We Can Support Our Teachers and Still Call B.S. on This Chicago Strike

You know what? It’s a real shame that people can’t seem to separate politics from public service. Because if one more person comes on one…

After 40 Years, There Is Still Time for the U.S. Department of Education to Become a Good Idea

Wherever you exist on the political spectrum, the U.S. Department of Education’s work has never been more relevant to the lives of families and students,…

She Has a Plan for Everything, So Where Is Elizabeth Warren’s Plan for K-12 Education?

I love a woman with a plan! And, Senator Warren, it seems like you have a plan for just about everything. There are currently 50…

Time for Democrats to Recognize the Progressive Roots of Charter Schools

Listening to the rhetoric of Democratic presidential candidates, one would think charter schools were a Republican initiative opposed by all progressives. Bernie Sanders calls for a…

Teachers Are Rightfully Demanding Better for Themselves, But What Are They Bringing to the Table?

Behold, the Chicago model of educator noisemaking has gone national, and now public school teachers have emerged as an indomitable political force using loud, large,…

Teachers, I Love You. But Sometimes Your Unions Are Full of It.

Ironically, I spent part of my Labor Day arguing with unionized teachers on social media. Yep, I sure did. Because every time I make an…

Chicago Teachers Union: Focus On Students and Teachers, Not Venezuela

In a few short weeks, my classroom will be squirming with anxious excitement from a group of new first graders. But they aren’t the only…

There’s Room in the NAACP to Talk About the Importance of School Choice for Black Parents

I was recently the subject of a hit piece in the Huffington Post, which tried to connect me to the Koch brothers because, as a…

In Everything We Do, We Must Ask, ‘How Are the Children?’

With so many pressing issues that threaten our planet, our elections, and our major institutions, why do I live and breathe education activism?  For me…

Do I Really Have to Defend Civil Rights Activists From the NAACP?

For months, I’ve struggled internally with blasting the NAACP for its stance on charter schools. To chastise an advocacy organization that has been instrumental in…