School Discipline
It Won't Always Be the Right Call But Sometimes Suspension Isn't the Answer
Her name is Alexandra. She was a student in a school where I used to work and she was one of those kids who challenges you, causes her share of trouble, and comes to appreciate and love you deeply...
Parents
4 Things Every Parent Needs to Prepare Their Kids for School This Year
Summer is winding down across the country and many have already returned school, or the beginning of the school year is right around the corner. Every kid deserves the chance to start school on the...
Mental Health
What James Baldwin's Activism Can Teach Schools About Social Justice
Every August 2, I spend nearly the entire day observing the birthday of the late James Baldwin, one of the 20th century’s most esteemed and prolific writers, cultural commentators and social critics....
student achievement
There's No Back to School for the Kids Who Get Shot and Killed
Outrage: They’re Dying More than 60 youth have been shot here in Chicago this year. At least 20 of those this summer and some of them won’t be returning to school this fall because they’re dead. Most...
Poverty
How to Save Charter Schools From the Beatdown
There seems to be an organized assault on charter schools. Legal challenges, bureaucratic barriers and smear campaigns all work to destroy their reputation, deplete their finances and diminish their...
Poverty
I Was Lucky to Attend a 'Good' School, But What About the Kids Who Don't
Let me tell you a tale of two schools. As the Georgia Teacher of the Year, I visit countless schools all across Georgia—observing instruction and meeting students and teachers. Recently, I visited a...
