Teachers, If You Haven’t Been Giving a Damn About Your Students, We Definitely Don’t Need You Now

Before I stroll into my routine of being a habitual line stepper, let me state my usual disclaimer. Educators, I love and appreciate y’all. I…

White Progressives Have a Lot of Work to Do, and I’m Not Here to Help

When I ran for school board it was the former Minneapolis mayor who was the first elected official to endorse me. She asked me a…

Our Kids Can No Longer Wait for Educational Justice, And They Shouldn’t Have To

I wanna talk about three things: movements, public education and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words foreshadowing what would be an ongoing and urgent fight.…

Why Are Black Families Leaving Chicago? Maybe They Can’t Afford to Wait for Better Schools.

My hometown of Chicago has touted itself as a progressive city for many years. We’ve stood firm in our position as a sanctuary city and…

Lakisha Young Talks About How Oakland Is Tackling the Reading Crisis

Lakisha Young is the executive director of The Oakland REACH. Her work began through witnessing the disparities faced by Black and Brown students, including members…

The Republican Party Doesn’t Own the School Reform Movement. People of Color Do.

On Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump delivered his fourth State of the Union Address (SOTU) to the 116th Congress and the nation. The annual address…

Minnesota’s Bill Wilson Walked His Talk About Improving Schools for Families. Now It’s Our Turn.

Nothing stopped Bill Wilson. From the time he was bused past three schools because he was African American, to the day he was told it was…

I Don’t Want to Hear Another Argument About How Charter Schools Are Killing Public Schools

Dear America,  Please don’t bother my community with anti-charter school arguments in 2020. That’s unless you’re willing to get involved with majority-Black attended public schools…

We Shined a Light on What Many Refuse to See: World-Class Cities With Third-World Educational Results

You mad, bro? That seems like the most appropriate question to ask after my team released “The Secret Shame of Progressive Cities” last week, a…

Here’s What It Really Means to Move to a ‘Good School’ in a ‘Good Neighborhood’

Many White folks, especially Northern White liberals who voted for Obama, would argue they are not racist, even while they actively cause harm to Black…