Like many leaders across the country, I am leading a school during a pandemic. We began the 2020-2021 school year on August 3. We started the year virtual for all scholars, and then on August 17, we opened our doors for the families and scholars who selected in-person instruction. Our first day of school was…
Author: David McGuire
When Your Worth Becomes More Important Than Loyalty
When deciding I wanted to pursue education, I knew that even at the peak, I would never make millions of dollars. I also knew that I may never truly make as much as I am truly worth. These are all decisions that I was comfortable with when I decided to pursue education. But now, I…
Breaking News: Marion County schools will return to 100% Virtual Learning through at least January 15
The health officials in Indianapolis have ordered all K-12 school in Marion County to return to 100% virtual learning by November 30 through at least January 15. The announcement was made in response to the rising COVID-19 cases not just across the state but specifically in Marion County. According to health officials, the seven-day positivity…
Getting Kids Early Wins
I recently had an opportunity to sit on a virtual panel with the Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males. The panel was part of the 2020 Annual Black Males Conference. This year, the focus was education. The conference emphasized that too few Black males are graduating from high school and attending colleges…
How The School Board Races of 2020 are Highlighting What is Wrong with Education in Indianapolis
I want to begin this blog by bashing the school board coverage of Indianapolis Public School System (IPS). There are 10 other school districts in Indianapolis, and those school board races barely received any coverage. I am proud to say that my show, The Recess Podcast, not only highlighted the IPS school board races, but I…
Coaching, Mentoring, and Sponsorship in Education
A discussion that has come up a lot is the difference between coaching and mentoring. People are asking, “What is the difference between a coach and a mentor?” The skills required are often similar, but there is, in my mind, a difference between the two. I believe there a certain situation that needs a mentor…
The Race for the School Board, a Four Part Series
It is election season, and there are less than 30 days until Election Day. In addition to the all-important presidential election, many school board races are happening across our city that could drastically change the education landscape. School board elections often get overshadowed by the high-profile election races, but we must prioritize and be just…
An Open Letter to Our Children
Dear Students, We are in an unprecedented time in our country. This will be one of the defining moments of your life. When you are an adult, you will remember this moment in history. Many of you were not old enough or even born when we witnessed the first Black man as President of the…
Black Pain, Black Protest, and Black Progress: My America
It is easy to say that the American system is broken, but can something be broken if it is working exactly the way it is designed? I can provide countless facts and moments in history where people of color, and specifically Black people, were mistreated in this American system. For those that say you want…
How We See Children in My School
How do we see our children? How we see them matters because how we see them will determine how we treat them. If we see them as the future and as those who will take us to our promised land as people, that will determine how we advocate, educate, and leave the world better. When…