Chalkbeat

Denver West High students call for a boundary change to boost enrollment and course offerings

2024-05-08T19:00:21+00:00

After moving from a high school in Jefferson County with about 1,400 students to West High School in Denver with under 600 students, 18-year-old Kyree Romo noticed a lot of differences.

She’s happier at her new school, she said, and being around more teachers and students of color makes her feel seen.

But there are challenges for her and other students at West High, too.

Students at West say their school doesn’t have as many course offerings or clubs as larger schools. For instance, West doesn’t have a robotics class or club. It doesn’t have lots of business classes, language options, or art classes. And next year, West is losing more teachers as its enrollment declines.

To help reverse that trend, the students have a request for Denver Public Schools: Reevaluate the boundaries that determine which students are assigned to West.

“Outdated district boundaries result in less students, less teachers, less classes,” Romo said. “This directly impacts students and equitable access to the opportunities that we deserve.”

However, district officials say a boundary change for West wouldn’t make much difference.

Unlike generations ago, a school’s enrollment isn’t just a matter of which students live in its boundary. For more than a decade, DPS has encouraged, and in some areas mandated, families to choose any school in their neighborhood or the entire district.

Supporters of the school choice system say it allows families to choose schools that best fit their children’s needs. Critics say choice has contributed to school segregation and is not accessible to all families because the district doesn’t always provide transportation for students.

Critics of school choice also believe it has created a cycle where schools that have declining enrollment — whether it’s due to academic issues, gentrification, or demographic changes — have a tougher time attracting students and recovering. Denver schools are funded per student, and fewer students means less money to hire teachers and offer a variety of classes. It’s hard for a school to attract more students when families and students notice that it has few resources.

The West students aren’t giving up. Students say that they know some families in west Denver choose to enroll in other schools, in part because they’re drawn to the wider course variety. But students say the draw of West is the unity of the school and the relationships.

“Here, you have teachers asking you about your life,” Romo said.

Recent recommendations also suggest a look at boundaries

West High is one of Denver’s oldest schools, and has a long history of student activism that goes back to student walkouts protesting racism in the late 1960s. In recent years, students successfully advocated to reunify the school after it was split into two smaller schools in an attempt to boost test scores. The reunified West High opened in 2021.

Even with the consolidation, enrollment is now under 600 students, down from about 800 in the fall of 2018. The vast majority of the students are from low-income families: 94% are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.

Last month, West High students asked the Denver school board for a new system that regularly evaluates district boundaries to keep up with changing demographics in the city, and as a way to give students at West the opportunity to have more resources. DPS hasn’t done a districtwide reevaluation of school boundaries in decades.

The same recommendation was included in a recent report commissioned by Denver Public Schools called the La Raza Report, and was among many recommendations to improve the education of Latino students in the district. West was one of the few schools called out by name in the 22-page executive summary of the report.

“Consider redrawing boundaries for West High School — develop a benefit/cost analysis strategy,” the report says. It also recommends that the district “assess the impact of transportation options” at West and at Lincoln High School in southwest Denver.

To study the impact declining enrollment has had on their school, the West students compared the course offerings at West with what other Denver high schools offer. For example, East High School, which serves an adjacent zone, has more than 2,000 students, and offers nine business and marketing classes, while West offers zero.

“We believe we deserve the same amount of educational opportunities as any other school,” Romo told the board.

Declining enrollment is an issue facing many schools across the country and in the metro area. Nearby, Jeffco Public Schools closed more than 20 schools in the last couple of years, saying that because schools are funded on a per-student basis, schools couldn’t afford to provide equitable resources and programming with low enrollment.

Denver closed three district-run schools last spring, two in west Denver, and several charter schools have closed on their own due to declining enrollment. But the district has so far avoided closing large numbers of district-run schools.

West students hope DPS doesn’t resort to just closing small schools like West, but rather can find a way to distribute students differently and balance out enrollment.

Denver students say the boundary issue is about equitable opportunities.

When asked if the district is considering the students’ request, a spokesperson for the district said students can already opt to enroll anywhere in the district, no matter where they live.

“The most recent data shows that there are a number of students who live within the existing boundary but use their school choice option to attend other schools. Changing a school’s boundary has little impact on a family’s decision on the school their student attends,” the spokesperson said.

Students are also talking about transportation issues

For students at West, learning to advocate for themselves is just as important as anything else they’re learning in school. The boundary issue is their priority this year, but they are trying to solve other problems too, while learning to be brave enough to speak up.

In Denver, for example, school enrollment and transportation go hand in hand.

For many families who use school choice, the district doesn’t provide transportation at all. It’s up to families to get their children to school. For students who attend their boundary schools, the district provides yellow bus service only at elementary and middle schools. For high schools, including West, the district pays for students to take the public RTD buses.

That can sometimes make for a long commute to school. Students want a boundary evaluation to consider their transportation issues.

Elizabeth Calzada, an 18-year-old senior, said she lives in the Barnum neighborhood within the West High School boundary. When she’s not able to catch a ride to school, she takes the public RTD bus, which is an hour commute to school each way.

Waking up early enough to catch the public bus makes going to school difficult on some days, Calzada said. And RTD sometimes doesn’t feel safe. Incidents on the bus involving people fighting or pulling weapons have made her late to school.

There are problems for students who drive to West, too. Among other things, students have also reached out to the city, asking for more parking space.

The West campus is just across from the city’s Sunken Gardens Park, and students say the limited parking spots directly in front of the school are often occupied by city trucks, construction workers, or parkgoers, leaving many students to park on side streets in the neighborhood, where they frequently get parking tickets.

They’re waiting for a call back from Denver city officials to talk about the issue.

A lack of district transportation also affects students’ educational opportunities. Romo said West tries to connect students to college classes and career prep opportunities, but many of the programs are off campus. That is a challenge for students who don’t drive.

Anahi Garcia, a 17-year-old junior, is one of the students asking the district to change West’s boundary. She’s speaking up because she’s seen the difference student advocacy can make.

When Garcia first came to West as a freshman, and started participating in leadership classes, she and other students helped push the school to mostly eliminate its dress code, which restricted the colors students could wear, and whether girls could wear cropped shirts.

Not having a dress code hasn’t led to problems, Garcia said.

“It was like a good feeling to have to know that you’re capable of doing big things if you actually care about it,” Garcia said.

Garcia said she hopes changing West’s boundary and boosting enrollment would allow the school to offer more concurrent-enrollment courses that let students earn college credit while in high school. Garcia said she’s taken some concurrent-enrollment college courses already, but said West doesn’t offer as many as other, larger high schools.

She’s not sure what she’ll want to do after high school, but having more opportunities to explore different things while in high school might be helpful, she said.

Romo said students at West didn’t want to get into drafting school boundaries themselves. She said students know there’s probably a lot to it, but students hope that adults take up the task for the sake of equity.

Calzada said it has taken a lot of work for students like her to be comfortable speaking to city and district leaders about their concerns. Now, students want those adults to listen.

“We actually discussed this stuff. It came from us,” Romo said. “Listen to us. If you’re a school district and you serve students, listen to your students.”

Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.

Aspen Ideas fest for teens: Brooklyn students tackle mental health, immigration, rats

2024-05-06T22:43:30+00:00

Kimberly Gil knows what it’s like to struggle with mental health and not have a place to turn for support.

Gil, a 16-year-old sophomore at the High School for Social Justice in Bushwick, Brooklyn, immigrated to the U.S. as a kid and struggled to acclimate. She often felt like she couldn’t talk to her family about what she was going through. It’s a familiar story among her classmates, Gil said.

“Many of our students have lost a loved one. They’ve gone through sexual harassment, sexual assault, depression, self-harm,” said Gil. But when it comes to bringing up those topics with their families, many teens are concerned “they won’t believe me, or they won’t be there for me.”

That sense of isolation is what drove Gil and seven classmates to come up with a new approach to supporting student mental health: creating a space in school where kids can share what they’re going through with fellow teenagers.

Gil is a member of the school’s team for the second annual Aspen Challenge – a youth version of the famous Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado where teams of public school teenagers choose a pressing social challenge and come up with an innovative solution. Her team was among 20 high schools last month presenting their ideas on various issues from mental health, to rats, to immigration.

