This County Made History and Elected Its First School Board Member of Color

On a cold December evening in Gwinnett County, Georgia, my mother and I rushed to find good seats in the auditorium of the J. Alvin…

While We’re Stuck On Blackface, Black Faces Continue to Suffer in a Racist School System

Yeah, I said it. All week, on social media and news outlets, there’s been coverage of Virginia’s Governor, Ralph Northam, denying claims of wearing blackface…

Trump and DeVos Should Know What It Means for Our Students of Color When They Remove Discipline Guidance

The 2014 federal school discipline guidance—which the Federal School Safety Commission today said should be scrapped—isn’t just about policy and data, it’s about Gee. This…

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…

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…

Why Waste Time With School, Just Send Black Kids Right to Jail

Outrage: Just Send Black Kids Right to Jail Clinton Stanley Sr. couldn’t understand. “You deny a kid an education on his hair?” This was Clinton…

My Son Was Not Going to Be a Victim of the School-to-Prison Pipeline

My son loved everything about school, until he didn’t. He was eager to learn, read, write and make friends. At 5, he had already had…

Everyone Keeps Talking About Implicit Racial Bias But What Is It?

Over the last few days, I’ve been tackling implicit bias with my eighth-graders. I mean, if Starbucks can shut down for a day to learn…