School Funding
10 Issues We Could Solve in Education If We Really Wanted To
With another school year upon us, here are 10 issues facing public education in no particular order. They range from the structural to the cultural but they all share one thing in common: they are...
U.S. Department of Education
Arne Duncan’s New Book Made Me Feel Awful But You Should Totally Read It
I just finished hate-reading Arne Duncan’s book, “ How Schools Work.” I didn’t hate the book, but for so many reasons, I really hated reading it. As a teacher, the most damaging, dangerous thought I...
Diversity
Start the School Year With Equity in Mind
I’ve always liked the beginning of the school year much more than I like the ending. There is a mad rush at the end of the year that precedes that final bell. Compare that to the beginning of the...
School Discipline
It’s Time for a Discipline Revolution in Our Schools
It’s back-to-school season and, this year more than ever, it is time to rethink how we approach student discipline. Dramatic current events, a steady drumbeat of data and research and vocal activists...
California
This Isn't the Time for a Teacher Strike in Los Angeles
On August 14, public schools in Los Angeles opened their doors to 700,000 wide-eyed students eager to learn. On August 23, the teachers union began a strike vote, claiming that labor negotiations...
Teaching
I Wanted to Stop Suffering, Just Like Jamel Myles
Trigger Warning: Suicide, homophobia, bullying The first time I contemplated and attempted suicide, I was a high school freshman. An email circulated around my friend group that said I was gay, and...