Here’s What I Wish White Teachers Knew When Teaching My Black Children

Dear White Teachers of My Black Children: I am a Black mom and I have two children who are now in high school. Raising them…

White Teachers Working to Create Equitable Schools Must Accept That Race Impacts How We Teach

I remember the moment clearly. It was my sophomore year of college and we were in a crowded cafeteria. A friend asked me to identify…

How We Build a Pipeline of Teachers That Know How to Talk About Race and Social Justice

Nearly 60 years ago, our nation’s students watched as leaders of the civil rights movement pushed back against entrenched Jim Crow laws and re-defined American…

I Am So Tired of Talking About Racism in Schools But America Won’t Let Me Live

Outrage: Racism, 101 Believe it or not, I get tired of talking about race. But unfortunately, there’s not a day that goes by where I’m…

Arne Duncan’s New Book Made Me Feel Awful But You Should Totally Read It

I just finished hate-reading Arne Duncan’s book, “How Schools Work.” I didn’t hate the book, but for so many reasons, I really hated reading it.…

‘America to Me’ Director Steve James on Having a Real Conversation About Race in Schools

Two summers ago, I wrote an essay called “The challenges of being a black Principal in today’s racial and political climate.” It was a reflection…

It Would Be So Easy for Me to Stop Caring About Race. But Then That Would Be Stupid.

It would be so easy to stop caring about race. Yes, I can only say this because I’m White. Yes, I can only say this…

We All Have Blind Spots About Race. Here Are More Racial Crossfit Exercises to Keep You Morally Fit.

I recently wrote about my White teacher who badmouthed civil rights in 1995. She willfully did not want to let go of White supremacy. There…

My Teacher Said ‘I Love My Mammy’ and My Principal Thought I Was the One With the Problem

Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions pledged to defend free speech on campuses and criticized the idea of creating safe spaces on campus, protected from…

All the Black Kids Are Still Sitting Together in the Cafeteria

I attended a predominantly Latino grammar school. We were all friends for the most part—the Black students, Mexican students and the few White students that…