Why the Department of Education Finally Needs to Accept That Education Is a Civil Right

As a 5-year old kindergartner, I was threatened with my first suspension for being talkative and “disruptive” in class by my almost 70-year-old White teacher.…

Our Students Need Every Educator to Speak Up to Ensure DeVos Hears Our Support for Restorative Justice

In my decade in Chicago Public Schools as a social worker and currently as a behavioral health specialist, I’ve learned a great education goes beyond…

Forget About the Pipeline, School Discipline Is Already a Prison for Many Students

As I walked past the principal’s office, I could see that Jonah was sitting outside again, his small legs shaking nervously, his head hung low.…

On the First Day We Teach Them to Tie Their Necktie, But It’s So Much More Than That

“This is the moment when you really become a high school student at Boston Prep. This is the moment when you learn to tie a…

#EdEquityChat Roundup: Is Education a Civil Right?

Yesterday evening, Education Post held an #EdEquityChat on Twitter based on answering the question, “Is Education a Civil Right?” In light of the current climate…

Students Speak Out on School Suspensions

Much has been written about the negative impacts of suspending and expelling students—it leads to worse academic outcomes, increases the odds of students dropping out…

What Happened to Serena Williams at the U.S. Open Happens to Black Girls in School Every Day

Serena Williams, decidedly the greatest athlete of our generation, is no stranger to the obstacles of being a strong, Black woman. This past weekend at…

Students Don’t Learn From Suspensions But Restorative Justice Offers Opportunity

For the last few years, Chicago Public Schools has been working hard to change its discipline policies and practices to reduce suspensions and expulsions. Instead,…

A Back-to-School Love Letter to Parents of Kids With Special Needs and Disabilities

Dear Fellow Parent Warriors, While every parent has strong feelings as a new school year approaches—excitement, nerves, even a little worry—our special tribe of parents…

Nick Didn’t Need Another Suspension. He Needed to Know I Loved and Believed in Him.

Nick was a sixth-grader who, before joining my classroom, had been suspended from several of his previous schools. He is easy to pick out in…