What Oklahoma Teachers Can Learn From the Montgomery Bus Boycott

On this day in Montgomery, Alabama, 63 years ago, Black people strategically rebelled against one of White supremacy’s ‘systems.’ That day, Black folks got into…

It Doesn’t Take a Miracle to Educate Kids of Color

Outrage: We’re Wasting Time Last week I went to my first Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference. I came home empowered, inspired and motivated.…

This Isn’t the Time for a Teacher Strike in Los Angeles

On August 14, public schools in Los Angeles opened their doors to 700,000 wide-eyed students eager to learn. On August 23, the teachers union began…

The Atlantic Shoots an Airball on Its Coverage of LeBron’s New School

I’m a fan of Atlantic writer Alia Wong and her stewardship of the magazine’s education coverage, even if it does seem to tilt against reform.…

We Can Make the First Year of Teaching Better. Here’s How.

When Barack Obama was elected president in November 2008, I was living in Chicago and working as a computer security engineer. After hearing Obama’s passionate…

A New Survey Suggests How Teachers Would Run Our Schools

Surveys suggest teachers are the most trusted voices in public education and thanks to an excellent new survey from Educators for Excellence, we have some…

It’s Not Real School Accountability If No One Is Held Accountable

What do voters consider most important when it comes to public education? According to a recent poll commissioned by the largest teachers union in my…

Here Are Three Reasons for Chicago Public Schools’ Success

With Chicago’s school closings, enrollment declines, funding issues and problematic special education reforms dominating the headlines for the past five years, it’s difficult to trust…

I May Not Like Teachers Unions’ Politics But I Respect How They Hold Teachers Down

Outrage: Teachers Already Deal With Enough Right after the Janus decision dropped, I had this conversation with an associate who’s an educator: “I had to…

After Janus, Unions Need to Give Teachers a Reason to Opt In and I Hope They Give Them One

I embraced education reform to strengthen schools, not to weaken unions, so I am not especially happy about the Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus vs.…