Nancy Easton, my pastor, began this week’s sermon (words / audio) with a clip from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. The man who graced public television from the late ’60s through the early millennium drew full attention from an equally diverse audience that was, at the least, aware of the impact of Fred Rogers, and, at most, daily childhood […]
race
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Race-Based Silence is Violence
Look around your school. Who would be the person to talk to your students about race and how it affects minorities? Who would start the conversation about Alton Sterling or Philando Castille? If you cannot think of anyone, there is an issue. If you don’t think children need to discuss racially charged incidents, there is an […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Social Justice, Uncategorized
Race and Your School: Why Educators Must Read Between the World and Me
Why Educators Must Read ‘Between the World and Me’ “No one directly proclaimed that schools were designed to sanctify failure and destruction. But a great number of educators spoke of ‘personal responsibility’ in a country authored and sustained by a criminal irresponsibility. The point of this language of ‘intention’ and ‘personal responsibility’ is broad exoneration. Mistakes […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Where's The Outrage for Jordan Davis?
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] For months we’ve witnessed educators across the country becoming infuriated with the possibility that a national set of standards, the Common Core Standards, will be implemented in states across America. People […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, Kindergarten, Opinion
Race DOES Matter: A Male Teacher of Color Reflects
When it comes to my job, there are very few things that bother me. However, the one thing that does is the reality that within my district, I am the ONLY African American teacher in any of our high schools (our district has 2 high schools). I am always reminded of this whenever students come […]