We lost so many lives this year—lives that could’ve been saved if people just gave a damn for once. And I’m not referring to the close to 300 thousand Americans who have succumbed to the coronavirus. I’m talking about the casualties lost as a result of a trash ass education system. No shock here—a recent study conducted by McKinsey & Company revealed that…
Tag: Education Post
Our Kids Can’t Wait Till You Show Up for Them on Tuesday Night
Chicago, our kids can’t wait–and we’re not going to make them wait anymore, either. Our kids can no longer wait on our city’s leadership or Chicago Public Schools to figure out how to close the opportunity gaps that exist between Black, Latino and White students. I recently wrote about brightbeam’s report, “The Secret Shame: How America’s Most Progressive Cities Betray…
Here’s Why You Want to Mentor a Young Person in Chicago
Mentoring is a rare point of connection between people who rarely share space together. When Americans show up for mentoring youth, they usually do so across lines of class and race in a way that few other activities can offer. It’s possibly one of the last remaining areas of nearly universal agreement in our left-right-black-white world. We all do better when our kids do better, right?
Students Don’t Learn From Suspensions But Restorative Justice Offers Opportunity
For the last few years, Chicago Public Schools has been working hard to change its discipline policies and practices to reduce suspensions and expulsions. Instead, the district is encouraging principals and teachers to use restorative justice practices such as peace circles, conversations to restore relationships and formal letters of apology to repair harm and restore community. This shift is essential.…
Real School Choice Means We Need Good Neighborhood Schools Too
I believe in school choice. But I believe in it like I believe in capitalism or college football. It’s a cool idea and I’m glad it’s around, but it doesn’t always work quite as well as advertised. Capitalism needs regulations and external guardrails to operate in any sustainable, fair way, and college football needs…well, I don’t have room to go…
3 Tips to Survive College From Someone Who Made It
Editor’s Note: This is a condensed version of Samantha Smylie’s speech to the 2018 graduating class at John Hope High School in Chicago. Hope is one of the high schools that will be closing as part of the plan to create a new high school in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. Smylie is a Hope High School graduate who earned a bachelor’s…
Join the #Budget4IL Twitter Chat on May 17th!
What will it take to get equitable funding in Illinois? That seems to be the mystery question as the state waits for Gov. Bruce Rauner to approve a budget. Join us on May 17, 2016 at 8 p.m. as we discuss the matter at hand. Our panel includes: Chris Butler (Chicago Unheard), Peter Cunningham (Education Post) and Marilyn Rhames (Teachers Who…
What’s the Point of the Chicago Teachers Union Walkout This Friday?
Education Post sat down with two CPS teachers to discuss the one-day CTU strike and it’s purpose.