The team from the High School for Social Justice in Bushwick presents at the Aspen Challenge. Sophomore Kimberly Gil is second from left.

Gil’s team opted to tackle the ongoing youth mental health crisis at their school by transforming an empty classroom in their school into a wellness space staffed by teen volunteers who have undergone training as peer counselors, with adult supervision.

“This is a way where they can come and express how they truly feel without feeling ashamed,” said Gil.

In the first few days since the space opened up last month, they’ve already seen a steady stream of students coming to vent about grades and stress at the end of the marking period, said sophomore Grace Sewpersaud, 16.

Rats, immigration, and discrimination

Students in this year’s contest chose between five potential challenges: mental health, immigration, discrimination and bias, the environment, and rats.

The top honor, which included a trip to this summer’s Aspen Festival, went to students at Multicultural High School, a school in Cypress Hills geared toward recent immigrants. The team developed a website and workshops to connect newly arrived immigrant students with resources like legal help, support applying for financial aid, and access to free day care.

A team from Brooklyn Technical High School, called the Brooklyn Eraticators, took home an honorable mention for their multi-pronged plan to get the city’s largest high school to help bring down the rat population in Fort Greene.

The plan involved an education campaign to get students to discard their food waste in compost bins, which are taken out more frequently than other trash and are less likely to attract rats, student organizers said.

Teens at Sunset Park High School, meanwhile, drew on their own experiences watching immigrant family members face discrimination to devise a series of know-your-rights workshops for undocumented kids and adults.

Lizbeth Acevedo, a 16-year-old sophomore, said she’s seen her immigrant parents face discrimination since she was young. “So I guess this was a way for us … to cause the discrimination to stop.”

Teens talk parents and mental health

The topic that drew the most attention from the teen problem-solvers was the ongoing youth mental health crisis – a problem that has spurred city officials to launch their own novel approach: a free, online therapy program for kids 13-17.

Teams tackling mental health at this year’s Aspen challenge talked about pervasive anxiety, depression, and stress among their peers – and a lack of understanding or even direct opposition from their parents about accessing treatment.

The team at Brooklyn High School for Law and Technology focused one prong of their plan on educating parents about teens and mental health. The group proposed bringing parents into workshops to help ease some of the stigma, misunderstandings, and fears that adults may bring to conversations about the mental health of their kids.

“When I spoke to my family about when I wanted to have therapy and I felt like I needed help, they felt like I was telling them that I was crazy, and that I needed medications to calm me down, and that they were going to throw me in a psych ward,” said Ariana Garcia, a 17-year-old senior.

Parents are often still carrying their own burdens and traumas that may influence how they perceive their kids’ mental health, added Haajra Ali, a 16-year-old 11th grader. “It just depends on how we can help them so they can break the cycle,” she said.

Gil, the student at Bushwick’s High School for Social Justice, said she was not too hung up on the results of the contest.

“To be honest, we don’t really care about Aspen,” she said. “We’re more into actually doing something with the school. For us, it’s a really big thing that we’re able to put this up for people.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Students, tell us what you think about efforts to ban TikTok

2024-03-15T19:08:39+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat’s free weekly newsletter to keep up with how education is changing across the U.S.

Congress is trying to ban TikTok. The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution that gives TikTok owner Byte Dance, a Beijing-based tech company, six months to sell the app or see it banned in the United States. Lawmakers have raised data privacy and national security concerns because of the foreign ownership of such an influential social media app. Opponents of a ban say there is nothing unique about TikTok — that all social media platforms have positive and negative features.

About two-thirds of U.S. teens say they use TikTok, according to Pew Research Center, with 17% saying they are on the app almost constantly. While there are big worries about the mental health impacts of social media use, people also use TikTok as a creative outlet and to stay connected with friends.

We want to hear from students about how a TikTok ban would affect them.

Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey below, and let us know if we can follow up with you. We’ll keep your information confidential, and only publish your answers if you tell us it’s OK.

Not a student but know one who might have something to say? Please send them this survey.

Having trouble viewing the form? Click here.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor based in Colorado. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

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High schoolers: How important is this year’s election? Tell us.

2024-02-22T19:00:00+00:00

Dear high schoolers,

This year’s U.S. presidential election will dominate conversations worldwide. This fall, American citizens will once again cast their votes, and the two leading contenders are poised to be the same ones from four years ago. 2024 might feel eerily similar to the tumultuous 2020 presidential election and its aftermath.

Once again, inside your classrooms, history is being taught at the very moment it’s being made.

Educators: How are you planning to teach about the 2024 presidential election?

Since this could be the first election you’ll have a chance to vote in, we’re eager to know how important this moment feels in your classes and to you and your friends. Are you closely following the campaign? Or does it feel not that connected to your life?

The New York Times’ Headway team and Chalkbeat want to hear directly from you. Take a moment to complete our questionnaire below, and we’ll be in touch with you soon.

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Student voices on Uvalde: Our leaders ‘are just not going to protect us’

2022-06-07T12:00:00+00:00

Today’s high school students were born after the mass shooting at Columbine and were in elementary school when a gunman murdered 20 first graders and six adults at Sandy Hook. These teens are old enough to remember the massacre in Parkland, but most of them were too young to join the protests that followed.

They grew up with routine active shooter drills at school and with the perfunctory “thoughts and prayers” politicians offered when tragedy struck.

Following last month’s school shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York, 10 days earlier, and a year that saw rising homicides in many major American cities, Chalkbeat invited teens around the country to tell us how gun violence affects their lives and education.

In their lifetime, there have been thousands of mass shootings, including those in Philadelphia and Chattanooga, Tennessee this past weekend. There have been hundreds of school shootings, too, but no new and significant federal gun control laws. (Bipartisan talks on firearm restrictions are again underway.) Because of pervasive gun violence, students say they have learned to scan every classroom for places to hide from an active shooter, plan out escape routes, and contemplate whether and how they might help stop a shooter in their school.

Some teens say they have become desensitized to news of mass shootings because there’s no time to process one massacre before another occurs. Other students say the American gun violence epidemic keeps them in a constant state of high alert and that they are traumatized and exhausted.

They fear more than mass shootings and shots fired inside school buildings. Everyday gun violence has them considering how they get to school, where they sit in public spaces, and whether or not they’ll see their families at the end of the day. One student talked to Chalkbeat about Kyhara Tay, the 11-year-old girl struck by a stray bullet last month in the Bronx. Another remembered her schoolmate Jimari Williams, an 18-year-old Chicagoan killed by gunfire just two months before he would have graduated from high school.

The students who opened up to Chalkbeat shared a range of emotions, from numbness to fear, from anger to despair. Although they want more from their leaders, they don’t believe elected officials will take meaningful action to curb gun violence any time soon.

Their stories have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Pragnya Kaginele: Walking into a classroom, I think about hiding places

Jeremiah Griffith: It can’t get much worse

Amaya Turner: Kids are not pieces on a chessboard

Radiah Jamil: Schools should focus on student mental health and teach self-care

Meleena Salgado: Since third grade, I’ve worried about being shot at school

Anjali Darji: I’m in that crisis state of mind

Bryan Bastidas: America is normalizing gun violence on every scale

Ajibola Junaid: Elected officials must stop fighting the wrong battles

A view of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the site of the deadly May 24 mass shooting.

Walking into a classroom, I think about hiding places

Pragnya Kaginele, 15

Freshman, Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas

Pragnya Kaginele

It almost feels hopeless sometimes. I can’t think of a good solution other than good gun control. But it’s not like I can say “There should be gun control,” and magically there’s gun control. The people who are supposed to be protecting us are just not going to protect us, and they have so much more power than all of us. I’d like to think it would happen when our generation becomes eligible to run [for office], but we can’t wait 15 years.

It’s so strange that people just have guns and can carry them into schools and cause this kind of destruction. What happened in Buffalo wasn’t a school shooting, but it was a hate crime, and it was about a week before. In the span of 10 days, there’s been a racially motivated shooting, and then there’s been a shooting where 19 little kids died. For those to happen back to back, it’s like you don’t finish processing the fact that one happened before the next tragedy. It just keeps coming at you, and I guess your brain starts to think, this is just normal.

