Rest in peace to Mr. Earl Simmons, popularly known as DMX. I pray that his soul is at rest. What fascinates me about the life of a person, particularly artists who become celebrities, are the events and moments that fueled the...
Tag - suspensions
One morning during my junior year of high school, I remember my homeroom teacher saying to me in a dismissive tone that Malcolm X was a bad person. I am unsure how we got on the topic of figures in Black history, but I mentioned...
Throughout my time as an educator, I’ve been pulled into my share of “special taskforces” meant to address “at-risk” students – namely Black students. I have no doubt that such groups can be found in schools across...
This is a year unlike any other. I am sure you have heard this over and over again as, over the past seven months, our lives have been completely upended. From the way we work, travel, worship, and teach, nothing is the same. The...
Earlier this year, Dr. Tamar Klaiman, member of the Abington Board of School Directors, came under fire for saying the following: We know that the Black and Brown students are much more likely to be shot by the officer...
Shortly after I proposed to my wife, our parents threw us an engagement party. There were a few standout moments from that day; my wife in her beautiful yellow sundress, it was the hottest day of the year, and a conversation my...
The late, great John Thompson contributed more than college basketball wins. Much more. Black educators are incredibly important to the success of Black students. Black students who have had at least one Black teacher are...
George Floyd, gasping for air, uttered a desperate final plea that was heard around the world: “I can’t breathe.” The image of a black man dying under the knee of a white cop is horrific — and symbolic of the racism...
Four weeks ago, a Black man was lynched. In 2020. I remind myself of that fact each day so that I do not forget what we saw, what happened—that we witnessed a man take his last breath. In the days following, we watched...
That educators are culturally competent matters more than ever. COVID-19 has upended the school year for students nationwide and educators are working diligently to assure that quality learning opportunities continue for...