6 Things Black Students Need to Hear After Nipsey Hussle’s Death

“He was a former gang member…and in other news…” That’s what my favorite local news station, WGN, had to say about Ermias Joseph Asghedom—better known…

These Sixth-Graders Are Recreating Classic Book Covers for Black History Month

Terrance Sims is getting creative this Black History Month. A sixth-grade teacher, Sims and his students recreated classic book covers written by famous Black historical…

My School Showed Me My Passion and Now I’m a Filmmaker

In Georgia, 84,000 students attended charter schools in the 2016-17 school year. My story is just one of thousands of success stories of students who…

Robert F. Kennedy, the ‘Complicated’ Advocate for Civil Rights

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was killed on June 6, 1968. He was a top contender for the Democratic presidential nomination that year. His assassination came…

Stephen Hawking Showed Us That Every Student Has Hidden Talents, Even Those With Profound Disabilities

Last night, I heard the news of Stephen Hawking’s passing. He and I had been corresponding these past few weeks and I knew he had…

‘No Excuses’ Only Works When It Applies to the Adults in the School, Too

Many schools with strict discipline practice what they call a “no excuses” philosophy. The problem with many “no excuses” schools is that the motto is…

VIDEO: We’re Not Doing Enough to Fight Racism in Our Schools

On religious holidays, so many of us have family and faith community practices of rereading stories related to that holiday. On Independence Day, I’m not…

These Kids Show You How to Celebrate School Choice Week

It’s National School Choice Week and students from around the country can’t stop dancing. Yes, dancing is a thing. Every year, students don their yellow…

VIDEO: We’re Black Education Advocates and We’re Taking Our Seats at the Table

First let me say that the views and and opinions expressed in this piece are not those of Tanesha Peeples, Deputy Director of Outreach for…

VIDEO: One of the Greatest Threats to Our Black Students Is the Teachers Who Don’t Believe in Them

Slowly education activists of every stripe are warming to this reality: There is no way to improve education without putting key stakeholders—students, parents and educators—at…