An influenza pandemic spreads across the nation in 1918 and 1919. As the cases grow, officials across the country decide to close schools. New York and Chicago decide to keep their schools open and send health care workers into the schools to closely monitor the conditions of the students and hygiene practices. In nine cities … Continue reading Canaries in the Mine
Corporal Punishment in Georgia Schools: 20-2-730, et seq. It may not be excessive or unduly severe or be used as a first line of punishment; it must be administered in the presence of a school official; a written explanation must be provided on request; and it may not be administered if a physician certifies that … Continue reading “Swingin’ in the Southern Breeze”
We wear the mask that grins and lies,It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—This debt we pay to human guile;With torn and bleeding hearts we smilePaul Laurence Dunbar Paul Laurence Dunbar was only 24 years old when he published the poem "We Wear the Mask" in 1896. It was an honest portrayal of what … Continue reading My Heroes Wore Masks
“I’ve come upon something that disturbs me deeply. ... but I have come to believe that we are integrating into a burning house. I’m afraid that America has lost the moral vision she may have had, and I’m afraid that even as we integrate, we are walking into a place that does not understand that … Continue reading Where There’s Smoke…
So I got locked into all of the analysisAnd found myself locked into a kind of paralysisAnd something was calling and I almost didn’t hear itBut I spent a lot of time being blessed by the spirits-Gil Scott Heronfrom "Don't Give Up" I live in East Atlanta. At 7:45am, the streets of Lithonia are sparse. … Continue reading Leading Where We Dwell
We'd just ended our Title I Annual Meeting and as the parents began filing out of the cafeteria I saw one parent approaching me and smiling. I knew her well from afternoon dismissal. Her daughter was one of our best 5th grade students and I'd recently remarked to her mother that her daughter's report card … Continue reading We Don’t Love These Holes: Embracing and Overcoming Resistance
When schools refine their focus and synergize all their efforts around innovative initiatives they begin to, sometimes literally, see the fruits of their labor. This summer, a team of teachers from Marbut Traditional Theme School met to discuss our ongoing school improvement plans. We’d been pursuing STEAM certification for years with no real traction. We … Continue reading Seeds of Change: How Urban Agriculture is Growing Our School
The week preceding the Thanksgiving Break is a busy one for any school principal. There are evaluations to be completed and parent events that require attention. In my movements through Marbut's hallways over the last few weeks I've encountered two fourth grade students who continue to politely remind me that they would like to meet … Continue reading Creating Spaces that Nourish Youth Activism
Walking through Atlanta's Little Five Points neighborhood is a Saturday ritual for me. From Moreland Avenue, I find my usual table in the corner of Sevananda Natural Foods Market and observe the steady flow of eclectic patrons pouring into the iconic store. I've been visiting Sevananda since the early 90's and the experience has always … Continue reading Emotional Intelligence Matters
Sometimes I feel like I'm just standing in place, ain't no real race.Ain't no other side. Life is like a circle and you end up where you started. If you end up where you started ain't no other side. -Gil Scott Heron, The Other Side Our timing and God's timing for our lives don't always … Continue reading The Other Side
courage noun . cour·age | \ˈkər-ij, ˈkə-rij\ . : mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty This month I've been talking to students about how to display courage. In order for our young people to understand how to embody courage, we must show them examples of those who have confronted obstacles and risked comfort … Continue reading The Courage to Fight
