Don’t Just Invite Black Men to School on the First Day, We Need Them All Year Long

A tradition for many schools that educate predominately Black children involves welcoming the children back with scores of Black men cheering them on as they…

Teaching About Race Does Not Make You Un-American

“The Holocaust was an atrocity.” This was the example I gave my eighth graders as we were learning our words of the week. And with…

Charter Schools Must Be Part of the Solution for Desegregation

America is more diverse than it’s ever been, as are the students attending public schools, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at individual schools.…

Before We Discuss ‘Equity in Schools,’ Tell Me What You Really Mean

To know me is to know my aversion to all things “buzzwordy.” My rule of thumb for education is that if it can fit on…

Here Are 8 Things That Make a Good School

Educators have difficulty agreeing upon what makes a “good school.” My thoughts about this topic have continued to change as I progressed through K-12, earned…

Here’s What I Wish White Teachers Knew When Teaching My Black Children

Dear White Teachers of My Black Children: I am a Black mom and I have two children who are now in high school. Raising them…

Teacher Diversity Matters and Charter Schools in North Carolina Are Getting Results for Students of Color

Seth Gershenson’s research on the impact of teacher expectations and their effect on students has made waves across the country. With the support of the…

We Can Do Better Than Just Thanking Teachers With Free Coffee and Donuts

One Teacher Appreciation Week years ago, we each remember being thrilled to find letters from our principal in our school mailboxes thanking us for all…

Groundbreaking Change Is Happening in the Education Space With Black and Brown Leaders at the Forefront

We’ve got 22 million Black and Latino students in our schools, but there are relatively few teachers of color in the classroom. Dozens, maybe hundreds,…

Even as a Student, Maye-gan Brown Has Something to Teach Us About Justice

There is no honor in the world like being a teacher. And in a school, every single person can play a teaching role. In fact,…