If you are Black, like me, you are probably getting tired of all of these diversity statements. You probably have seen a statement that even offended you because of your experiences or experiences of Black people you know with the organization that released the statement. But even considering the hypocrisy of corporations, some of the…
IDOE released IN-CLASS (Indiana’s Considerations for Learning and Safe Schools): COVID-19 Health and Safety Re-entry Guidance, a 38-page document detailing recommendations on how schools should reopen this fall. With school start dates in Indiana typically falling during the last week of July and the first week of August, it is critical for school districts to…
At Indy K12, we are unapologetically Black. We want students in Indianapolis to be successful. We know this cannot happen without directly addressing the educational equity issues in our city. We are tired of Black students getting left behind. Many of our readers have thanked us for our thoughts on current issues. We not only…
Recently, I wrote two pieces addressing diversity in education. The first in the series, “If You Want to Keep Educators Like Me, You Need to Think Beyond Your Diversity Quota” addressed why school and district leaders have to do more than just hire diverse teachers; they have to support them. When this was shared, an…
During the last couple of weeks, educators have found ways to celebrate students although school buildings remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Educators should not be left out of the celebration. It is important to lift up their labor to serve students. Many times, excellent Black educators are not recognized. Emil Ekiyor, former Indiana…
It did not take a pandemic for me to have experience with interviewing virtually through video. Since the coronavirus pandemic, video interviews have become the norm. At my school, I am the hiring manager for English, English intervention, electives, and the building sub. I have had the opportunity to interview several teacher candidates. Some interviews…
The majority of US teachers are white females. What I know for certain is it is possible that many Black children could go through their entire education without ever having a Black teacher. This means, that each year, I should expect that my twin sons’ teachers will be white females. If you are a white…
This school year, I transitioned into the role of a school administrator. Previously in my career, I have served as an English teacher, English as a New Language teacher, literacy coach, and librarian. Although I took tools and knowledge from those roles into my current position, nothing could fully prepare me except experience. For 11…
My sons, who attend school in Washington Township, and my nieces, who attend school in Hamilton Southeastern, are wrapping up the 2019-2020 school year tomorrow. Over the next few weeks, other students will do the same. When summer arrives, there is always conversation about avoiding the summer slide which refers to students losing some of…
The complaints about at-home learning during the coronavirus pandemic have been numerous and frequent from parents, educators, and students. This is not surprising because shifting unexpectedly to a new model without sufficient time to plan is bound to include some missteps. Typically schools take months or even years to plan for and then implement a…