Just because it’s been happening so much doesn’t make this loss of life normal. Just because the Founding Fathers wrote in the Constitution 200 years ago that Americans have the right we have the right to have guns — just because people are so obsessed with not making any change to [the status quo] — students are forced to live their lives in fear. (The Second Amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”)

When I first go into a classroom, I think about hiding places. If I’m in a hallway, I think, if something happened, what bathroom would I go into? And there are these weird moral questions, like, would I throw myself in front of someone, or would I jump behind them? It feels weird to think about that because I’m 15 years old.

A small memorial sits outside a Chicago liquor store where 58-year-old community activist Willie Cooper was shot and killed on July 17, 2017.

It can’t get much worse

Jeremiah Griffith, 16

Junior, Noble Academy in Chicago

Jeremiah Griffith

I am a student journalist and was covering the Chicago Sky ring ceremony on May 24. The WNBA commissioner was talking about the mass shootings in the past month. She mentioned Buffalo and Texas, and I was confused because I hadn’t heard what had happened in Texas. There was a moment of silence, and the whole arena was silent.

I found out more about it during the post-game interview. When I went home, as I was finishing up the recap of the game and the article, I looked up what happened. It’s sad because, on the one hand, it’s like, oh, another mass shooting — same old, same old. But on the other hand, we have to change something.

The next day, in my AP language class, we talked about the mass shooting in Uvalde. My teacher let us have a Harkness, which is a kind of group discussion. We were talking about how we could possibly change the Second Amendment of the Constitution, but we know that might not happen. We’re being held back by the government and the lobbyists who control the NRA.

Here in Chicago, there are shootings every day. I remember when it first started getting warmer a few weeks ago, there were at least 28 people shot over the weekend , and all it got was local news reporting, and that was about it.

The Buffalo shooter literally used a live stream app, Twitch. All my friends use that app, and a lot of people saw the video (before the stream was removed). We’ve become desensitized to mass shootings, but there’s not much we can do unless there is a drastic change to the entire system. Otherwise, these things are going to keep happening. It can’t get much worse. We’re already witnessing murders on camera, and it’s normal.

This candlelight vigil, held on Feb. 14, 2019, in Orlando, Florida, commemorated the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Kids are not pieces on a chessboard

Amaya Turner, 17

Junior, Abington High School in Abington, Massachusetts

Amaya Turner

School shootings affect me more than I think they should. No matter how often they happen — and happen often, they do — I can never quite manage to feel desensitized. I suppose that’s good. I do not want to become desensitized, but the familiar fear and grief they stir up are beyond exhausting.

Every time a new school shooting occurs, I cannot stop picturing the hundreds of people who were close to the victims and will be forever changed. I cannot help but think about the surviving students who will live forever with the memories. Have we really come to a place in our country where lifelong trauma after a shooting qualifies someone as “one of the lucky ones” because at least they survived?

In 2018, when the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting happened in Parkland, Florida, I remember being terrified to go to school for weeks. In every classroom I sat in, I would try to figure out where I would run or hide if there was a shooter. I was 13. I already knew about Sandy Hook and had internalized the idea that school shootings were a part of life I might as well accept.

But it is difficult to feel safe when watching your teacher cover the narrow floor-to-ceiling window pane with a cabinet because she is afraid a would-be shooter could break the glass. It’s difficult to feel safe when you’ve grown up practicing how to huddle together with the lights off, staying as quiet as possible, and then going through ALICE training (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate). Many adults did not grow up with active shooter drills because they were mostly implemented after the Columbine shooting in 1999. So the majority of our government officials don’t know what it is like to hear kids joke nervously about who would jump in front of a shooter to buy time.

After each tragedy, there are desperate pleas for change but no real change, and then we end up repeating the tragic cycle. It is absolutely soul-crushing.

Student safety is a human right, and children, teens, and their teachers should be able to go to school without fearing the worst. I worry less for my own safety and school — Massachusetts, where I live, has some of the country’s most restrictive gun laws — and more for all the school communities bound to be impacted by mass shootings unless something changes. I worry about the parents planning funerals for their children. I worry about the surviving students who face a lifetime of traumatic memories. I worry about mental health professionals trying to help students who are suffering. I worry about innocent people who have the same mental conditions as past shooters and are now being unfairly stigmatized. Mostly, I worry about how many more children will die before change is finally enacted.

I feel so powerless hearing another shooting being politicized and debated. Kids are not pieces on a chessboard. For now, I can only hope that there will be a generation of children who never know the ever-present anxiety of school shootings or have to watch the death count slowly rise over a series of days. I can only hope my peers and I are granted the time and resources necessary to bring about the changes we deserve.

A girl visits a makeshift memorial for the shooting victims outside the Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 29, 2022.

Schools should focus on student mental health and teach self-care

Radiah Jamil, 18

Senior, Brooklyn Latin School in New York City

Radiah Jamil

I found out about the school shooting in Uvalde on social media — Instagram specifically. That’s where I get most of my news. It was just an infographic that said the number of people who were dead in Texas.

After mass shootings, a common thing people say is: Make it stricter to get guns or even abolish them completely. But I’m a big-picture person. Mental health is the primary thing that schools can focus on fixing. Mental health affects your thoughts, your decisions, your actions, and your interactions with everyone. It really impacts every aspect of your life, so that’s why I think it’s the primary thing to tackle.

Mental health has long been a crisis that has not gotten enough recognition. There has been a lot of stigma. I think we’re getting a bit better at reducing the stigma with technology, but technology can also make people’s mental health worse. It makes you more prone to cyberbullying, and online, you can be exposed to a lot of negative stuff.

When we were isolated during remote learning, we turned to Instagram and Snapchat to feel more connected. But that might not have been great for our mental health because there was a lot of stuff going on. The country was in such a tough space, and it definitely trickled down to have a negative effect on the mental health of many students.

Like most people, I was in my room for a year and a half and not socializing much. It took a toll on many of my friendships. I was diagnosed with depression. Coming back to school, it’s been so hard transitioning for both teachers and students. I feel like everyone is getting burnt out a lot more. There are many schools that don’t have access to a social worker on a daily basis, and a social worker is someone students can turn to when they’re having a hard time.

Last year, after winning money in a “Shark Tank”-style contest, I founded Mentalligence, a peer-to-peer mental health support organization to teach New York City high school students about different therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and existential therapy, and self-care techniques. Our peer support gives students a comfortable place to talk about their mental health, especially if they can’t afford a therapist or don’t have a reliable person at home to talk to.

If schools focused on mental health and self-care, it would really go a long way because, at school, we don’t talk about any of that stuff. Even little things like carving out 15 minutes to meditate and do gratitude journaling — teaching these self-care activities so that students can form these habits — could have a greater impact on students’ mental health in the long term.

People mourn at a makeshift memorial for the victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 31, 2022.

Since third grade, I’ve worried about being shot up at school

Meleena Salgado, 17

Junior, John Hancock College Preparatory High School in Chicago

I was feeding my dogs, and my dad rushed in and said a school had been shot up. My heart just sank. I was frustrated that there was another one. I hate to use that term because there were people who were lost. But I was just like, come on. No matter how many are hurt, [politicians] are just going to say, “Oh wow, what a tragedy,” and then we’ll find out about the next one.

I’ve been worried about a school shooting since I was little. The oldest fear I have about being shot up at school is when I was, maybe, in third grade. I was in the bathroom alone and heard this really loud bang, and I thought, “Oh, God, maybe this is it.” (That bang turned out to be someone dropping a textbook in the hallway.)

A few weeks ago, my friends and I were discussing where we’d hide if there was a shooting. My friend was saying that there are a lot of windows in this building, and I said that’s unfortunate because what if someone gunned down the windows? Then we said we could try the library, but there are windows there, too. They said, “Well, we could try the theater,” but we realized that is right where the doors are to get into school, so maybe that would be the first place that would be attacked.

