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Archive - May 2016

  • Higher Standards

Our Governor’s Capitulation

May 31, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
5 min read
1 Comment

Two weeks ago, Gov. Wolf vetoed a bill that would have helped school principals ensure that our most effective teachers are in classrooms for the 128,000 students who attend the Philadelphia School District. This is a missed...

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  • Let's Talk About It

The Problem With Teach for America

May 29, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
7 min read
3 Comments

Eight years ago, I became principal of Mastery Charter Schools’ Shoemaker Campus in West Philadelphia, to continue a turnaround at one the most oppressed schools in the city that had been plagued by low achievement and...

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  • Higher Standards

The Abolitionists We Need

May 27, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
7 min read
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Saying the enslaved were happy is akin to saying Black communities are happy sending their children to persistently failing schools. Just as we needed an abolitionist movement then, we need one now-with the right mindset. I...

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  • Let's Talk About It

College Accessibility for Philly’s Black Youth

May 25, 2016
by Soledad Alfaro
5 min read
4 Comments

The other day, one of my colleagues on the recruitment team asked me about an applicant to the Teacher Residency program. I had to ask her to repeat the candidate’s name three times. I was stunned momentarily because I had...

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  • Let's Talk About It

Community Activist, You’re Not

May 20, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
6 min read
13 Comments

“Community activists live inside of communities. Organizers come in from the outside.” There appears to be significant confusion about community activism, so let me shine a light on the inconsistencies that may be...

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  • Accountability
  • Higher Standards
  • Let's Talk About It
  • School Choice

Taking Advantage of Young Scholars

May 19, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
4 min read
1 Comment

“With great power, comes great responsibility.” The conditions of our schools clearly communicate to us that we need authentic vanguards for our communities. Although many (vote hungry politicians, district employees...

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  • Let's Talk About It

What Can 90,000 Principals Help Policy Makers Do?

May 17, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
5 min read
2 Comments

“I don’t need to engage policy makers, I just need to figure out how to work around their policies.” As I reflect on the robust experiences I have had as a U.S. Department of Education Principal Ambassador Fellow (PAF) and...

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  • Let's Talk About It

Ivory-Tower Academics: “We Study Black Kids (From Afar)”

May 14, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
5 min read
6 Comments

On Feb. 10, NewsWorks published a letter from “area academics” (“SRC plan to privatize 3 Philly schools a gross overreach, inconsistent”). It is disappointing that these “area academics” selectively used data...

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  • Accountability
  • Belief Gap

The Lures of the Privileged

May 13, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
7 min read
2 Comments

I wanted to weigh in on two recent articles about testing. As a current charter school principal, former Philadelphia School District teacher and principal, recent Principal Ambassador in the US Department of Education, and CEO...

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  • Let's Talk About It

The Perpetuity of Mentorship

May 10, 2016
by Sharif El-Mekki
5 min read
18 Comments

“A teacher (principal) affects eternity; he (she) can never tell where his (her) influence stops.” – Henry Adams As a principal, I often find myself reflecting on the myriad experiences I’ve had learning...

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