Amid the hullabaloo surrounding Betsy DeVos’ confirmation hearings for U.S.Secretary of Education, there was also a force at work with the potential to destroy American public education---and we missed it. Some of history’s greatest activists and thinkers warned of the need to see even the stealthiest of threats to progress. Malcolm X challenged that liberals … Continue reading DeVos can’t destroy public education, but our hypocrisy can
The results are in for one of the most influential positions in Delaware education
The results are in for one of the most influential positions in Delaware’s education system: Delaware State Education Association (DSEA) President. Voting was open from January 9th through 23rd for the 12,000 members of Delaware’s teachers’ union (DSEA) and the result today was a tie between Mike Matthews and Karen Crouse. The two will enter a runoff election … Continue reading The results are in for one of the most influential positions in Delaware education
Why Susan Bunting as Delaware’s next Secretary of Education will mean progress for kids
A few weeks ago I sounded the alarm about the need for Delaware’s incoming Governor John Carney to stand with students and avoid the “old boys club” in his pick for Secretary of Education. As 2016 drew to a close, Carney selected substance over status quo and nominated Indian River School District (IRSD) Superintendent Dr. … Continue reading Why Susan Bunting as Delaware’s next Secretary of Education will mean progress for kids
An Education System that Honors our Students in 2017
Today, a group of high school students from TeenSHARP (a college prep organization I co-founded in 2009) came to TeenSHARP's office during their winter break for Day 1 of a 3-day "study extravaganza." They spent six hours completing homework, submitting applications to prestigious enrichment opportunities, and getting ahead on their studies before they return to … Continue reading An Education System that Honors our Students in 2017
Kids Deserve More Than the Good Old Boys’ Club in 2017
Word on the street is that some of Delaware’s most entrenched “good old boys” are being considered for Delaware’s Secretary of Education role. And I know there is a well-connected group of education insiders who would applaud Governor-elect Carney for such a pick. But in 2017, I think Delaware kids and schools deserve more than the … Continue reading Kids Deserve More Than the Good Old Boys’ Club in 2017
The Segregated, Stealthy Spaces of Education Policy
As sure as the campaign signs and billboards will soon be removed across our state, the image of diverse, broad-based support and engagement presented by vote-seeking politicians will be replaced with an all-too-familiar reality: folks are most comfortable doing the business of public policy in segregated, stealthy spaces hand-in-hand with special interest groups. In the … Continue reading The Segregated, Stealthy Spaces of Education Policy
All Who Can’t Hear Must Feel
This post is adapted from a speech I delivered to students at the University of Delaware Political Science and International Relations Convocation in May 2015. I’m the last of my mother’s 5 kids, she had me at 40 years old, and she named me Atnreakn Siahyonkron Babatunde Alleyne. Atnreakn is an ancient Egyptian name derived … Continue reading All Who Can’t Hear Must Feel
3 Facts about Education in Delaware that Most Don’t Know
Delaware’s State Board of Education recently made a high-profile decision that has the potential to shape the future of schools in Wilmington. While this decision has garnered significant attention and discussion (and rightly so), there are many decisions made each year that impact students’ learning and their experiences in the education system. Who is making … Continue reading 3 Facts about Education in Delaware that Most Don’t Know
Do #blackvoicesmatter in Delaware schools?
Another black history month came and went and far too many students I work with were told they don't matter. Every year, I ask my students in TeenSHARP how their schools celebrated and acknowledged Black History Month. If they're lucky their school displayed their trusty Dr. Martin Luther King poster, made a few black history … Continue reading Do #blackvoicesmatter in Delaware schools?
The More Things Change
Earlier this week, after completing a two-year fellowship with the Harvard Strategic Data Project, I had the privilege of serving as the speaker for my cohort (Cohort 4) during our graduation ceremony. Over the last two years my colleagues and I have been working in our respective agencies (from Hawaii Department of Education to Cleveland Metropolitan School District to … Continue reading The More Things Change
Urgency of Now 