Later, when I talked about hiding places with my brother, my mom was looking at us in horror.

A Senate staff member prepares for a press conference on Capitol Hill on January 24, 2013. House and Senate Democrats were joined by law enforcement officials to introduce legislation to ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines.

I’m in that crisis state of mind

Anjali Darji, 17

Junior, Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, New Jersey

Anjali Darji

When I walked into class on Wednesday, my history teacher had the last four mass shootings and the death tolls on the board.

We’re currently learning about the George W. Bush administration, and my teacher went off about the 1994 assault weapons ban that President Bill Clinton signed into law and how the weapons used in the recent mass shootings would have been banned under that law. He told us how the ban ended during the George W. Bush administration and was never renewed.

Then, we had a conversation about how we go forward as America. Do we continue to be proud of America despite this? Or what do we do to change? Or do we just condemn America? He was asking that and no one answered because, honestly, I don’t know how I feel about this. I’m in that crisis state of mind.

On social media, people have been posting the number of U.S. shootings compared to other countries and how high America’s toll has been. And what I proposed in class is that we analyze other countries’ policies on gun control and related policies because they must be doing something right if they have significantly fewer shootings.

When someone brought up what happened in Uvalde, we either had to stop talking about it because someone was gonna cry, or there was just this resigned feeling.

I have plans for what to do in case of a shooting. In one plan, I’m running to save myself. I have another plan in which I’m trying to evade the gunman and help people get out of the building because my school has over 2,000 kids, and it employs hundreds of people. I’m numb to the idea that I do this kind of planning now. It’s just a thing that I do for self-preservation.

Local residents pay their respects at a memorial for Kyhara Tay, an 11-year-old girl shot to death by a stray bullet, May 19, 2022 in the Bronx.

America is normalizing gun violence on every scale

Bryan Bastidas, 17

Senior, International High School for Health Sciences in New York City

Bryan Bastidas

In the middle of a beautiful Tuesday in New York City, after watching “Better Call Saul,” I found myself scrolling through Twitter, bombarded with the news of another mass shooting in Texas. This time it happened in an elementary school.

I was shocked and confused about how a person could do this to small kids. I watched my little brother smiling as he played and watched videos; I was thinking about how someone could take those beautiful smiles from their mouths. I felt disgusted.

The worst part of it is that we are normalizing gun violence on every scale. Not only in Texas but also in New York, where I live. Two weeks before this, a little girl named Kyhara Tay was killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx.

Walking on the streets of New York City does not feel safe, especially for me, a student who always takes trains and buses and uses public spaces to socialize or take a break. Every day, I fear not seeing my father or mother coming back alive from work or my siblings from school. I fear dying on the bus or the train. It’s absurd that an 18-year-old can get a weapon and carry it into public spaces like it’s a cellphone or a toy.

Many people think that banning guns will fix the problem — and yes, it would reduce violence significantly — but we do not think as much about the person who used the weapon. He was only 18. What kind of life did he have? What kind of problems? Sometimes, we see symptoms and signs, but we do not do anything until everything explodes.

I think there should be more and stricter regulations on who and when to carry a gun. Firearms are not toys and should be difficult to get. One great example is Switzerland, which, like the U.S., has a high rate of gun ownership. But, unlike the U.S., which has had more than 200 mass shootings just this year, there have been no mass shootings in Switzerland in 21 years. That country issues licenses for firearms and carefully vets would-be gun owners before issuing these licenses (sometimes talking to mental health professionals in the process).

I think schools should also have more security to prevent these kinds of actions. We can use metal detectors and give police more tools to prevent these events. It is complicated to talk about this problem, but it is worth letting people know that this problem should be fixed. I want my family and friends to have a future where they do not have to fear for their lives in any situation, from walking in the city to being in school.

A memorial dedicated to the 19 children and two adults killed on May 24 during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School is seen on June 1, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas.

Elected officials must stop fighting the wrong battles

Ajibola Junaid, 18

Senior, Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago

Ajibola Junaid

Gun violence means I don’t know how to ride a bike or have friends in my neighborhood because I don’t feel safe going out. The summertime is the worst because there are gunshots all the time. It’s hot inside, and it’s too risky outside.

Several students at my school have died of gun violence, including, last year, a senior named Jimari Williams, just two months before graduation. This year, a shooting outside my school injured a student and a security guard. It’s sickening. Nowhere feels safe.

We need gun control. We need politicians to stop fighting the wrong battles. Why are so many of them willing to do anything to make abortions illegal but not willing to take the necessary steps to protect the children who are here? Children like the 19 gunned down, along with two of their teachers, in Uvalde, Texas.

My heart bleeds for their families. I send my sincere condolences to all those who are grieving.

The saddest part of all this is that you’d think that massacre after massacre would bring about gun control. But nothing ever happens. The outrage will last only a few weeks, and everything will calm down until some other group of people dies. There have been at least 27 school shootings in the U.S. this year — and it’s only May. Hopefully, this time, government officials will listen to our cries for help. I hope the deaths of these innocent kids bring positive change to our society.

Stories from Anjali Darji, Jeremiah Griffith, Radiah Jamil, Pragnya Kaginele, and Meleena Salgado were told to Gabrielle Birkner.

If you are interested in speaking to Chalkbeat about how gun violence impacts your life and education, please reach out to us at community@chalkbeat.org.

‘A place of joy’: Inside a safe haven for Black queer teens in Alabama

2022-07-25T11:00:00+00:00

As the youth group members trickle onto the video call, Joshua Baker tries to keep things light.

“Thank you for momentarily gracing us with your beauty,” he tells DaQuon, who turns off their camera as soon as they join. After Aadhya announces that she got a new car, Baker exclaims, “Come on, wheels!”

But when Peyton says they’re feeling exhausted, Baker can’t help but acknowledge: In many parts of America, it is not an easy time to be young, Black, and queer.

“Within the context of everything that’s going on in the world,” Baker says on this sweltering July afternoon, “everything just feels kind of heavy.”

Baker oversees the Youth Ambassadors, part of a nonprofit that serves and is led by Black queer people in Alabama. At 25, he is not much older than the teens in his group, yet he calls them his babies. Nurturing comes naturally to Baker, who cared for his ailing mother while in high school and then earned a master’s degree in social work. And nurturing, he believes, is what these young people need now.

In statehouses across the country, conservative lawmakers have proposed hundreds of bills this year targeting LGBTQ people and transgender teens in particular. This spring, Baker and the young people in his program watched with fear and fury as Alabama’s legislature passed one of the most restrictive measures, making it a felony for doctors to provide gender-affirming medication to anyone under 19.

Advocates temporarily halted that law through a court challenge, but others went into effect. When the new school year begins next month, transgender students will be forbidden from using bathrooms that don’t match the sex they were assigned at birth. Counselors will have to notify parents if a child expresses uncertainty about their gender identity. And teachers will be barred from discussing gender or sexuality with students until they reach sixth grade.

This afternoon, as the Black queer youth group gathers for its twice-monthly Zoom meeting, Baker knows he can’t singlehandedly reverse the new rules. But he can provide these young people a refuge where they feel safe enough to remove their armor and stretch out into their full selves, together.

It’s “a place of warmth, a place of joy, a place of comfort,” he reflects later, one “that says we are so much more than our trauma. We are so much more than our grief.”

Joshua Baker and the Youth Ambassadors attended a Black LGBTQ Pride event in Selma, Alabama this June.

Facing the fire

For all his talk of joy, Baker decides to start the day’s meeting by discussing pain.

He knows that telling students simply to “choose joy” could ring hollow when some have faced bullying at school and disapproval at home, and now they are watching lawmakers limit their autonomy and protections. So first: Acknowledge the hurt.

To that end, Baker plays a video of one of his favorite poets, Alysia Harris, performing a piece called “Controlled Burn.” In it, the narrator compares her pain to being set on fire. Towards the end she prays, “May this pain make me patient.”

“The goal of that is not to minimize the pain we’ve been through, it’s not to minimize the trauma,” Baker says. “But it’s to see what can grow from it.”

