Parenting is a pretty tough job. It demands all of you- then even a little more. Their child seems to be their world and they do everything necessary to help them survive. However, once the child enters school, there seems to be a dramatic shift. As a former public school teacher, I often wonder why was it that so many…
Category: Hall Pass
Just Another Blog Post About Another Hashtag of Another Black Man Killed by Police #AltonSterling
You’ve read this story before. It’s the ultimate nightmare of history repeating itself. I didn’t want to write this post again. It’s redundant. It’s being posted on the sites of every online publication today. This won’t be your first time reading this post today and it won’t be your last. There’s a collective wave of what seems like plagiarism happening…
Yesterday Was Not a Win
Illinois passed a budget yesterday to ensure that schools would open in the fall this was not a win. Legislators did nothing but pass a stopgap budget. Speaker Madigan touts this effort as an achievement. But this “achievement” is merely a BandAid on a fractured spine. This stopgap budget only came about because the party needed to be able…
Will I Have a Job Next Year? #TheClockIsTicking
It’s late June and school has been out for two weeks. I should be enjoying my summer, vacationing, resting, and preparing for fall enrollments. Instead, I’m spending the days concerned if I’ll have a job in 2 months. I work at a charter school in Chicago, in the special service department, working with children with various disabilities and inspiring other students…
It’s Time For More Black Men in the Classroom
Ever since I made the decision to pursue a career in education, I have constantly been praised and told, “We need more black males in education”. Before, I simply agreed and went about my business, but lately that statement has me thinking. I’ve encountered several black men who are phenomenal educators and make a difference within their classrooms and communities,…
Lost Accountability
I want to reminisce a little bit. There used to be a glorious time when youth were able to ride bikes, jump double-dutch and play Hide and Seek with their only concern being the street lights coming on – indicating that it was time to go in the house. Nowadays, some youth are missing out on the simple joys of…
Gov. Rauner, Don’t Call Yourself a Charter School Supporter Until You Fund Our Schools
The war between Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats in the state’s General Assembly has claimed its first charter casualty: Chicago’s Galapagos Charter School. More than likely, more will follow. That’s because charter schools are public schools, and in Illinois, that means they too are subject to our inadequate, unfair school funding formula and our record-setting budget stalemate. If Chicago Public Schools takes the…
#Fight4Students Rally Recap [Video]
On June 9, 2016, a group of charter schools gathered at the Thompson Center in Chicago to demand a budget. The state of Illinois has been without a budget for eleven months. Many schools have laid off faculty and staff due to budget cuts.