I’m an Immigrant and a Student and My Voice Matters

When I was about 7 years old, I immigrated to the United States from Mexico. It was 2008 and I arrived in New York City…

I’ve Educated All Over North America and Now I’m Bringing That Experience to My Own Los Angeles School

Growing up it was difficult to escape discussions about education. Whether it was homework projects at the time or the future investments in my college…

My Sister’s Battle With Severe Mental Illness Taught Me Never to Stand for Pretense

My parents, Jerry and Emily, had three daughters. I’m the oldest, followed by Carla two years later, and then my youngest sister. Carla, I’m told,…

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…

These 12 States Are Being Sued for Not Funding Schools Equitably

As teacher strikes bring attention to underfunded public schools, families and education advocates are suing to compel states to uphold statutory or constitutional obligations on education funding.…

My Son Has Autism and This School Taught Him to Say ‘Mom’

At 5, my son, Niko, was still in diapers. He didn’t know how to communicate. He wouldn’t let anyone touch him. I was afraid for…

Cynthia Nixon’s Run for Governor Is Looking a Lot More Like ‘Hypocrisy and the City’

For the past decade or so, the forces of the educational status quo have done battle with those of education reformers. The most common line…

Washington Still Hasn’t Gotten the Message That Our Schools Need Restorative Practices

Thousands of students have walked out of classrooms and marched on Washington to send a message on gun violence. Message not received. Instead of listening…

What Happens When Even the ‘Best’ Neighborhood School Treats Its Students With Disabilities Horribly?

The New York Post recently profiled Wesley Clark, a 9-year-old fourth-grader at PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights. The article describes a “supposedly progressive Brooklyn Heights public school that talks…

Turns Out Arresting Kids in School Is Totally a Race Thing

I was in my sophomore year at an all-boys’ Catholic high school in the Bronx the first time I saw a school administrator lay hands…