Common Core Testing During Ramadan: Hungry for an end to the Islamophobia & racism of high-stakes testing

The following statement was sent to me by Shannon Crowley, an elementary school teacher in the Seattle Public Schools.  She raises a disturbing reality of yet another way that high-stakes standardized testing is negatively impacting our students of color.  I will just preface her story by saying that Muslims all around the world began to …

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Ethnic Studies In Seattle: A look inside the classrooms of antiracist educators

The Seattle Public Schools recently wrote the below article about the powerful pedagogy of local educators who are piloting a new Ethnic Studies program.  The Ethnic Studies initiative in the Seattle Public Schools is the result of an on going movement that was birthed from the Black Lives Matter At School action last school year.  …

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From May Day to Testing Day: Puerto Rico’s Teachers Battle for the Schools Their Students Deserve

On May Day, thousands of Puerto Rican teachers, parents, and students launched strikes and boycotts to push back against austerity measures that would close nearly 300 schools, lay off 7,000 teachers, convert public schools into privatized charters, and cut public sector pensions. I spoke with Mercedes Martinez, President of Teachers Federation of Puerto Rico, about …

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Teachers and Parents of Puerto Rico Launch Historic Strike & Boycott against Standardized Testing: “We want a just, equitable world for our children.”

Today, my third grade son is supposed to take the Common Core high-stakes test, "Smarter Balanced," at his school here in Seattle. He decided, however, that he would rather do a research project about a leader who has helped to make the world better. So my wife and I are writing the opt out letter …

Continue reading Teachers and Parents of Puerto Rico Launch Historic Strike & Boycott against Standardized Testing: “We want a just, equitable world for our children.”

Puerto Rican Teachers’ May Day Strike Brutalized By Police: “We resisted. We will prevail!”

In the spirit of May Day, International Workers Day, the unionized educators of Puerto Rico went out on strike against mass school closures, layoffs, and the school privatization. These members of the Teachers Federation of Puerto Rico were joined by students and community members, as a sea of tens of thousands of people wearing red …

Continue reading Puerto Rican Teachers’ May Day Strike Brutalized By Police: “We resisted. We will prevail!”