Baker grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, where his mother was a Baptist minister and he sang in his church’s youth choir. He knew early on he was gay, and he sensed he should keep it secret. At church homosexuality was a sin, and at school it was a slur. In high school, watching the few openly queer students endure abuse, he learned that safety can require secrecy.

“High school was an attempt to perform straightness for survival,” he recalled.

In college, he lost his mother, who had struggled with diabetes and kidney disease. He had long worried that publicly disclosing his sexuality would bring shame on her. But two years after her death, when he was 22, he decided to share his full self with the world.

The decision opened new doors. He began conducting doctoral research on Black queer experiences and, this January, was hired to run the youth program.

The program is one component of The Knights & Orchids Society, or TKO. The nonprofit was founded a decade ago by Quentin Bell, a Selma native who is transgender, and his wife Jennine to serve other Black trans and queer people in Alabama. Today the group provides free services ranging from gender-affirming medical care to food and housing assistance, in line with its leaders’ mantra: “We are the help we need.”

At times the Youth Ambassador meetings call to mind a college seminar; at other times, a lively get-together. But now, as Baker speaks to the young people on his computer screen, it feels more like group therapy. You are more than your circumstances, he tells them. You are more than your pain.

“We, in and of ourselves, deserve better,” he says, “even if that’s not what we’re receiving.”

At that, one of the young people chimes in. “Amen, y’all.”

Under attack

If Baker could end it there, he would. These young people deserve peace and happiness, period.

But he knows their peace is always precarious. Racism, homophobia, transphobia loom over their lives, requiring constant vigilance.

“There is not a day that some part of that oppression does not pop up,” Baker says to the group. “I have to be careful with how I dress, how high my voice is or how deep my voice is, how I present myself, how I engage.”

This resonates with Peyton, who will soon begin 12th grade.

“Us being Black and queer, it just adds a whole other level of oppression,” they say during the meeting. “Like people don’t think we should exist. People hate us. They don’t want us here, you know?”

Peyton is a Youth Ambassador for The Knights and Orchids Society.

Peyton, who uses they and she pronouns, has seen this prejudice up close. In their Montgomery middle school, students could be cruel and casually homophobic. When queer people made the news, the circumstances were often tragic. In Peyton’s eighth grade year, Nigel Shelby became national news: A gay teen from Huntsville who was bullied in school, he died by suicide.

“Gay people dying, trans people dying or getting hate crimed,” Peyton recalled. “That’s tough to see.”

Peyton also had been bullied. “I would cry a lot in school,” they said. “A lot.” So when COVID arrived midway through their ninth grade year, forcing school to go virtual, Peyton didn’t mind. Despite the reprieve from school, Peyton was still struggling with their mental health when, last summer, their friends Zuriel and DaQuon mentioned a group called TKO.

Zuriel, who came out as transgender in high school and graduated in 2021, received services from the group and DaQuon followed their work through social media. They saw that TKO was hosting an event at Selma’s historic Black LGBTQ Pride festival that June. So on the day of the event, the three friends in Montgomery piled into DaQuon’s Ford Escape.

“We drove an hour to Selma,” DaQuon recalled, “and our lives changed.”

It was DaQuon and Peyton’s first time meeting the TKO staff, but it felt like a family reunion.

They soon joined the Youth Ambassadors program, where they helped host community events throughout the fall and winter and met regularly with their Black queer peers.

“It makes me feel like I’m on top of the world,” Peyton said.

While organizations like TKO are working to create safe places for gender diversity, the state’s Republican lawmakers passed a bill that blocks trans teens from receiving gender-affirming care.

But just as TKO was creating a safe haven for gender diversity, politicians were trying to outlaw medical care that can be lifesaving for some trans teens.

In February, Republican state lawmakers introduced a bill that would send doctors and nurses to prison for up to 10 years if they prescribed hormones or puberty-blocking medication to transgender young people. The lawmakers called the treatments risky and experimental, but major medical associations support access to such care and say the treatments are safe, backed by evidence, and associated with lower rates of suicidality and depression for the young people who receive them.

TKO’s leaders spoke out against the proposal at legislative hearings and brought the Youth Ambassadors to meetings with lawmakers. But anti-LGBTQ laws continued to gain traction nationally and, in April, Alabama’s legislature passed the ban on gender-affirming care, along with other bills aimed at LGBTQ youth. Gov. Kay Ivey signed it into law, explaining: “I believe very strongly that if the Good Lord made you a boy, you are a boy, and if he made you a girl, you are a girl.”

“Our existence just bothers them,” Peyton says to the group. “So it’s just like, we’ve got to keep fighting for us.”

Joyful resistance

Zuriel speaks during a Zoom meeting of the Youth Ambassadors in July.

What does it mean to fight back?

Sometimes it is marching in the streets, fists raised in defiance, Baker says to the group. “But activism is expansive,” he adds. It also can be storytelling, friendship, or checking in on your community.

“Everybody on this call is an activist in their own right,” he says.

After Alabama’s anti-trans restrictions became law, many in the LGBTQ community were devastated. But, for trans people of color in particular, giving up is a luxury that most can’t afford. As TC Caldwell, TKO’s community engagement director, put it: “Our work doesn’t stop or start with a bill.”

Instead, in its own way, the group continued to fight back.

The month after the bill passed, TKO held a gathering in Montgomery’s Shakespeare Park. It was not a strategy session or protest, but a celebration of community. Laughing children raced across the grass, teenagers played cards, and DaQuon, draped in a rainbow flag, blew bubbles.

“Black joy is so revolutionary,” Caldwell said. “The audacity to celebrate when people are telling you there’s nothing to celebrate.”

In June, TKO staffers traveled to Pride events across the state, offering free HIV testing and information about their services. At Selma’s event, the Youth Ambassadors hosted an open mic night where DaQuon performed an Erykah Badu song and Zuriel read a piece about her transition.

Zuriel also has continued to create videos celebrating trans beauty and pride, which she posts to her nearly 14,000 followers on TikTok.

“Today for example, I got up, did my makeup, and I started making videos,” she says when Baker asks the group what their activism looks like. “Little things like that actually matter.”

Zuriel and DaQuon also joined the TKO staff as paid peer navigators, helping other Black queer teens get the services they need. Taking care of your people is another way to fight oppression, DaQuon tells the group. So is living authentically.

“Being unapologetic about who I am,” they say, “that’s activism as well.”

As one TKO’s peer navigators, DaQuon helps connect other Black queer youth with support services.

As the meeting winds down, Baker gives a few updates. He is arranging for some Black queer elders and artists to speak with the group. He’s also looking into funding for a “healing extravaganza,” a festival of sorts that DaQuon proposed. Peyton suggested incorporating water, a symbol of cleansing and rebirth.

The event resembles the future that Baker envisions, “where queer youth can have soft lives, where they can have tender lives.”

Before the group members say their goodbyes and log off this July afternoon, they recite an affirmation. Baker came up with it in college, and now his babies have made it their own.

“I have a voice,” each young person says. “It is powerful. I am powerful.”

Patrick Wall is a senior reporter covering national education issues. Contact him at pwall@chalkbeat.org.

NYC students want to talk about Israel and Gaza. Schools are struggling to keep up.

2023-11-21T23:21:34+00:00

For many New York City teenagers, the violence that’s unfurled thousands of miles away in Israel and the Gaza Strip over the past seven weeks has felt startlingly close to home.

Both Muslim and Jewish students told Chalkbeat they’ve noticed an uptick in hurtful and derogatory comments from classmates at school or over social media, echoing a recent state review that found Islamophobic and antisemitic rhetoric have each jumped by more than 400% on social media since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the country’s retaliation.

Students, meanwhile, are glued to their phones. They’re trying to keep up with an endless stream of often-graphic social media content about the ongoing war while attempting to sift through a barrage of conflicting information and viewpoints, they said.

It’s “scary … to be teenagers and dealing with antisemitism and Islamophobia,” one Brooklyn high school student said, adding that they were “grappling with how to feel about this horrible thing that’s going on that we don’t have any control over.”

School can feel like one of the few safe places to make sense of the Israel-Hamas war, learn about the historical underpinnings of the crisis, and try in some small way to take action, teens said.

