My Black Students Have Learned to Be Wary of People Who Look Like Me, And That’s Not Racist

Recently in class, my students and I were listening to Lil Nas X sing “Old Town Road,” for what felt like the 100th time. Unintentionally I began to sing a

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Thank God for Parents Who Refuse to Be Gaslighted by the Failing Education System

Thank God for Parents Who Refuse to Be Gaslighted by the Failing Education System

Last week I attended a community town hall in Nashville organized by my friend Vesia Hawkins, a relentless and faithful community servant who brought toget

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The Biggest Problem for Kids Today Isn’t Stress, It’s Lack of Purpose

Over 20 years ago, like many college students in the throes of existential questions, I half-knowingly embarked on a quest for meaning. For much of the tim

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Black Teachers Face Extra Scrutiny While White Teachers Often Get a Pass

Black Teachers Face Extra Scrutiny While White Teachers Often Get a Pass

When we hire White teachers, their quality is generally assumed rather than questioned. But when we look at Black educators, their quality is generally que

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Drop Your Assumptions About Kids With Special Needs and Their Families

Drop Your Assumptions About Kids With Special Needs and Their Families

As a parent of a child with special needs, I pay a lot of money to provide the services that she needs to be successful in school. A lot. A lot of money, a

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

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 of my social medi

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White Students Can Fight for Racial Justice, But Only If Teachers Are Willing to Give Them the Tools

White Students Can Fight for Racial Justice, But Only If Teachers Are Willing to Give Them the Tools

[pullquote position=”right”]Our students want to know more than we are telling them.[/pullquote] I teach a class in which my predominantly White juniors an

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

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 plans listed on your campa

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We Can't Fight This Education Battle If Our Trauma Beats Us Before We Beat the System

We Can’t Fight This Education Battle If Our Trauma Beats Us Before We Beat the System

Last night during the Education Leaders of Color (EdLoc) Convening, an itty bitty lady from Puerto Rico with a powerful voice and massive mission was asked

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