Long Island

In This District, Teachers and Administrators Are Complicit in the Mental and Emotional Destruction of Black Students
Accountability · Blog

In This District, Teachers and Administrators Are Complicit in the Mental and Emotional Destruction of Black Students

Vivett Dukes1 Comment

This week, a veteran teacher on Long Island gave an assignment to her students that required them to create “funny captions” for Reconstruction Era photos from United States history. The teacher is white and, yes, that is very important to note. The assignment would have gone unchecked, had it not been for the grandmother of… Continue reading In This District, Teachers and Administrators Are Complicit in the Mental and Emotional Destruction of Black Students

“Working Shoulder to Shoulder with Teachers, Parents, and the School Community Builds the Trust To Move To Excellence and Equity”: An Interview with an Expert.
Blog · Educational Equity

“Working Shoulder to Shoulder with Teachers, Parents, and the School Community Builds the Trust To Move To Excellence and Equity”: An Interview with an Expert.

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How exactly do superintendents get evaluated? After all, holding our top school district leaders is, in my experience, just as important — if not more so — than how teachers and other staff get evaluated. These questions led to  my nterview with Dr. Constance Evelyn, Ed.D.author of Evaluating the Superintendent:  The Process with Collaborative Compromises… Continue reading “Working Shoulder to Shoulder with Teachers, Parents, and the School Community Builds the Trust To Move To Excellence and Equity”: An Interview with an Expert.

I’m Afraid I Will Have To Abandon My Educational Journey: A Student Speaks.
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I’m Afraid I Will Have To Abandon My Educational Journey: A Student Speaks.

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I met Xavier at the EDXEDNYC conference on my birthday last year. As the shirt he’s wearing in his photo illustrates, he was a student volunteer and his true spirit of service shone bright. He helped me set up for my conference, showed me where lunch was being held, and answered all of my questions.… Continue reading I’m Afraid I Will Have To Abandon My Educational Journey: A Student Speaks.

Have I Been A Victim of Racism In My School? How Do I Develop the Ability To Spark Change? A Black Girl Speaks Out.
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Have I Been A Victim of Racism In My School? How Do I Develop the Ability To Spark Change? A Black Girl Speaks Out.

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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.

Complaining Doesn’t Win Educational Revolutions – Civic Engagement Does! Here Are Some First Steps from Your Local Activist.
Accountability

Complaining Doesn’t Win Educational Revolutions – Civic Engagement Does! Here Are Some First Steps from Your Local Activist.

Vivett DukesLeave a comment

I had a whole blog post planned out about yet another example of educational disparities on Long Island  when I read this in ERASE Racism:   The vast majority of Long Island students attend low‐ and average‐need districts. Only 14% of all Long Island students attend high‐need districts. There are, however, extremely large racial and… Continue reading Complaining Doesn’t Win Educational Revolutions – Civic Engagement Does! Here Are Some First Steps from Your Local Activist.

I Think We Have Integrated Ourselves into Oblivion
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I Think We Have Integrated Ourselves into Oblivion

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On Valentine’s Day when we celebrate love, it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around where the love could have possibly been in the hearts and minds of the teachers who allowed nooses to be displayed in their Long Island middle school classrooms. According to The Grio and several other news source outlets, “Three… Continue reading I Think We Have Integrated Ourselves into Oblivion

Educational Equity Will Only Come With The Intentional Disruption of White Privilege
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Educational Equity Will Only Come With The Intentional Disruption of White Privilege

Vivett Dukes2 Comments

Hi Vivett. I read your blog post on New York School Talk. It is getting a lot of attention in the Sewanhaka district — too much attention. The post is fake news. First, South Floral Park students attend Floral Park Memorial. Second, Floral Park Memorial’s student body is 45% minority with an even number of… Continue reading Educational Equity Will Only Come With The Intentional Disruption of White Privilege

The Sad State of Affairs in Long Island’s Schools
Blog · Educational Equity

The Sad State of Affairs in Long Island’s Schools

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I’m proud to have been raised and educated on Long Island where I  raised my own family and still reside. I love living so close to the beach and the City. On so many levels, Long Island is a little piece of paradise on earth — except, of course, when you look at its system… Continue reading The Sad State of Affairs in Long Island’s Schools

The Entitlement of Opting Out in Suburbia: A Superintendent Speaks Out.
Accountability · Blog

The Entitlement of Opting Out in Suburbia: A Superintendent Speaks Out.

nyschooltalk1 Comment

This is a guest post by Raymond Ankrum, Sr., the Executive Director of Riverhead Charter School. It was originally posted here on his blog. I work on Long Island as a school superintendent of the only K-12 charter school in Suffolk County.  Given the history of our school, the power of the teacher’s union on LI,… Continue reading The Entitlement of Opting Out in Suburbia: A Superintendent Speaks Out.

White Privilege and White Fragility: A Dangerous By-Product of Hiring Majority-White Teachers.
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White Privilege and White Fragility: A Dangerous By-Product of Hiring Majority-White Teachers.

Vivett DukesLeave a comment

Last week’s guest blog post by Long Island teacher Mark Jackett garnered much attention; over 105 comments were exchanged in the Facebook thread. It is my experience, coupled with my reflection on the experience, that prompted me to write this post today. To me, as a Black teacher with a platform, it is imperative that… Continue reading White Privilege and White Fragility: A Dangerous By-Product of Hiring Majority-White Teachers.