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Is the Free Ride Over for NYC Students?

The Editors — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:08:58 +0000

By Doug Miller Richard Brodsky, the legislator who chairs the New York State Assembly’s committee overseeing the operations of the MTA, says that while its officials have a legitimate gripe about funding its operating budget, the agency is floating phony numbers in its threat to eliminate free and reduced fares for New York City school kids.

Race to the Top? Banking on Charter Schools to Save the Failing Public School System

The Editors — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:28:49 +0000

By C. Nicole Mason Amid protest from parents and teachers, New York City’s Department of Education voted on January 27 to close 19 failing public schools. The closings come on the heels of a heated battle among state legislators to lift a ban limiting the number of charter schools in the state. The measure failed, but not without revealing a troubling trend around the country with regard to public education in states and cities—chasing dollars instead of what’s in the best interest of students.

Reflections of a Black Pioneer: Two Cases of Integrative Leadership

The Editors — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:53:17 +0000

By Clifton R. Wharton, Jr. The unprecedented election of President Barack Obama has provided a dramatic spotlight on the issues of race in America. One aspect of significance is that it represents an important step in the process of racial integration in our nation. His election was the result of the collective decisions by a multi racial and multi ethnic electorate. Both as a U.S. Senator from Illinois and as President, Obama has been what might be called an "Integrative Black Pioneer."

Unequal Opportunity and Whitewashed Resumes

The Editors — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:06:38 +0000

By Khalil Gibran Muhammad "Education is the key to success. Knowledge is power." Wise words repeated countless times to young people at home and in school every single day. But what should we say to them if one day their hard work meets empty promises, if their dreams are deferred, or their first paycheck of material reward is marked insufficient funds.

No Word for ‘Prison’

The Editors — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:05:14 +0000

By Eisa Nefertari Ulen
What does a woman do after coming-of -age in Birmingham in the 1950s, after losing two friends in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four little girls in the 1960s, after helping free her very high-profile sister from the clutches of the FBI’s Most Wanted List during the height of Black Power in the 1970s? What does she do after advocating for the end to Apartheid in the 1980s, after working as a Civil Rights trial lawyer through the 1990s?

The Cornel West You Don’t Know

The Editors — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:15:26 +0000

By George E. Curry I thought I knew Cornel West, the most public of public intellectuals. But it was not until I read his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud that I realized how much I didn’t know about my friend.

‘If You Learned It, Then You Should Have Got an A On It’

The Editors — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:12:38 +0000

By TaRessa Stovall A clever response to Beyonce’s super-hit, Single Ladies, with the line, “If you like it, then you should have put a ring on it,” has inspired a group of young students from the Hope Christian School in Milwaukee to create their own version with a very different—and much more empowering—message.

Jump Street: Maryland Jobs Program Reboots Young Lives

The Editors — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:36:44 +0000

By Deborah Rudacille The Montgomery County Conservation Corps combines job training with intensive counseling and character-building. But it is the promise of earning a GED that gets most corps members in the door.

Fathers, Field ‘Studies’ and Failure: What Really Helps Black Kids Learn

The Editors — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:06:42 +0000

By TaRessa Stovall “Why don’t you guys study like the kids from Africa?” This is the question posed by a white male high school teacher to his “virtually all African-American” 12th grade English class, where not a single student raised their hand when asked if they have a father living at home.

Howard University Law School and LDF: A Shared DNA

The Editors — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:35:19 +0000

By The Editors The Howard University School of Law, which for nearly a century and a half has supplied much of black America’s legal talent, celebrated its 140th anniversary at a gala dinner October 24 in Washington, D.C. True to institutional form, law school officials celebrated the school’s historic record of service by honoring the service of others.

Post-Racial? Not Yet

The Editors — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:56:05 +0000

By The Editors John Payton, speaking at one of the nation’s most historic black institutions of higher learning, takes on the challenging question – and assertion – President Obama’s election has inevitably raised: Does that mean the United States of America has become a “post-racial” society?

Fighting for Clean Water in Inner-City Schools

The Editors — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:49:56 +0000

By Makani Themba-Nixon Many children of color are trapped in underfunded schools where parents must fight for the most basic of needs: lighting, bathroom doors, books and even water. Yes, water.

