A place for educators to find thought-provoking news, conversation and support for those who care about diversity, equal opportunity and respect for differences in schools
Lessons from South Philadelphia High
Last December, South Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia was out of control. An outburst of racial violence prompted Asian students to boycott the school for a week. They wanted to pressure the school administration to do something about ongoing hostilities with black students.
Cut Your Chances of Suspension: Don’t be Black
A new study proves what many already suspected: Your chances of getting suspended in middle school rise dramatically if you are black.
The study, “Suspended Education: Urban Middle Schools in Crisis,” was published by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the home of Teaching Tolerance.
Reading Time With an Unexpected Twist
We made a circle for our guided reading time. I sat down in my trusty old Hinkle rocking chair, and my students sat down crisscross applesauce on their red carpet squares. My second-graders’ stomachs were full and their energy level was low. They were ready to hear a story.
Unpacking Sexism After Lunch
As my 10th-grade students came back from lunch, it was clear that a few of my more squirrely young men needed time to readjust to the ways of a classroom after being away all summer.
“It’s just a joke between us, Mr. Greenslate,” said Aaron. “We all know Jason from outside of school, and so that’s just how we mess around. Once you know us better you’ll understand.”
The First Day of School
They blaze into Room 309 at 8:16, sporting new t-shirts and vintage ones, silver watches and Silly Bandz, first-day-of-school garb.
I hand them a yellow index card. "Write for me," I say, "Begin with, 'I am...' or 'I am not..."'
Off they go, scribbling first words with their newly sharpened pencils.
They despise school. They adore school. They'd like school, if only, if only, if only...
Their summer? They've gone swimming with sea turtles in Hawaii. Their parents have divorced. They've been diagnosed. Or, trapped in summer school. Their beloved grandmother has died.
They are 13 years old.
Commemorate 9/11 by Confronting Islamophobia
Last week, Teaching Tolerance ran a post from an assistant principal in Illinois. Lamenting the recent spate of anti-Islamic incidents and the rising anti-Muslim rhetoric, she wrote:
I immediately wondered how to tackle this head-on as an educator. What would I say to my teachers about how to approach the subject in our history classes? How could I be a participant in a difficult conversation in which some of our Muslim students are directly affected?
Focus on the Family Goes After LGBT Students
For the last few days, an “educational analyst” for Focus on the Family has been getting a lot of press. She’s been suggesting that anti-bullying efforts that draw attention to the harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students are part of a “gay agenda” to “sneak homosexuality lessons into classrooms.”
Speak Acholi? No? Then You Need An Interpreter
When I entered the classroom to interpret for the middle school parent and teacher conference, the student shouted that I wasn’t necessary. The teacher had called for my services because for two semesters she had been telling the mother that her son was flunking. And for two semesters, the mother had grinned ecstatically and said, “Thank you”—her only English words. The son had “interpreted” to his mother that he was on the honor roll.
Our new guide, 
