Philly's 7th Ward

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Do Schools and Districts Actually Want Black Male Teachers? It Sure Doesn’t Seem Like It.

September 28, 2019
by Rann Miller
5 min read
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When it comes to Black male teachers, the question shouldn’t be, “Do we need to hire more?” We know Black teachers, both men and women, are vital; they are particularly critical to the education of Black and...

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Who Is Preparing Philly’s Teachers for Philly’s Classrooms?

September 24, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
6 min read
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One of the main pillars of the Center for Black Educator Development is professional learning, coaching, and mentoring teachers, with an emphasis on early career Black teachers. Teachers are the most important in school factor...

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We Need More Black Folks to Start And Lead Schools

September 18, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
1 min read
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We have just recorded our 30th episode of the 8 Black Hands podcast. Time really flies and it has been an exciting ride. The 30th episode was particularly special because we were at the 49th annual Congressional Black Caucus...

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When Black Parents Were the Ones to Go On Strike Against A School District – A Tactic Black Parents Should Exercise Again.

September 15, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
5 min read
4 Comments

There is always much talk about integration, segregation, and desegregation. There is less talk of the power Black families hold and a blueprint Black parents can use to make demands that create seismic shifts for what they...

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White Teachers, Here’s How You Can Successfully Partner With Black Families

September 7, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
7 min read
1 Comment

The show was going really well. We were in Pittsburgh, taping a live 8 Black Hands podcast episode at the State of Black Learning Conference, and we were just wrapping up the Q&A. Then, a White woman stood up and...

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Philly Hero, Gloria Ladson-Billings, Talks About How Race, Class, & Privilege Plays Out In Our Schools & Classrooms

September 3, 2019
by Laura Fay
31 min read
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Gloria Ladson-Billings remembers that there was a difference between the black and white teachers she had growing up in Philadelphia. African-American teachers could give the students “the talk,” she recalls, referring to...

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The Center for Black Educator Development: Freedom Schools & Freedom Summer – A Way to Address Inequity In Our Schools

August 11, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
4 min read
2 Comments

All that is good and accomplished in the world takes work. Everything else is jive. -Haki Madhubuti  We launched the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) to humbly and courageously address local and national needs:...

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Philly Principals, Stop Supporting Trump

August 8, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
2 min read
2 Comments

I saw a post for “Philly Teachers for Trump and initially just shook my head in dismay. Many of these teachers had classrooms full of students that identified as Black, Latinx, immigrant, Muslims, etc. But, I...

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A Letter to White Teachers of My Black Children

August 1, 2019
by Afrika Afeni Mills
10 min read
2 Comments

Dear White Teachers of My Black Children: I am a Black mom. I know it’s sometimes hard to decide whether to say Black or African-American. I used to identify as African-American because I loved hearing the reference...

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Solidarity in the Struggle: The Profound Effect of Having a Conscious Black Principal

July 26, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
2 min read
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The experience of having a conscious Black principal who demonstrates socio-political solidarity with Black and Brown communities can have a profound effect on the careers of Black teachers. Gemayel Hazard writes in...

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Sharif El-Mekki

Sharif El-Mekki is the principal of Mastery Charter School–Shoemaker Campus, a neighborhood public charter school in Philadelphia that serves 750 students in grades 7-12. From 2013-2015, he was one of three principal ambassador fellows working on issues of education policy and practice with U.S. Department of Education under Secretary Arne Duncan.

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  • Why Do Black Parents Have to File Lawsuits to Achieve Educational Justice?!
  • Stop Ignoring Black Women, Elizabeth Warren (And the Rest of Yaw Too)
  • My Kids’ School Is a Hellhole, Why in Hell Am I Expected to Send Them Anyway?
  • Some of Those Folks Who Claim to Be Progressives Are Lying
  • Four Ways That Any Educator Can Affirm, Protect, & Honor the Humanity of Black Students

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