Those Teachers in Idaho Destroyed Any Trust Parents Had in Their Teachers

Will the parents of my Mexican students ever look at me the same after Halloween in Middleton, Idaho? On Friday, I had an awesome day…

If You’re a Teacher in a Turnaround School, You’ve Got a Friend in Me

I recently spent a weekend with two elementary school teachers. I was not there because I was from their school or even their state—I was…

There Is No Perfect Time to Speak Out Against Injustice

In education, we imagine school to be a safe and equitable place. But my experience has been very different. As both a Black male educator…

The Country Is Massively Polarized But Our Classrooms Don’t Have to Be

I am heartbroken at us. I am heartbroken at what we, as a country, have proven to be. I am heartbroken at our last week,…

Forget About the Pipeline, School Discipline Is Already a Prison for Many Students

As I walked past the principal’s office, I could see that Jonah was sitting outside again, his small legs shaking nervously, his head hung low.…

I’m an Education Advocate and That’s Why I Can’t (and Won’t) Sit Out the Immigration Fight

It can be tempting for education advocates to see immigration as a related, but not overlapping, issue. For folks accustomed to thinking about school funding…

Black Communities Everywhere Should Be Stepping Up Like This for Our Kids and Schools

Outrage: “Whites Only” Seats The Connecticut Supreme Court made a ruling in Sheff v. O’Neill that was supposed to integrate schools. Instead, it capped the…

From Just Being Woke to Doing the Work of Recruiting Diverse Teachers

The data, the research, the demographics are all staggering and compelling. But nothing is more compelling than the actual experiences of teachers of color, who…

Trying to Promote Equity in Your School? Here Are 5 Things Anyone Can Do.

I just got back from an amazing professional learning session delivered by Kentucky State University’s Dr. Roger Cleveland. In the session, he had us do…

College Credit in High School Is Great, But Where Are the Classes About My Latina History?

As a first-generation college student, I jumped at the opportunity to take college classes while in high school. As a result, I was able to…