Memories of Sputnik: The Space Race and the ‘Race’ Race

The Editors — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:18:19 +0000

By Lee A. Daniels As I’ve done for years, Sunday I quietly celebrated the coming of October 4, because I’ve always considered what happened on that date an integral part of the black freedom struggle—and my own good fortune. On that day 52 years ago, the Soviet Union announced that it had successfully shot into orbit the world’s first man-made satellite: Sputnik.

News in Education from Around the Nation

The Editors — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:58:57 +0000

By Smita Ghosh Virginia City Considers Apology for School Segregation -- Westchester Lawmakers Put Off Vote on Historic Housing Desegregation Settlement -- TUSD: Discipline Colorblind -- Help with Aid Form Found to Boost College Attendance -- Latest Challenge in 'Race to Top': Find Review Team for Applicants -- National Standards: Has the Time Finally Come? -- N.Y.C. Charters Found to Close Gaps -- Study Finds Mayor Bloomberg's Boast on Graduation Rates Misleading -- A Political Swirl on Charter Schools.

Black History: The More You Learn…

The Editors — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:02:12 +0000

By Lee A. Daniels The conventional wisdom has it that we’ve nearly exhausted our exploration of African-American history – that we know all of the “important” people and events and everything about the dynamics of America’s Slave, Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. Only a fool – or worse – would think so.

The Real Lesson about Obama’s School Speech

The Editors — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:57:25 +0000

By Lee A. Daniels The bizarre claims about Obama’s motives for giving the speech made by some white politicos and parents in recent weeks never had anything to do with the substance of the President’s talk. They were aimed at President Obama himself.

Berkeley School Diversity Lauded as National Model

The Editors — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:22:29 +0000

By TaRessa Stovall Due to an innovative diversity effort that emphasizes where students come from rather than the color of their skin, most Berkeley, California, elementary schools are so well-integrated they may serve as a model for other schools around the nation.

Federal Court Rules University of Texas Admissions Plan Is Constitutional

The Editors — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:19:19 +0000

By The Editors A federal district judge Monday upheld the University of Texas at Austin’s use of race in its undergraduate admissions process, declaring that university officials had followed the diversity guidelines set by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003.

News in Education from Around the Nation

The Editors — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:00:36 +0000

By Smith Ghosh District Court Judge revisits student assignment in Louisville… history of Virginia’s “massive resistance” to integration critically recounted… New Orleans parents discuss opposition to district’s desegregation plan… Massachusetts officials announce supportive charter school policy… Harvard researchers encourage regional charter schools to promote student integration… D.C. mayor reverses City Council decisions that would limit his control of education… New York City principal accuses charter schools of “dumping” challenged students.

LDF Wins Ballie Award for Fighting Ballot Initiatives Against Affirmative Action

The Editors — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:13:04 +0000

By Smita Ghosh The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) was honored recently for its 2008 battle against deceptive anti-affirmative action ballot initiatives in five states.

Trees Crash, People Clash, But What (and Who) Do We Perceive?

The Editors — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:59:10 +0000

By Eisa Nefertati Ulen Trees crash in forests all the time, no one is there to hear, but they still make sounds. Protests happen all over the world, no one records the clashes with police on cell phones, but they still make sounds. They make cries. Yelps. They roar.

Supreme Court Ruling Undervalues Equal Educational Opportunity

The Editors — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:35:17 +0000

By The Editors The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF), which had filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, said in a statement that the Court's action "is likely to make it more difficult for courts to provide meaningful and lasting remedies for clear violations of federal law."

Berkeley’s Plan to Promote Diversity in the Schools Stands

The Editors — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:06:54 +0000

By The Editors On June 11th, 2009, the California Supreme Court decided not to review a case challenging the student assignment plan in Berkeley, California, which means that the California Appellate Court's March 17, 2009 decision upholding the plan stands.

News in Education from Around the Nation

The Editors — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:03:53 +0000

By Smita Ghosh Education advocates skeptical about closure of Dallas magnet programs... Study finds correlation between black student population and exit of high-quality teachers... Texas legislature limits state's "top ten percent plan"... Education Secretary Arne Duncan struggles with plan to "make over" failing schools... Alaska opts out of national standards initiative... Georgian legislature cuts funds intended for poor schools... Boston Superintendent's decision to restrict charter busing may be illegal.

KIPP: The Power of High Expectations

The Editors — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:46:55 +0000

By Jay Mathews This year, David Levin and his friend Mike Feinberg are close to becoming the most famous teachers in the country. They have founded the nation's most successful network of public charter schools, the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP).