Zachary Wright

Zachary Wright is an assistant professor of practice at Relay Graduate School of Education, serving Philadelphia and Camden, and a communications activist at Education Post. Prior, he was the twelfth-grade world literature and Advanced Placement literature teacher at Mastery Charter School's Shoemaker Campus, where he taught students for eight years—including the school's first eight graduating classes. Wright was a national finalist for the 2018 U.S. Department of Education's School Ambassador Fellowship, and he was named Philadelphia's Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 2013. During his more than 10 years in Philadelphia classrooms, Wright created a relationship between Philadelphia's Mastery Schools and the University of Vermont that led to the granting of near-full-ride college scholarships for underrepresented students. And he participated in the fight for equitable education funding by testifying before Philadelphia's Board of Education and in the Pennsylvania State Capitol rotunda. Wright has been recruited by Facebook and Edutopia to speak on digital education. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, he organized demonstrations to close the digital divide. His writing has been published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Citizen, Chalkbeat, Education Leadership, and numerous education blogs. Wright lives in Collingswood, New Jersey, with his wife and two sons. Read more about Wright's work and pick up a copy of his new book, " Dismantling A Broken System; Actions to Close the Equity, Justice, and Opportunity Gaps in American Education"—now available for pre-order!

Posts By Zachary Wright

School Choice

It Is No More Progressive to Take Dollars From Teachers Union Lobbyists Than It Is to Take Dollars From the NRA

This is for my fellow progressives and Democrats. Beware those who lambaste charter schools in the name of “public education.” Beware those who decry “privatization.” After all, what could be more...

Charter Schools

Here’s a Breakdown on Why I Told My Students I Was Racist

“Mr. Wright, are you racist?” “Absolutely,” I said. “I’m a White man in America. What else could I be?” So began a piece I wrote recently that has garnered some fascinating, helpful and necessary...

Teaching

My Student Asked Me If I Was Racist So I Told the Truth and Said Yes

“Mr. Wright, are you racist?” My West Philadelphia classroom, which had been filled with the sounds of shuffling papers, squeaking chairs, and the quintessential high-paced chatter of teenagers, got...

student achievement

Holding Teachers Accountable Without Adequate Teacher Prep Programs Is a Set-Up

One of my resolutions for this new year is to think outside of silos and to start connecting the dots between the wide, disparate, and interwoven factors within education, among them teacher...

Teaching

My Ancestor Was in the Confederate Army. That Matters When I'm in Front of Students.

In my current role as an assistant professor of practice at a graduate school of education, one of the things I try to impart to new teachers is the importance of understanding our own identities as...

School Funding

No Matter What Anyone Says, the Money Ought to Follow the Kid Regardless of What Kind of Public School They Choose

I am punching above my weight. I am no education policy wonk, nor am I a mover or shaker in America’s larger educational conversation. But a recent blog post by the well-known edu-legends Carol...

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