Hamas militants killed an estimated 1,200 Israelis and took another 240 hostage, and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza has killed at least 11,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children.

City schools, however, are taking divergent approaches to navigating conversations about the war, and in some cases largely avoiding it, according to interviews with educators and students at six high schools, most of whom spoke only on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

At some high schools — particularly large ones — pressure to keep up with fast-paced curriculums, fears about further inflaming tensions, and caution about steering clear of political landmines, especially after a warning from schools Chancellor David Banks to keep personal views out of the classroom, have made it difficult to create dedicated spaces to talk about the war, educators and students told Chalkbeat.

“It’s kind of like an elephant in the room for many students,” said a senior at Midwood High School in Brooklyn. “There haven’t been any discussions in classes.”

“It’s very sensitive … and no one wants to get written up or lose their job,” added a Brooklyn Tech staffer. “No one wants to say anything because no one wants to get into trouble.”

The Education Department provided school leaders with a resource guide to “help them work with their staff to support instruction based on facts about the war in the Middle East as well as resources on supporting students during this difficult time,” spokesperson Chyann Tull said.

Banks’s warning about political speech was only meant to reiterate existing city rules and to encourage teachers to remain objective when discussing charged issues, according to officials.

At one Brooklyn high school, students frustrated by the lack of opportunities to talk about the conflict during the school day organized an after-school meeting, supervised by teachers at school, between Jewish and Muslim student groups. They plan to invite expert speakers to give students more background, according to a student who helped organize the events and spoke anonymously for fear of retaliation.

“Having these conversations is really important, and if we can have them in a setting that’s monitored and we have access to concrete information, that’s really helpful,” the student said. “It’s something that 16-year-olds should not have to organize … but I think teachers are scared to be talking about it.”

Some schools and teachers wade into difficult conversations

That’s not to say there aren’t educators and schools across the city wading into difficult conversations.

Kate Cook, a Spanish and senior advisory teacher at Brooklyn Tech, doesn’t normally teach about Israel and the Palestinian territories, and she was nervous about upsetting kids and doing justice to the complex history of the conflict. In each of her classes, she knew she’d likely have multiple students with ties to the region, heightening the stakes. But she decided the risks of avoiding the discussion outweighed the potential pitfalls of diving into it.

“If teachers don’t address it, it sends the message it’s not important and we don’t care about it,” she said.

Cook started with several informal check-ins shortly after Oct. 7 and again after the Israeli bombardment of Gaza began, and asked students to check in on both their Jewish and Muslim classmates. Several weeks later, she led a lesson meant to help students think through all of the ways they process news about the war – intellectually, emotionally, and as a matter of conscience.

There were challenging moments, including a spirited debate between a student forcefully arguing “Hamas needs to be eradicated” and another saying you “can’t ignore” decades of occupation, Cook said.

But she knew it was the right decision when the mother of one of her students approached her at parent-teacher conferences to thank her. The girl had family in Israel and “came home in tears because she was so happy” Cook had checked in with her students, the mom said.

“Particularly at a big school, we can often underestimate our impact as teachers,” Cook said. “But when something big happens in the world, we need to say something.”

Other educators who’ve led classroom lessons about the conflict said they prompted valuable discussions about the relative advantages of social and mainstream media.

Teachers said they tried to help students approach social media more skeptically and spot misinformation without dismissing their arguments that social media has galvanized young people and made information accessible to them in a way mass media hasn’t.

“With the mass media, you are fed information, but on social media, you get to contribute to the message,” one Brooklyn Tech teacher recalled a student saying.

At several smaller schools, teachers have organized optional “teach-ins” during lunch periods and after school for students who want more background on the conflict.

“It was very informative and it didn’t try to force a stance and gave students a chance to make their own conclusions,” said Alexander Calafiura, a senior at East Side Community High School in Manhattan who attended one such session to get a better factual understanding of the conflict. (Calafiura is currently a Student Voices fellow at Chalkbeat).

Teachers who led lessons on the conflict said they were acutely aware that it’s emotional for students and took pains to keep their classrooms feeling safe.

One Brooklyn Tech teacher said he had students frequently flash “thumbs-up” signs to each other to indicate they were OK continuing the lesson. Sari Beth Rosenberg, a history teacher at the High School for Environmental Studies in Manhattan, started her lesson by asking students to agree on the shared principle that all death is bad.

“I think you’re more likely to have a civil discourse if you start it off by framing it as ‘what do we agree on,’” she said.

Students, teachers, and pro-Palestinian allies march through Midtown Manhattan during a student walkout protest calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on Nov. 9, 2023 in New York.

Politics loom large

The crisis in Israel and Gaza has reignited long-standing debates about the appropriate role of politics in school.

On Nov. 8, the day before a planned student walkout calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Banks sent the message to all city schools staffers reminding them that city rules bar teachers from expressing their personal political views in class, and that even out-of-school political activity could be out of bounds if it causes a disruption in school.

An Education Department spokesperson said Banks’ warning wasn’t in response to any single event, and Banks told the publication City & State that his intention was not to “silence anybody.”

But critics including New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman argued the missive would “likely have the effect of stifling political discussion both inside the classroom and in the broader community.”

Some educators said that’s indeed come to pass.

“I think it’s egregious that our voices are being censored right now,” said a social worker who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “As faculty and staff we’ve been clearly discouraged from supporting these students.”

Some students and staff argue, moreover, that condemning Hamas’s attack – like Banks did on Oct. 10 – without also acknowledging the ongoing siege of Gaza is itself a political stance.

One Midwood High School student who participated in the Nov. 9 walkout said it “symbolizes our anger towards the Department of Education for their neutral stance and support of the genocide,” a term that has been hotly contested as a way to describe Israel’s siege of Gaza.

At Brooklyn Tech, students sent a letter last week to Principal David Newman criticizing his decision to send an Oct. 10 email acknowledging the Oct. 7 atrocities in Israel without sending a subsequent message acknowledging the deaths in Gaza.

“The Palestinians currently being killed in Gaza at overwhelming rates, most of whom are women and children, are, above all, innocent civilians,” the students wrote. “They, just as innocent Israeli civilians addressed in Mr. Newman’s email, do not deserve death or suffering in any way. They deserve the same amount of respect as the Israeli civilians that Mr. Newman addressed in his email.”

The students also called for more dedicated spaces in school to talk about the conflict, and additional counseling resources.

Newman didn’t respond to a request for comment.

But it’s not only statements about the violence in Gaza that have proven controversial: At the Museum School in Manhattan, administrators declined to include a statement from the Jewish Student Union condemning the Oct. 7 attacks in the school newsletter out of concern it violated Education Department rules on political speech, the school’s newspaper reported.

The debates over political speech also play out on the smaller stage of individual classrooms.

For some teachers, keeping a firewall between personal political beliefs and classroom teaching is critical.

“We shouldn’t be talking about our political beliefs in the classroom, I don’t think that should be controversial,” said Rosenberg, the Manhattan history teacher, adding that teachers’ backgrounds also shouldn’t play a role in how they discuss current and political events.

“Your classroom is not the place to work out your identity issues,” she said.

But other teachers argue it’s not so simple, and that shielding students entirely from their political beliefs and biases is unrealistic and counterproductive.

“If people ask me, I will have separate conversations,” said one Bronx history teacher, who said her students know she is both Jewish and “anti-occupation.”

“I have no problem with people seeing my point of view as one point of view.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Youth-led workshops push school board candidates to address student needs

2023-10-11T02:46:40+00:00

Students may be the people with the most at stake in any school board election, but most of them can’t vote.

For youth leaders with YAASPA — Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism — that’s all the more reason to ask candidates’ hard questions and push for real answers.

“Potential candidates for the school board hold a lot of power. They’re involved in making very pivotal changes that affect both staff and youth,” said Jason Hoang, a youth leader with YAASPA and a graduate of Aurora’s Hinkley High School who now attends the University of Southern California.

YAASPA youth have been organizing and leading candidate workshops since 2017, starting in Aurora. This year, they’re holding workshops in Aurora on Wednesday, in Denver on Oct. 20, and in the Cherry Creek School District on Oct. 25. Community members can attend virtually.

