have Learned to Be Wary of People Who Look Like Me, And That’s Not Racist

Recently in class, my students and I were listening to Lil Nas X sing “Old Town Road,” for what felt like the 100th time. Unintentionally…

Hosting the Super Bowl Is Nice But Atlanta’s Kids Need a Champion of Excellent Schools

As the mother of 11-year-old twins, I spend every day planning, supporting and coordinating their lives. I have also worked in their school, sat on…

5 Ways to Get Your Child in a Good School Without Paying Tuition

Parents everywhere ask themselves the same question I did: What are my choices when choosing a school for my child? Since moving back to Atlanta,…