Last week, I received numerous notifications on my cell phone from my former colleagues or teachers friends who knew I worked at Wendell Phillips School #63 during the previous two school years as the literacy coach. They reached out to tell me school staff and parents were informed that IPS plans to recommend…
Author: Educator Barnes
Veterans Day: My Father’s Story
Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day, is observed on November 11 each year to thank those who served in our military. According to the Veterans Day Teacher Resource Guide provided by The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Day National Committee, “There are nearly 20 million Veterans living among us, in every state…
The GOP Doesn’t Care that Teachers Buy Their Own Classroom Supplies
We give our blood, our sweat and our tears. We sacrifice time we should be spending with family and friends. We spend money from our salaries, which aren’t up to par with other professionals with four year degrees, to buy supplies for our classrooms and now the GOP wants to eliminate a benefit that helps…
Nominations Needed for School Excellence Awards
The Indianapolis Urban League and the American Federation for Children will host the Annual School Excellence Awards Luncheon at the Indianapolis Urban League on Wednesday, November 29, 2017. Roland Martin will be the keynote speaker. Indianapolis Urban League’s Director of Education and Advocacy Mark A. Russell shared, “The Indianapolis Urban League is deeply committed to…
The Mind Trust Educational Bus Tours
The Mind Trust has a goal of, “creating great public schools for every student.” To show the public what makes a great public school, they offer educational bus tours. These tours allow stakeholders to see up close the elements of an excellent public school in Indianapolis. These tours are co-sponsored by Indianapolis Public Schools, United…
Should Schools Ban Halloween?
Halloween is one of the biggest commercial holidays which means schools will have to decide how to address it. Should students be allowed to dress up at school, or should Halloween be banned? Some elementary schools have classroom Halloween parties. Other schools acknowledge students will want to celebrate on October 31, so they make alternate…
Washington Township Parents, School Hours & Boundaries Input Needed
The Metropolitan School District of Washington Township (MSDWT) stretches from the northwest side to the northeast side of Indianapolis. It is facing the same problem as its neighbor, the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township (MSDLT), overcrowding. Currently, MSDWT has seven elementary schools and some schools like Crooked Creek have an entire grade learning outside…
When Teachers Fear Parents the Child Loses
In Pittsburgh, a parent followed a teacher in a vehicle and attacked her with a brick at an intersection because the teacher confiscated her daughter’s cell phone, an item prohibited by the school. Although this is an extreme and disturbing case, enraged parents can strike fear in teachers and make them feel unsafe. I have…
A Principal’s Words Have Power
When I entered Mary Evelyn Castle Elementary School in second grade, it was my third elementary school in three years. We moved for a third time because my parents had finally saved up enough money to purchase a house. Although the house was located within Indianapolis Public Schools’ boundaries, this was one of a…
Mississippi: A book makes people ‘uncomfortable’ but what about your flag?
A school board in Biloxi, Mississippi has banned the Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird because it makes people ‘uncomfortable.’ This novel, set in the 1930s, focuses on racial inequalities. Now, more than ever, youth need to be aware of America’s tragic past so they can understand what minorities and allies are…