When Hoang first got involved in organizing an Aurora candidate workshop in 2021, he didn’t know much about the school board, but he did know that changing anything significant would probably have to go through them.

“Most concerns are coming from the voices of youth,” he said, “but if they don’t even know who their school board is, how can they convey their concerns to the school board?”

In the months leading up to the workshops, youth leaders research the candidates and how their school board could influence the issues they care about, such as better academic resources for their schools, diverse curriculum, retaining educators of color, and student mental health.

By design, these events are not debates or forums. The format encourages interaction between students and potential school board members rather than arguments between the candidates. Some questions are fun and spontaneous, designed to help the candidates relax and be themselves. Others are specific to the candidates, their proposals, and their approach to the job.

Sakari Mackey, a senior at Cherokee Trail High School, said students want to get a feel for why the person wants to be a school board member. What drives them to do the work and what is their purpose?

Mackey said she wants to see how candidates will connect with families and students and prioritize student needs.

“I feel like oftentimes, we’re only focusing on the schools and what the principal needs as opposed to what the students’ needs are and how the school can provide for the students,” she said.

Candidates are often eager to participate, said Ameya Kamani, a graduate of the Cherry Creek district who now attends Cornell University, but they are sometimes thrown off when students enforce the format and time limits. When the candidates can’t give their rehearsed speeches, they are less polished, he said, but they’re also more authentic.

The questions young people have for school board members are sometimes different than those adults ask. Students care about getting a good education, Hoang said, but talking about test scores feels dehumanizing, especially for students who attend schools that have been labeled as bad.

“The lack of resources is usually dismissed,” he said. “But I think that it’s somewhat traumatizing, just being so driven in school, but not being given the resources to fully succeed.”

School safety, the presence of school resource officers, mental health support, and curriculum are all important issues for students, YAASPA youth leaders said. So is supporting teachers so they can do their best work. They also want elected officials who will treat students like real constituents with valid concerns that deserve attention.

“We have always had a goal as an organization to not just be civically engaged but have a mechanism to build relationships with people who desire to govern,” said YAASPA co-founder and CEO Janiece Mackey. “We have to stop romanticizing youth voice and civic engagement and be in partnership with them and honor their labor.”

Hoang said the experience of organizing the workshops have made him and his peers more informed, sophisticated voters in national elections. Kamani said it helped him talk to his immigrant parents about what a school board does and why they should vote.

Sakari Mackey, Janiece Mackey’s daughter, is excited to vote in her first election this fall.

“These quote-unquote small elections, they do matter because those small policies will directly affect you and your students and your kids,” she said.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Sakari Mackey attends Cherokee Trail High School. A previous version named the wrong school.

Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

Mayor Johnson asked Chicago youth for budget feedback. Hundreds showed up.

2023-07-26T21:11:52+00:00

In a new move for Chicago’s budget process, Mayor Brandon Johnson put out a call to the city’s young people: He wanted to hear what their priorities for spending are.

They responded in force. Within a week of the announcement, pre-registration for a youth roundtable was full. About 350 teens and young people showed up for the event on Tuesday, eager to talk about issues ranging from environmental justice and public health to education and affordable housing.

Johnson told the youth, ages 13 to 24, not to hold back on their opinions. Their input will inform a report laying out budget priorities, he said.

“Some people will try to write you off and say you don’t know enough because you’re not grown. On the contrary, I think you may know more,” he said. “Your unique voices and perspectives and lived experiences have the power to open our eyes to something we didn’t see before.”

The event was a new addition to the city’s typical budget process, which includes public hearings, ahead of the mayor releasing a proposal to the City Council by Oct. 15.

It was Christa Lawson’s first time participating in an event like this. She’s 14 years old. Her priority? Community safety and mental health.

“(There’s) a lack of mental health resources and a lack of people being able to feel vulnerable in their neighborhood and be able to talk to someone,” she said.

Faith Townsell of North Lawndale, an intern for the mayor’s office, helped put the roundtable together. In the past, she said, she had attended a feedback event on the city budget, but the jargon tossed around made it hard to understand what was going on.

Townsell pointed out the diversity among the audience, not only in terms of race, but also in terms of the schools that the participants attend — not just selective enrollment schools, but neighborhood schools, too.

“I feel really, really encouraged,” Townsell said. “So many people care about the city and it shows that young people really do have a voice.”

At the roundtable, in the Winter Garden at Harold Washington Library, teens and young adults sat at tables marked with topics: public health and mental health; affordable housing and homelessness; environmental justice and infrastructure; neighborhood and community development; and community safety. Volunteers at each table took notes and helped move the conversation along, asking young people what ideas they had for investment.

After about 25 minutes, the young people switched tables for another discussion. Participants could also fill out surveys. At the end of the event, five participants over the age of 16 were randomly selected to win Lollapalooza passes.

Though Chicago schools weren’t on the official list of topics, many young people told Chalkbeat that education frequently came up in their discussions.

Jayla Anderson-Westbrook, 15, said she felt excited to share the changes she wants implemented — including more services in schools to support mental health.

“We talked about getting social workers and psychologists to schools — public schools, not just private schools — that look like us and that could connect with us,” Anderson-Westbrook said.

The largest revenue source for the Chicago Public Schools’ budget comes from city taxpayers. But late last month the school board already approved a flat $9.4 billion for the upcoming 2023-24 school year.

The city’s budget covers a host of services — not only public schools but also libraries, public health, and policing. Unlike Chicago Public Schools, the city budget operates on a calendar year and must be approved by the end of the year. Typically, City Council votes on it before Thanksgiving.

As Johnson plans his budget proposal, participant Aujane Williams, 17 of Roseland, had a message for the mayor: “Don’t forget about the little people.”

Meet Chicago’s newest student school board member: Kenwood Academy’s Kate’Lynn Shaw

2023-06-28T19:26:18+00:00

When Kate’Lynn Shaw first ran for student council in eighth grade, she said her peers knew her as an energetic kid on Zoom. Now back in the classroom — and with years of experience as class president — she’s excited to expand beyond her school walls, this time as an honorary Chicago school board member.

The board inducted Shaw at Wednesday’s meeting. Though she cannot cast votes, she will represent students at the board’s monthly meetings and will serve on a district-level student committee through next school year.

“I hope that my presence marks a new era,” Shaw said at Wednesday’s meeting. “I hope that my passion leads you to listen more, but most importantly, I pray that my voice, my presence, and my passion act as a vessel for CPS students and their families who yearn to be heard.”

Shaw is a rising junior at Kenwood Academy High School in Hyde Park, and she has attended Chicago Public Schools since she began her education. Along with her student council experience, Shaw also hopes to bring her skills from debate.

Kenwood’s Assistant Principal Sherry Ball said that Shaw is an excellent choice for the role.

“She has just been taking her student voice and the leadership that she has at Kenwood by storm,” Ball said. “She has a really nice pulse on what students are thinking, what they’re feeling and she’s going to be very thoughtful and how she brings those issues to you guys and gives you her opinions.”

Ahead of her term, Chalkbeat spoke with Shaw about her leadership experience and priorities.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What made you apply to be the honorary student board member?

Being on the debate team, that makes you think about politics or policy on a level of not only these made-up scenarios, but also what you can do for yourself in your school as well.

When I heard about the honorary school board member application, and I looked up the importance of it and the magnitude that it held for students — not only in Chicago, but also to Illinois in general — it made me want to apply so that I can be that voice.

I’m someone that’s very outspoken, and I believe in the voice of students. And if that could be one way that I can contribute and say thank you to all the CPS students or even the CPS families that have helped me throughout these years, it will make me happy.

You said you’re pretty vocal. What are some issues that are particularly close to your heart or important to you?

The redistribution of funding within CPS has been a really big topic, especially in the last couple of years where we see schools such as my schools, or Hyde Park or King demand for more money, demand for equitable funding.

