Richard Whitmire’s ‘The Founders’ Is Turning Myths on Their Heads

Richard Whitmire’s new book, “The Founders,” offers a virtual tour through the moves, machinations and mindsets that led to the growth of a particular flav

Read More

5 Reasons I’m Optimistic About the Class of 2020

I don’t have teenage kids any more, but I do have a special interest in the nearly 4 million kids who are just starting high school right now. Back in 2010

Read More
Teachers Unions Must Stop Standing With Republicans Against Closing the Equity 'Loophole' in Title I Funding

Teachers Unions Must Stop Standing With Republicans Against Closing the Equity ‘Loophole’ in Title I Funding

The Obama administration is trying to end a longstanding bit of systemic inequity in the public schools, but his officials are facing the stiff arm from an

Read More
The Conversation We Need on Race Happens in Classrooms Everyday

The Conversation We Need on Race Happens in Classrooms Everyday

Every August, I visit all of our schools across the country to meet with our teams, listen to their vision for the year ahead, and celebrate the start of a

Read More

New Orleans Is Redefining the Meaning of Local Control

Local control of public education has become the rallying cry for many folks on all sides of education debates, from Tea Party libertarians to Bernie Sande

Read More

Sexism stings for a long time, in politics and in the classroom

When Hillary Clinton became the first female nominee for President of the United States, I’ll admit I cried. I looked at my daughter and my tears came. Not

Read More

Do You Think of Dallas as a Leader on Integrating Schools? Maybe You Should.

Dallas has been in the news lately for its ongoing conversations about race and class in the wake of tragic shootings. Like other American cities, Dallas i

Read More
How to Have 'The Talk' With Your Black Students When They Return to School

How to Have ‘The Talk’ With Your Black Students When They Return to School

Eric Holder stated that in his version of “the talk,” which he hoped to not have to “[hand] down,” that “as a father who loves his son and who is more know

Read More
This Teacher Learned to Walk in Two Worlds While Teaching on a Reservation

This Teacher Learned to Walk in Two Worlds While Teaching on a Reservation

As a brand new teacher, I thought I had the tools I needed to teach any students, any place I found a job. But it only took a month for me in my first lice

Read More