Jay Wamsted

Jay Wamsted has taught math at Benjamin E. Mays High School in southwest Atlanta for fourteen years. His writing has been featured in various journals and magazines, including "Harvard Educational Review," "Mathematics Teacher" and "Sojourners." He can be found online at "The Southeast Review," "Under the Sun" and the "TEDx" YouTube channel, where you can watch his 2017 talk “Eating the Elephant: Ending Racism & the Magic of Trust.” He and his wife have four young children, and he rides his bicycle to and from work just about every day. You can contact him on Twitter @JayWamsted or by email, wamsted@gmail.com.

Posts By Jay Wamsted

anti-racism

I Can't Expect Some Magical Black Character to Declare Me 'Good White People.' I Have to Do the Work.

It was a year ago that I tried sweet potato pie for the first time. Now, I am white and, though I have lived in Atlanta for 20 years, I am not originally from the South. So, this first bite of pie is...

Teaching

You Can't Sit This Election Out. Your Students Are Watching.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016. I arrive at school bleary and unfocused—up too late the night before, fitful sleep, early rise. Class hasn’t started yet, students aren’t even officially supposed to be...

equity

Black Boys Don’t Need You to Fix Them

White people need to watch the new film, “Black Boys.” There is only one problem—I am worried that it will prove to be a siren song to white people. It will call to them, reach out into their living...

COVID-19

America, I Know You're Tired: A Letter From a Virtual Teacher

Dear America, Let me get this out of the way first thing: I am a public school teacher, and I wish I were in the classroom right now with your children. However, I am teaching remotely from my home...

COVID-19

Today Should Have Been Our First Day of School

For 14 years I have taught math at the same high school. The entirety of my career—three thousand students, eighty classes, 13 preps, five rooms, four grade levels, two different buildings even—all...

Teaching

How Do We Fix Racist White Teachers?

Can a white teacher still be decent at their job if they hold and express racist views? Educator Jay Wamsted joined Chris Stewart for a special edition of “Education is Power” on the evening of July...

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