Why is it a problem for some when academic spaces are comprised of more Black teachers than White teachers? I continue to be baffled by the resistance to this change, especially from White teachers. The reality is that many Black teachers function in predominantly White academic spaces for the entirety of our careers, often without… Continue reading An Impassioned Plea For The Purposeful Hiring of More Black Teachers
This is a guest post by Dr. Anael Alston, who was born and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. “Dr. A” is currently the Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Access, Equity and Community Engagement in the New York State Education Department. “I am…” declared Michael D. Smith. “My Brother’s Keeper!” nearly 500 young men of color… Continue reading The My Brother’s Keeper Movement in New York State and the Audacious Goal of Success for All
City kids are struggling with basic math and English — but a new Department of Education curricular initiative focuses instead on racial privilege and activism, The Post has learned. As soon as I read this opening sentence of this NY Post article, I was completely taken aback. Racial privilege? Activism? What — you mean activating… Continue reading The NYC DOE Has Racism Coursing Through Its Veins and Carranza Is Trying To Do Something About It. Why the Pushback?: Part 1.
It was exactly at this time last year when Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Richard Carranza announced their plan to introduce a bill in the New York State Assembly that would alter admission to New York City’s 8 Specialized High Schools from a single Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) to extending offers to… Continue reading A SHSAT Compromise I Can Live With – Can You?
This is a response by John Dukes, Vivett Dukes’ husband, to her most recent post. He describes himself this way: “You should know that first and foremost, I am a family man who loves God. I honor my commitment to my marriage, my children, and my friends fully. I am a happy person who has… Continue reading A Survivor of the School-to-Prison Pipeline Speaks Out.
Legacy, legacy, legacy, legacy Black excellence baby, you gon’ let ’em see Legacy, legacy, legacy, legacy Black excellency, baby, let ’em see” Jay-Z, “Legacy” I’m up early this morning and these lyrics by one of the most profoundly impactful rappers of our time takes on a whole new meaning for me and resonates deeply within… Continue reading Ode to My Son, Christian Hemans, On His College Graduation
When my editorial, The Drive To Change Elite School Admissions Is All About Killing the Messenger, ran in the New York Post on March 21, I received many compliments from friends and readers. My husband was not impressed. He started peppering me with questions: What are the numbers for this? What are the numbers for… Continue reading By the Numbers: Math the NYC Department of Education Really Doesn’t Want Parents To Do
One day I was walking through the 30th Street train station in Philadelphia when I heard someone shout, “Hey you!” Surely this wasn’t meant for me. I was a stranger to Philadelphia after all. But this was followed with, “Boy! Don’t you hear me calling you?!” I turn around this time and see a somewhat… Continue reading “Your Job is to Let the White Kids Know that Black Kids Are Just as Smart as They Are, And You are Not Doing Your Job!”: A Teacher’s Reflections
This is a guest post by Jade Arielle Bolden, a 15-year-old student at the College Preparatory Academy in Houston, Texas. She was born on Long Island and aspires to move back to New York and attend Columbia University. She runs track, is part of Voices of Black Youth (an organization run by her her school), and… Continue reading Have I Been A Victim of Racism In My School? How Do I Develop the Ability To Spark Change? A Black Girl Speaks Out.
This is a guest post by Kraig Knibb, a doctoral student at Stony Brook University in the School of Social Welfare. He is a social justice researcher, with a specific focus on education, culture, and power among students of African-American descent. He attributes his penchant for social justice to his Panamanian mother and his emphasis on… Continue reading The Case for Afrocentric Schools: Can Traditional Schools Fairly Serve “Distinct” Students?
