A phone comes out in the second row, nine minutes into the lesson. You have seen it. So have half a dozen others, and the ones who missed it can tell from the change in the room that something is happening. Everyone is now waiting to find out what you do. Whatever happens in the […]
Legal
Posted inSocial Justice
Really, Though, Why Do We Say The Pledge of Allegiance?
The Resurgence of the Pledge In the past, my school has been inconsistent about saying the pledge of allegiance. We’ve had it as a part of our video announcements with limited fidelity, and definitely not daily. I have only hazy memories of saying it as a student, perhaps on occasion in elementary school. This year, […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
SPLC’s “Credit Overdue”: Why it Matters for Youth Offenders
The Southern Poverty Law Center recently released a report about the education challenges incarcerated youth face, called Credit Overdue. After exploring legislation, policies, and real-life experiences of youth in multiple states, the SPLC uncovered a troubling trend: many students who serve time in juvenile detention are not awarded credit for the coursework they complete at […]
Posted inBack to School
Staying Within Law: Special Education Teachers and IDEA
Although it’s been a rough start to the 20-2021 school year for most school districts in the United States, school districts are still required to meet the service needs of their special education students. Under IDEA, the Bible for Special Services, also known as the Individuals with Disabilities Act, denotes in detail what our special […]
Posted inLegal
Copyright Violations in the Classroom: When Beg, Borrow, and Steal Turns into a Crime
When you are a newbie teacher entering the profession, a veteran will pull you to the side and say, “It is okay to beg, borrow, and steal.” It is a teacher right of passage to be told this knowledge and to implement it. Because many schools across the United States are lacking the appropriate resources […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
The Problem with Alien: A Teacher’s Perspective
Recently, North Bergen High School in New Jersey put on a production of Alien: The Play. The show was clearly beautifully done, with the students building massive and accurate sets and costumes out of nothing but recycled materials. The show was a big hit and brought in a good deal of money for the previously-fundless drama […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
Affirmative Action at the Crossroads: Which Direction will the Supreme Court Go?
Affirmative Action: Remedy or Racist? Recent actions by the Trump Administration and the pending resignation of Anthony Kennedy from the Supreme Court have brought into question the status of affirmative action, the set of federal policies instituted by John F. Kennedy to counteract centuries of discrimination against specific minorities in American society. Affirmative action was […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Civility in the Classroom and the Rise of American Fascism
Setting the Stage I am in a hotel room with three millennials: Grace, 24, Gabriel, 22, Glorie, 20. An argument is raging: How can I be civil with people who support evil? I know that’s harsh. Is your neighbor who voted for Trump evil? I’ll say no. But these young people are having none of it. […]