Y’all, it’s the year 2020. There’s no reason why only 15% of Black eighth graders are reading with proficiency. There’s no excuse as to why Black kids have the lowest national averages in math. And there’s no reason why their talents should be undermined and thrown away because of the color of their skin or where they live.
Tag: Black students
Here’s How I Know Black Lives Don’t Really Matter to the Chicago Teachers Union
I do not support a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union. No matter what the union has done, Black students have never been supported. A CTU strike will create additional barriers for them. I’m tired of people using my community as a sacrificial lamb.
Talking Freshmen On Track and “The Make-or-Break-Year” at 57th Street Books
Healthy skepticism fuels good journalism, smart research and thoughtful education. And yet, as Emily Krone Phillips tells us in her new book, The Make-or-Break Year, “the movement that occurred in Chicago to support freshmen hinged not on skepticism, but on belief. … Belief that the dropout crisis was something that could be solved. Belief in the research that showed ninth…
I’m a Chicago Teacher Who Has Watched Many Javions Fall Through the Cracks. Here’s What Would Help.
Originally posted on Chalkbeat by Gina Caneva on January 4, 2019. As a Chicago Public School teacher and librarian for the past 15 years, I’ve seen many students fall through the cracks. I remember the young man who sat in my class at the beginning of his senior year, eager to learn. By the end he was failing, having missed…
How to GoCPS for Elementary School, Part One
Are you planning to use GoCPS to apply for your child’s elementary school for next year? Well, buckle up, because it’s not easy. The process of choosing schools, applying, and enrolling your child in the Chicago Public Schools is daunting for even the most seasoned of parents. As a Chicago Public Schools graduate, I had dreams of my children attending…
Butler College Prep Cultivates Black Excellence, Prepares Grads for HBCUs
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) offer Black and first-generation college students a uniquely affordable and supportive environment. But not every high school makes deliberate efforts to ensure its students know about these college options. That’s not the case atButler College Prep, a Noble Network high school in Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood. Butler takes college preparation to the next level by…
This Week in CPS, All Eyes Are on Oak Park
Last night, Starz premiered its new series, “America to Me,” a documentary focusing on the experiences of students at Oak Park River Forest High School. The series is already generating buzz. This conversation between director Steve James and former Oak Park middle school principal LeeAndra Khan previously appeared on Education Post. Two summers ago, I wrote an essay called “The…
We Got Rid of Roseanne. Now Let’s Get Rid of Racist Teachers in Schools.
Roseanne Barr’s recent racist rant isn’t surprising to most Black people. In fact, it is the exact type of commentary Black folks have to encounter ALL THE TIME. Most damaging are the “Roseannes” who work in schools and educate our children. A recent Washington Post story dug in on surveys of Black elementary school children and concluded that something…