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
Remembering a Tragedy: The Indian Removal Act
One hundred eighty years ago today, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This law set in motion the long, agonizing chain of events that ultimately led to the Trail of Tears.
Texas vs. Textbooks: The Final Chapter?
The Texas State Board of Education has been ridiculed in recent weeks for its efforts to rewrite the curriculum standards of the state’s K-12 textbooks. Starting today, the conservative majority on the 15-member board is expected to approve a rightward lurch in those standards.
L.A. Schools Go Hunting for the Gifted
As a second grader, Emariye Louden is extraordinary. He founded a botany club, and he’s taught his classmates how to pick ripe lemons. He has also been placed in a gifted class at 99th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles.
Live Oak High School’s Teachable Moment
When four students showed up at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, last week wearing American flag T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo, their assistant principal thought the shirts were inflammatory. He told the boys to turn them inside out or go home.
Getting Beyond the ‘Noble Savage’
Pretty much as soon as Europeans landed in the “New World” and encountered American Indians, they began creating stereotypes.
Twenty States Still Use the Paddle
In 1964, my third-grade teacher relied mainly on an air of motherly authority to maintain control over her classroom of more than 50 8-year-olds. But when pushed, she warned darkly of deploying her spanking machine.
Bullies vs. Overweight Kids: How Can You Help?
A new study shows that obese kids are 65 percent more likely to be bullied than their peers of normal weight. Wendy Craig, a professor of psychology, highlighted the importance of teachers being proactive when she told CNN, “bullying and obesity are both major public health concerns that teachers and schools—and not just parents—need to address.”
Why I Teach: Teacher Appreciation Day
Editor’s Note: Today is Teacher Appreciation Day, and Teaching Tolerance wishes all educators the recognition that this teacher received.
I have always loved to work with children. So becoming a teacher was a natural choice for me. I truly enjoy the daily interaction with my students, but putting a finger on why exactly I teach was not easy for me to articulate—until yesterday. I received a card from a parent. Her words are why I teach:
