Which Side Are You On?
A Reflection on the Role of Teacher Unions
A friend who works for a teachers union recently recounted a discussion in which an anti-union teacher asked my friend why she supported unions. My friend’s reply was simple. She […]
The Hollow Promise of Youth Apprenticeship
Thanks to the election of Bill Clinton, it is almost certain that Congress will soon consider a proposal to spend $1.2 billion over the next five years to create as […]
Teachers Must Join Call for Gun Control
A Milwaukee high school teacher asked one of his classes the other day how many kids had access to a gun. They all raised their hands. Another teacher, in another […]
Algebra for All 9th Graders
Milwaukee Detracking Reform Linked to Issues of Equity
It’s computer lab day for Angel, and she’s having some difficulty with the assignment. As part of a freshman algebra class at Washington High School in Milwaukee, Angel is working […]
Coming to Terms with School Violence
Violence in schools is not new. If one looks at the history of education in the United States, particularly of urban public schools, it is clear that problems of violence […]
School Security: Real Safeguards or Mechanical Shortcuts?
The Cincinnati Public Schools administration has proposed a $2 million package of safety measures that, at first glance, seems like a timely response to fears of increased youth violence. But […]
Beyond Tolerance
It is said that if we take one thing to be the truth and cling to it, even if truth itself comes in person and knocks at our door, we […]
Learning from Children
Advice to New Teachers on the Dangers of Labeling
Our youngest child came into our family when he was 14 months old — unexpected, unannounced. Chesa was set adrift when his biological parents could no longer care for him, […]
Montclair Finds Many Pieces to the ‘Detracking’ Puzzle
MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair, whose school system has previously drawn national attention for its public school choice program, is currently wrestling with another hot educational issue — tracking. Last spring, […]
All Eyes Are on the California Vote
Voucher Referendum Goes Before Voters Nov. 2
The continuing debate around school vouchers can be summed up in one word this fall: California. A state-wide referendum Nov. 2 will decide the fate of a constitutional amendment that […]
Teaching Students Who Built America: Resources on Labor History
A Bibliography on Labor History
Both writing and teaching labor history have undergone dramatic changes in recent years. No longer do we focus mainly on the “great men” (albeit with a wink in the direction […]
