No, You Should Not Be Teaching Black Children if You Reject Anti-Racism

There would be no lynching if it did not start in the schoolroom. Dr. Carter G. Woodson The news has been full of parents, school…

It’s Time to Add Multicultural Literature to the Academic Equation

The teaching population in the United States is 87% white female, the typical educator a blonde or brunette under the age of 35. Dominating the…

My Students Deserve to Share Their Stories On Their Own Terms

I found “The Bluest Eye” on my own in my older sister’s classroom books. I was in ninth grade. I can’t remember what I thought…

How Public Schools Fail to Recognize Black Prodigies

Amid numerous articles about how Black students lag behind others in educational achievement, occasionally you may hear about a young Black “prodigy” who got accepted into college at an early…

Teacher Diversity Explained: Why It Matters, and How We Got Here

While America’s student body has grown more diverse over time, the teachers working with them have remained overwhelmingly white. While more than half of public…

Educators Who Consider Themselves ‘White Allies’ Are Dangerous When It Comes To Developing Anti-Racist Classrooms

“I am a white ally,” the 30 something-year-old white teacher declared emphatically in the diversity and inclusion professional development session. She snapped her fingers to…

My Teacher Didn’t Know How To Be Culturally Responsive, But These Standards Will Help the Next Generation of Teachers

When I was eleven, my teacher divided our class into groups of four to complete a project on the United States Constitution. The three other…

Discussing White Privilege in an All-White Class Is Uncomfortable. Do It Anyway.

With so many pressing education issues on our collective agenda, it is important that we don’t ignore the national conversation on race that erupted during…

Teachers Can Legally Hit Your Children in 19 States. Let’s Talk About It.

This past year has tested more than our mettle as educators; it’s tested our investment in the causes we claim as ours. I mean, it’s…

Yes, White Teachers Still Need to Be Ready to Talk to Students About Race

“What’s the difference between a killing and a lynching?” The question popped up on my phone through the Google Hangouts app I installed in March.…