Asiyah: Redefining What It Means to Be a Concerned Parent and Citizen

Asiyah’s wide-ranging experiences in education and activism can help us broaden our own views about school choice and activism. Her story demonstrates that the way we think about education and activism is often much too narrow.  She helps us believe that finding the best school for our children is not limited to what’s right in front of us, and that being an activist can also be a matter of choice. In education,… Read More

Should Security Officers Be Used In NOLA Schools? YES, If They Are Anything Like Officer Gross.

The presence of law enforcement within schools can perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline and other inequities faced by inner-city schools that primarily serve black students. But if you are lucky enough to have the presence of a school guard like Officer Gross, then you have a precious gem on your hands and she’s worth highlighting as we celebrate Women’s History Month. During Black History month, we spend so much time rallying around the… Read More

My Top Ten Dr. Seuss Books

By David McGuire Today marks the 114th birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss. Around the world, millions will celebrate this birthday. Dr. Seuss was more than an author. He was a movement. It could probably be argued that nearly every American learned to read using Dr. Seuss’s books. For over 75 years, Dr. Seuss’s books have inspired and encouraged readers. It was the unique artistic style and voice that made his… Read More

MLK & The Beautiful Struggle

  Delivery of ‘The Dream’ is part of all of our lives. The Dream offers the ultimate level of inclusion for each and every one of us. Regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or orientation, we all are part of the vision Dr. King so vividly imagined and portrayed to us with his dynamic spoken word. As I researched and studied the man who had the vision for The Dream, I discovered the… Read More

How Can I Become a Parent Advocate?

By Cheryl Kirk It’s no secret, that as parents, we are our children’s biggest and best advocates. The phrase parent advocate can be a bit overwhelming for parents. We have so many things to do and places to be, it’s easy to think we can’t be PTA president or room mom, but there are so many ways to advocate for your child. My youngest son has struggled with his transition from elementary… Read More

Are School Closures Really the Best Solution for Our Kids?

    As a parent, if you believed your child to be enrolled in a failing school, would you withdraw them? And if you did, using the city’s One-App process, how likely would it be that you would be lucky enough to get your child enrolled within your preferred school? A better school? I have been asking myself these questions since learning that two New Orleans schools, Algiers Technology Academy and Gentilly… Read More

Strong Connections

Jim Mustian of The Advocate writes about Xavier University and New Schools of New Orleans joining forces in an unprecedented way to develop a program dedicated to educating and preparing college seniors to become public school teachers.  This first of its kind partnership between a charter school and an HBCU will be called the Norman C. Francis Teacher Residency and its mission is to diversify the teaching force in New Orleans Public Schools… Read More

Time to Burst the Bubble

Maybe we should just be honest and admit that we are kidding ourselves. We say that the election of Trump is surprising but we have seen the writing on the wall for many years now. Voter suppression, a Congress that has refused to work on behalf of the people, and a constant barrage of social injustices have left far too many Americans feeling alienated, grasping at straws and willing to throw anything… Read More

No NAACP. No You Don’t.

  You have not been given a blank check to speak on behalf of colored people all across America. I certainly don’t remember signing up for or agreeing to that. You don’t have the hands-on knowledge needed to develop an unbiased, clear and inclusive position that represents how parents like me feel about charter schools. Your track record disqualifies you from making such a sweeping decision that will do irreparable damage to… Read More

Bridging the Gap: The Educators Perspective

Many times educators feel that they all have to take the blame for the children who are struggling.. At times we group teachers all into one category and forget we  have many who go above and beyond for our children. During my last two blogs I have been addressing the gap between home and school. It’s no secret that this is a serious issue and needs to be addressed. For this post,… Read More