I’ve Been Fighting for My Daughters Since 23 Weeks’ Gestation, and I Won’t Stop Now

Why don’t I get to go to school, Mommy? That’s a hard question for a mom to have to answer for an 8-year-old. As I…

Teachers Legally Hitting Students as a Disciplinary Measure Has to Stop

Here’s a familiar scene: You are attending a professional workshop about America’s school-to-prison pipeline. The gray-suited speaker concludes his presentation to thunderous applause, and yet,…

How Public Schools Fail to Recognize Black Prodigies

Amid numerous articles about how Black students lag behind others in educational achievement, occasionally you may hear about a young Black “prodigy” who got accepted into college at an early…

School Discipline Explained: Why It Harms Students of Color and How We Can Fix It

Over many decades, America’s disciplinary policies, from preschool to high school, have disproportionately affected marginalized students. This difference creates a “discipline gap.” Black students account…

Here’s Why Dumping the Discipline Question on the Common App Really Matters

This is a year unlike any other. I am sure you have heard this over and over again as, over the past seven months, our…

If You Want Justice, Teach Kids How to Read

In 1990, I was a brand-new teacher in an unusual environment: a Chicago alternative high school where teens and young adults could earn their diplomas…

Gianna Was Right, Her Daddy Changed the World

Four weeks ago, a Black man was lynched. In 2020. I remind myself of that fact each day so that I do not forget what…

Join an Honest Conversation About Race in Schools and Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline

“Structural racism in school systems. Implicit bias among school professionals. White privilege (and, when confronted, White fragility) among school staff. Curriculum and materials devoid of…

A Student Left in Handcuffs. We Need to Do Better So It Stops Happening.

There was the day that a sixth grader was upset, was blocked by an administrator from exiting a room and pushed his way past. Within…

Trump and DeVos Should Know What It Means for Our Students of Color When They Remove Discipline Guidance

The 2014 federal school discipline guidance—which the Federal School Safety Commission today said should be scrapped—isn’t just about policy and data, it’s about Gee. This…