Our team is always seeking the latest news in the field of education. As advocates for a quality education for ALL students, we know we have to stay up-to-date on everything that’s going on in the education spheres of our nation…from the White House to the local public school district, from new legislation to the small acts of bravery and kindness made by a single teacher, from the milestones and celebrations to the hazardous injustices affecting many of our nations students.

Here are the best stories we came across last week…because we believe you should stay up-to-date, too!

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‘For black lives to matter, black #education has to matter.’ via The Washington Post

While the news may be dominated by a #blacklivesmatter movement that solely addresses the number of killings that have taken place across the country, there is a group of activists that are focusing on something often overlooked. They believe that the #blacklivesmatter begins with black education. This article is a look at the Save Our Schools conference that took place recently in D.C., where educators, parents, and concerned citizens rallied to fight for the health of our country’s public education system.

“…with achievement gaps still gaping, some 22 percent of American children living in poverty, and schools being more segregated today than they have been since the 1960s, these activists have consistently pressed federal officials and legislators to focus their reform efforts on bringing educational equity to all students.”

 

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What kids need to hear about race and violence — but many schools won’t touch via The Washington Post

The Washington Post recently posted an article by experienced teacher Trakela Small. In light of the recent shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Small asks the question, “Who would be the person to talk to your students about race and how it affects minorities?” She argues that schools need to address these issues because students need to hear them.

“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 Castile? 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 even bigger issue.“

 

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Principal: ‘The truth is that many Americans do not see value in investing in boys of color’ via The Washington Post

In this article, Nikkia Rowe, principal of Renaissance Academy in West Baltimore, discusses the everyday difficulty for students who live in high-poverty neighborhoods. She believes these students could largely benefit from a little ‘investment,’ and most likely a different kind of investment than their school is currently giving them. Rowe believes the problem lies greatly in society’s complacency and antiquated systems. Read her full story.

“Our students walk through the doors of the schoolhouse each day carrying a crushing and ever-evolving emotional load that interferes with learning readiness. On any given day, one student may have been kicked out of the house after a fight with mom and slept outside, one could have witnessed a stabbing in the housing development courtyard, and one could be experiencing a week-long headache caused by a tooth desperately in need of dental attention.”

 

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A tale of two disparity gaps via The Brookings Institute

We are all very familiar with the discussion of the white-nonwhite achievement gap. “Nonwhite” is typically code for black and Hispanic. But what about a different achievement gap? We’re talking about the gap that exists between white and Asian students. Read the article to learn more.

“Chief among our disparity narratives is the white-nonwhite achievement gap, which is code for white-black-and-Hispanic (Native Americans typically are ignored in these comparisons, unfortunately). Scholars and reformers are very familiar with National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) data that prove this historical gap exists.”

 

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Did any of these articles particularly speak to you? We would love to know your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below: