Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Recently unions have been a topic of discussion following the successful unionizing of Amazon’s JFK8 warehouse in New York and Starbucks stores nationwide. In the education industry—where not outlawed— unions can be found in most places across the country. […]
teacher activism
American Teachers: Take Off Your Identification Badges; Take Back Your School!
I began my teaching career in 1995. I had no experience with school resource officers, exterior doors at most schools were unlocked during the day, and metal detectors were used only in extreme cases. Then on April 20, 1999, the Columbine tragedy changed the conversation about the nature of schools and about the youth of America. The perpetrators […]
The State of Our Union, The State of Our Schools
Year One. Friday, January 20, 2017, saw the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States of America. On January 25, 2017, I hesitantly pushed the publish button — sharing my thoughts with the internet with my first piece: “I am a Feminist, but I didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.” Therefore, Trump’s ascendency and […]
Barbie Doll Teachers: Is That What We Want?
Should teachers be politically androgynous? Barbie Dolls, besides lacking correct anatomy and proportions, perpetually smile-at everything. Their vapid expressions often connote brainlessness or at least ignorance. In essence, Barbie Dolls are passive, happy toys. For some Americans, the ideal image of a teacher is similar to that of a Barbie Doll: pleasant, non-confrontational, amusing, and […]
I am Ms. Deyshia Hargrave
And so are the 3.2 million public school teachers across America. On Monday, January 8, 2018, Ms. Deyshia Hargrave, a veteran public school teacher, questioned the Vermillion Parish School District’s Board of Education’s decision to raise the salary of Superintendent Jerome Puyau (by over $30,000). When speaking at the meeting, Ms. Hargrave said: “We […]
Inspirational Educator: Sarah Shourd
Sarah Shourd is a teacher. She is a writer. She is a reformer. But most of all, Sarah Shourd inspires us all by surviving 14 months of solitary confinement in Iran. Yes, after spending time educating the refugees of Syria in their new homes in Iraq, Ms. Shourd decided to take a leisurely hike in […]
Saving Public Education – Saving Our Students: The Philadelphia Story
[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”] There is a war on public education, and Philadelphia could be the model used to privatize education, especially education for the disadvantaged. I believe teachers, as the experts, need to be […]