Stop Trying to ‘All Lives Matter’ the Black Struggle for Educational Justice

Outrage: White People Won’t Be Satisfied Until We Make Our Struggle About Them I get tired of people trying to “All Lives Matter” my advocacy—especially White…

If You’re Black and Low-Income in Oakland, You Have to Fight for the Right to a Good School

Every family should have the right to a good school for their kids. But it turns out that if you’re Black and low-income in Oakland,…

A Second Listen to Student Voice

Common Core author David Coleman shocked a crowd of educators in 2011 when he declared, “…as you grow up in this world, you realize people…

Instead of School Supplies Give Parents a List of What Their Kids Need to Succeed

Last August I was visiting family in Oregon when I walked into a supermarket and by the front door saw a large sign that read…

If You’re Not Going to Teach Our Kids to Read, Then We’re Taking Your Ass to Court

Outrage: Kids Can’t Read, America It took the kid about 5 minutes to read one sentence. He struggled to pronounce the easiest words. I was…

Effective Early Education Requires Effective and Empowered Early Educators

Effective early childhood education paves the way for school success and better life chances. This is a well-researched fact. Yet, a high percentage of young…

I’m a Cambodian Kid From Compton and Because of My Mom, I Graduated From College

As a young man growing up on the East Side of Compton, California, I never quite understood my place in my community or society. I…

Why We’ve Got to Talk About Race If We Want to Achieve Education Equity

Our inability as a nation to engage in difficult conversations about race has left us with a lack of agreement on how to define equity.…

Most of My Students Didn’t Know Any College Graduates But That’s Not Stopping Them From Going to College

“I can’t believe they picked me.” That’s what Keaton Hall, a senior at Uncommon Schools Rochester Prep High School, said to me on FaceTime when…

Real Educational Equity Isn’t Going to Just Happen in Schools

Those of us in the education and learning fields are focused on developing ways to reduce the persistent educational inequities that harm low-income students. Unfortunately,…