The pandemic was the last straw for some educators, and they walked away from the classroom. Before the pandemic, teachers across the country were leaving the profession for a variety of reasons such as teacher pay, school culture, and workload. To ensure vacancies are filled, it is important to have a steady stream of people…
In the words of Dr. King, ‘We’re in The Same Boat Now’
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” Dr. King As I reflected on the past year since we celebrated Martin Luther King Day 2020, these words stood out to me more than any other. A lot has happened since January 2020, so much that I do not…
COVID-19 Has Proven That College Athletes Are Not Really Amateurs
College football season is coming to an end and college basketball season is gearing up. NCAA football and basketball have long represented the pinnacle of amateur athletics. However, in recent years, many people have begun to question the amateur tag as it relates to college athletes. This in large part due to the amount of…
Are Teacher Residency Programs the Answer to the Teacher Pipeline Problem?
What is wrong with the teaching profession? Some would say even with innovation, the achievement gap between students of color and their white counterparts is growing. Also, the teacher force does not reflect the student population in many schools. These are just some of the potential answers to this often-asked question. The fact that we…
The School Employee at the Capitol Last Week is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
I’m a huge “Twilight Zone” fan. During the pandemic, my husband, sons, and I spent time together watching episodes on Netflix. We have always watched episodes during the annual Syfy channel “Twilight Zone” marathon on the first day of the year. There are two episodes, “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street” and “The Shelter”…
Prioritizing Teacher Diversity & Equity Should be a Priority of the Newly Appointed Indiana Secretary of Education
“When was the first time you had a Black teacher?” or “How many Black teachers have you had?” are questions that have been asked across social media multiple times. Regardless of whether the respondents had finished school decades ago or were recent graduates, many respondents have had no Black teachers or only a few. If…
E-Learning Should Be Used in Place of Out of School Suspensions
The biggest education story of this past year has been schools closing due to the coronavirus. Obviously COVID-19 has created a ton of problems, and its negative impact cannot be overstated. However, there was one positive: It dragged school districts kicking and screaming into the digital age. School districts should not let this long overdue…
U.S. Secretary of Education Resigns After Capitol Violence
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos tendered her resignation a day after a mob of President Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building. DeVos is the second member of President Trump’s cabinet to resign. In addition to the two cabinet members’ resignations, several White House officials have also resigned. In her resignation letter to Trump, DeVos…
How to Address the Events at the Capitol With Your Students …and How Not To
The certification of the electoral votes from the 2020 election was already going to be a contentious issue, but the events that transpired go far beyond politicians yelling at each other on C-SPAN. An angry mob of self-described Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in an effort to undermine the election process. The end result…
Leading Schools Differently: Grace, Patience, Empathy, and Flexibility
It was Friday, March 13, 2020, and I was sitting in my office after the building had clear, in disbelief at how everything had changed so quickly. School was closing a week early for spring break, and unknowingly at the time for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. It would be another 157 days…