The Metro Atlanta area is growing in school innovation with the transformation of failing schools to Charter operated, charter or theme schools. Failing schools are often a result of failed leadership and school operations. School with poor performing operations departments impact teachers and children, especially African American and Latina students. Many parents of Black and brown children are concerned about…
My Black Students Have Learned to Be Wary of People Who Look Like Me, And That’s Not Racist
Jay Wamsted has taught math at Benjamin E. Mays High School in southwest Atlanta for fourteen years. His writing has been featured in various journals and magazines, including Harvard Educational Review, Mathematics Teacher, and Sojourners. He can be found online at The Southeast Review, Under the Sun, and the TEDx YouTube channel, where you can watch his 2017 talk “Eating…
We Need Black Boys to Drop Guns, Not Classes!
In honor of National Family Engagement Month, I’m empowering our Black boys to drop guns, not classes! This is a real conversation our community needs to have right now . Families and educators need to be on the same page about gun control laws and policies on gun regulation. It’s up to us to protect our children. Guns and Black…
A Mom’s View: My Son Loves Elizabeth Warren. She Said She Wants to Fix Schools for Kids Like Him But Her New Education Plan Ignores Us!
November is National Family Engagement and to kick of an empowering month for parents, engagement and advocacy for better educational outcomes for our children, I’m featuring the voice of a fellow advocate, activist, educator and am amazing mother, Keri Rodrigues who born in Fulton County. Metro Atlanta parents, I’m looking forward to empowering you this month.
It’s Scary but True! 3 Atlanta Charter Schools Surpass Average State Graduation Rate and Guess What? We’re Not Done!
It’s not a cliche’, charter schools are constantly increasing student achievement. This post is information provided by EdLanta’s partner, the Georgia Charter School Association and Rally. Newly released 2019 high school graduation rates show that all three public charter high schools in the city of Atlanta are delivering on the promise of helping young people develop the academic skills needed…
Black Fathers Supporting Black Boys in Schools Should be the Center of Attention!
Over the last couple of years, I seen school and business leaders talk about the importance of turning around the academic performance of Black boys. But let’s face it, we want to know the schools and organizations actually making a difference in providing better educational outcomes for Black boys. For the second year in a row, I’ve witnessed more schools…
Language, Lexile Scores and Literacy Are Resources, Not Threats to Black Boys
We must be up front and realistic. Many of our struggling Black boys in schools have parents who are also struggling with how to engage them in reading. As a teacher, I create innovative ways of helping parents and families of Black boys to understand impact of language, Lexile scores and literacy on the success of their Black male student.…