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An Open Letter to District Administrators

Dear School District Administrators, Most open letters are written as a passive criticism or open critique of a large institution. I have no wish to be passive in my critique and observations.  They are intended to spur conversation and reflection.  These are the tools of our trade as teachers.  I was hired to critique and foster reflection.       After studying and researching in your administrative offices over the previous year, you have embraced personalized learning as a targeted result, as we deploy technology throughout the district.  It is a goal widely acknowledged to be systemic in scope and …

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#BlackLivesMatter and the myth of a postracial America

David Theo Goldberg, University of California, Irvine The prevailing response from white politicians such as GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush to #BlackLivesMatter has been “all lives matter.” Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley were heavily criticized for initially responding to audience chants that “Black lives matter” with the response that “all lives matter.” “All lives matter” is a given, almost a cliché. So why would an audience boo a presidential candidate expressing that thought? Because the phrase “All lives matter” dismisses racially structured conditions disadvantaging black people. As I demonstrate in my most recent book, Are We …

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How the justice system fails us after police shootings

Caren Morrison, Georgia State University Two weeks ago, the police officer who shot Laquan McDonald in Chicago was charged with first-degree murder. Since then, the police superintendent was fired, and the Department of Justice announced that it will begin a large-scale investigation into the Chicago Police Department. Meanwhile, in Baltimore, one of the police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray is standing trial. You might think these high-profile cases mark a turning point in the nation’s response to fatal police violence. But 1,058 people have been killed by police this year to date alone, and most of the …

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The #1 Reason Young Black Boys Face Trouble in School

A new study produced by researchers at the University of Iowa reveals that black boys are seen as more threatening than white boys. While that’s not necessarily breaking news, the research was conducted to investigate why so many black men are shot and killed by the police. In doing so, they found that racial stereotypes play a large factor into why incidents of that nature happen. This may not be surprising, but here’s what is: Their research also revealed that the racial prejudices we show against black men really begins much earlier. The study found that racial stereotypes are first felt by black …

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In kids, even low lead levels can cause lasting harm

Robert L. Fischer, Case Western Reserve University and Elizabeth Anthony, Case Western Reserve University The recent firestorm over lead exposure from drinking water in Flint, Michigan is a reminder of the enduring risk posed by environmental lead. While we can all agree that it is unacceptable for children to be exposed to dangerously high levels of lead, there is less awareness of what this means. Flint is just one of many cities in the country where lead exposure is a serious issue. For cities with an industrial past and much pre-1978 housing stock, like Cleveland, where we work, the risks …

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