2021 Must Be the Year for Rural Education

It’s no secret that education reform initiatives tend to target urban schools. Achievement gaps in America’s largest cities are significant, and as families flock to…

It’s Not a Radical Idea to Let Students Keep the Technology and Internet

COVID-19 has been a disaster for virtually every institution and education is no exception. With that being said, there has been one positive development—the proliferation…

Here’s What I Will Fight for in 2021

2020 was the pits.  More than 300,000 Americans died from COVID. A dearth of presidential leadership that led to the politicization of wearing masks—the single…

Three Lessons We Learned Through This Pandemic in 2020

It’s easy to view remote learning through the lens of its deficits. After all, there’s really no substitute for the face-to-face rapport with an excellent…

Education for Black Kids Cannot Look the Same as It Did in 2020

We lost so many lives this year—lives that could’ve been saved if people just gave a damn for once. And I’m not referring to the…

In a Virtual Setting, Let Your Students Make the Rules on Cameras

Mention cameras during distance learning and you’ll instantly evoke passion, stress, and even fear, in teachers and students alike. Last month, I listened as a…

Rev. Sharpton: Education Problems Are a ‘Five-Alarm’ Fire

Now would be a good time to listen to Rev. Al Sharpton. You didn’t see that coming. Me, of all people, pointing to a left-of-center…

We Don’t Give a Damn About Equity Initiatives Without Intentional Investment in Our Kids

Closed mouths don’t get fed. That’s why fellow Chicago activist, Natasha Dunn, and I recently demanded that Chicago Public Schools adopt our Black Student Achievement…

Internet Access Is a National Crisis, So Who’s Going To Fix It?

It’s October, almost seven months into a pandemic that has turned the world upside down. Since the shutdowns in March, folks have adapted; businesses have…

This Texas District Didn’t Wait for the Feds to Create #InternetForAll Their Kids

Mark Estrada, superintendent of Lockhart Independent School District, says the first day of in-person classes went pretty well considering the COVID-19 pandemic—with about 45% of…