I Don’t Know if Biden Can Heal This Nation, But a House Divided Cannot Stand

November 2016, I walked into my school building to students blocking their peers from coming through my classroom door. They said, “We’re building a wall,…

We Have to Teach About What Happened at the Capitol Yesterday

I sat yesterday after school watching the news, Twitter and my email, mortified by the actions unfolding in our nation’s capital (and across the nation),…

Teachers Can Legally Hit Your Children in 19 States. Let’s Talk About It.

This past year has tested more than our mettle as educators; it’s tested our investment in the causes we claim as ours. I mean, it’s…

The Elections Are Over, But Education Politics Aren’t. Are You Ready?

Elections have consequences. This phrase is often cited, and in the wake of last week’s elections, I find myself alongside other educators, reeling in 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…

The American School System Must Push Back on Fascist Ideas

I am going to share a dirty little secret. For over 20 years, I have been a frequent viewer of “Fox & Friends.” The blame…

Advocating for My Students Requires Being Political on My Own Time

With election season upon us, like clockwork, the collective efforts to stifle the political opinions of educators has begun. Navigating this climate requires a nuanced…

4 Tips to Prioritize Students’ Dignity During Remote Learning

Have you ever revisited your philosophy of teaching? I don’t mean the progressive policies you ardently advocate for at faculty meetings or on Facebook; I…

COVID Changed Everything About My Classroom

I cried as I set up my classroom this year. This was no dainty, politely fighting-back-tears kind of cry. It was a violent, sobbing, heaving…

I Believe in School Choice, But Only When Those Choices Are Available to Everyone

Two weeks ago, the governor of my state directed $32 million dollars in funds from the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund to create…