Race

Discussing White Privilege in an All-White Class Is Uncomfortable. Do It Anyway.
With so many pressing education issues on our collective agenda, it is important that we don’t ignore the national conversation on race that erupted during…

I’m Empowering My Students to Lead Conversations About Race
In late September, I began my class with my usual prompt: Is there anything in the news you’d like to share? My students would generally…

Yes, White Teachers Still Need to Be Ready to Talk to Students About Race
“What’s the difference between a killing and a lynching?” The question popped up on my phone through the Google Hangouts app I installed in March.…

Every Student Should Have the Opportunity to Read Books That Affirm Their Identity
I always found school history and literature boring. Growing up Taiwanese American, I never saw myself or my community represented in my school’s history or…

Kamala Harris Has an Opportunity to Stand Up for Black Kids
After months of speculation in what I personally believe is the least covered presidential campaign in modern history, Joe Biden announced Senator Kamala Harris as…

I Haven’t Been Doing a Great Job Talking About Racism With My White Children. It’s Time to Step It Up.
I’m going to admit something: I have not been doing a super job talking about racism with my four White stepkids. And part of the…

George Floyd Is Proof America Needs More Black Teachers
America, 2020: A Black man is recorded being killed in broad daylight by a White police officer trained to “protect and serve.” As videos and…

Teachers Must Hold Themselves Accountable for Dismantling Racial Oppression
This week began with a hike in the woods for my family and me in the Shenandoah Valley State Park. Pre COVID-19, our outings consisted…

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…

Here’s One Way to Talk With Teachers About Race in Schools
I’m five hours into facilitating a professional development on race for a group of teachers. Overall, the morning was positive: everyone has remained engaged in…