Another thing that I think is really important is student voice. A lot of time, we see students be pushed to the side because we’re not 18 and older. But when it comes to the kids that we’re teaching, we should give them every single moment to be able to express what they want in their school — whether that’s curriculum, whether that’s how you respond to certain policies and legislation that is going on within CPS.

What are you hearing from your fellow students in terms of their priorities?

Student voice and funding. Another concern I’ve seen is safety. The safety in our school is really important, and having kids comfortable with what those safety plans are is also very important. So are we talking to students about how they feel about [student resource officers]? How do they feel about having officers in their schools or even the idea of having security guards in their schools? What does that look like and how do we make those plans so that kids are more comfortable?

We’re headed into a period of turnover. Are there any priorities that you would like Mayor Brandon Johnson to have in mind when he’s thinking about school board appointments?

I would like him to think about who has the students in mind when they make decisions, and how they have relationships with students. Have they ever had to be in the room with students and hear their opinions? Or even if they’re comfortable with hearing those opinions.

What would you say your leadership style is?

I believe that you can never be a leader if you don’t have other people also becoming leaders with you. I believe that every person should be able to get a voice, and I don’t believe in fully controlling situations where a leader would “control.” I believe that to be a leader, you have to know when to help others and also when to uplift them.

You’re involved with your student government and your debate team. Tell me why you got involved with those activities.

My first year running for student council was eighth grade. It was online, and everybody kind of knew me as the very energetic person who was on Zoom, who really commanded the conversation and who knew what she was talking about. And so I ran because not only did I think that my peers would be supportive of me running, but also as I became more in touch with my school, even online, I knew that I wanted to be more involved and I wanted to help others get involved.

The learning experience has helped me be able to voice my peers’ concerns in a way that can actually resonate with admin and I can be a true liaison for students.

When it came to debate…I loved arguments. I thought that the idea of policy or policymaking was really interesting. And I also liked the idea of things like critiques, understanding the fundamentals of why we’re talking about it, and the issues that go into policymaking.

Being an honorary school board member, you also get $1,000 toward your college education. So I was wondering if you have any ideas of what you might want to do post-high school.

I want to major in chemical engineering and also Afro American Studies at Yale University. I love [Yale Professor] Elizabeth Hinton, I’ve read her book like, three times. Aside from college, I want to be able to kind of be a voice for students, even after I leave.

Of any career, I want to firstly be someone that other people can talk to and learn, someone they can look at and be educated by, and I want to be helpful to people. So even before I get into postsecondary education, I want to make sure I make that mark on students, one of those being that I want to also be a debate coach.

Max Lubbers is an intern for Chalkbeat Chicago. Contact Max at mlubbers@chalkbeat.org.

Tackling Michigan youth mental health crisis: Detroit teens say it takes self-love, inner peace

2023-03-02T16:45:48+00:00

About 20 Detroit teens last summer set out to answer some important questions about how their peers are dealing with mental health struggles.

These high school students, part of a city youth organization called Local Circles, wanted to know two things about their peers: How they practice self-love, and how they find peace in a world in which they constantly feel judged.

They are relevant questions. Schools across Michigan are struggling to address the mental health needs of students. Those troubles existed before the pandemic, but the isolation, lingering effects of remote learning, and challenges coping in the midst of a global health crisis have deepened them.

The Detroit teens detailed their findings, and in some cases confronted their own mental health worries, in written pieces. Chalkbeat is publishing excerpts of those pieces today.

Local Circles is an organization that employs young people to research issues that are important to them. Nicole Jurek, the executive director of the organization, wrote in her own piece that adults too often think of young people in terms of what they can do in the future. But they have a voice today, she said.

“Young people have value (intrinsically, as we all do) for what they can do now, in their youth,” she wrote.

Read the pieces below from high school students TaMyra Smith, Torrance Johnson, Amaya Nard, Drew Smith Jr., and Stephanie Haney.

When depression takes control

TaMyra Smith is a sophomore at the DPSCD Virtual Academy in Detroit.

There was a time in my life where the bad days outweighed the good days. Depression took control over my emotions, school became more depressing by the minute, I faced personal problems at home, and, worst of all, COVID had just come out. I could see that I wasn’t the only kid dealing with these issues, yet since 2020, our tears have been hidden in the crowd, and there are fake smiles everywhere.

I’ve heard people say, “Life isn’t all that bad,” and that might be right. But if that were true, we would have more mentally stable teens in this world. Unfortunately, it is the other way around. It has gotten to the point where we’ve all become distant from one another, with no one to talk to, so that pain is just sitting within. A friend of mine once said, “The world feels like a ton of bricks have just landed on my chest, and the load won’t get any lighter.” Why should we have to live like this if we’re the future? What are we supposed to do in order to make life a bit easier for us?

“The pandemic has done a number on me. I don’t and can’t go anywhere, can’t sleep some nights, always see the negative before the positive, and I doubt almost everything and everyone around me.” — TaMyra Smith

About six months ago, a few of my old friends from middle school and I got back in touch via Instagram. Man, oh man, did it feel like we were getting to know one another all over again, and the energy wasn’t the same at all. By the way they talked, I could feel and hear the sadness in their voices while trying to hide what was deep down. I’m not the smartest, but I can tell when something is wrong.

The pandemic has done a number on me. I don’t and can’t go anywhere, can’t sleep some nights, always see the negative before the positive, and I doubt almost everything and everyone around me. Just recently, I had five assignments from four different classes that had to be completed the same day. I convinced myself that all of it wouldn’t get done, and I was right. And then I received a C in three of those classes since the work was turned in late. See what I mean?

Just the thought of school makes you wish it was already Friday again. More work, more engaging with your classmates, sometimes I don’t even want to talk. Many of my peers say that they’re being overworked, as if this is college, and I agree.

There is only so much teens can take before we begin to not care and want to give up. You never know what goes on in our heads. It could be built up stress and anger that will soon be released. Us teens need to come together, build our own safe environment and stop going against one another.

TaMyra Smith is a sophomore at the DPSCD Virtual Academy in Detroit.

Music as love and therapy

Torrance Johnson is a junior at Clarenceville High School in Livonia.

What makes me feel the most like myself? If you were to look at me, the first thing you would see is the bulky power chair I’m in. For me, my power chair, or rather my disability, is a key part of my being, as the chair and I operate as one. The chair is the first thing most people notice, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as I feel it’s one of my defining characteristics.

Beyond seeing it, whenever I move you can hear the whirring of my chair as my wheels go around. Once someone gets to know me, the chair will become what I use to go from one place to the next. However, this can cause me to struggle to view myself as an individual separate from my chair. I have found a way to remedy this, and I’ve found it in music.

“You don’t have to play like Bach or Beethoven to make something beautiful or something that allows you to let feelings out.” — Torrance Johnson

When I’m creating music there’s no wheelchair, no disability, there’s just me and a piano keyboard where I’m free to let my heart and soul create. Music is my love, my therapist, my peace, my freedom. To explain why I feel such relief and freedom in making music to express myself, I asked music therapist Matthew Bessette. “When you’re creating music, you connect with your emotions and express them on a different level of understanding and connection,” he said.

When using music to express yourself, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. You don’t have to play like Bach or Beethoven to make something beautiful or something that allows you to let feelings out. Since I started playing the piano in February, it has become a passion of mine and something I love to do.

While crafting the survey, my peers and I would meet once a week at a facility in Detroit. I couldn’t wait to go there and was typically the first to arrive. In the facility, there was a piano I would play while I anxiously awaited the arrival of my cohort.

I’d begin by playing a single note which can sometimes be the beginning step in describing how you feel. I’d glide my fingers across key by key, letting the anxiety flow from me into the piano, and what came to exist was beauty and freedom. The piano from left to right goes from low to high. As you might guess, a person who is sad would play slow, somber notes compared to a happy person playing upbeat lively notes. I typically experiment with different notes and chords that I don’t always know will reflect the emotion of my heart, brain and soul.

For however long I play, I feel safe and unjudged. I simply feel peace! And that is more than okay with me. Playing allowed me to give my burdens away and be able to enjoy being there in the moment with my cohort.

Torrance Johnson is a junior at Clarenceville High School in Livonia.

Families must practice and model self-love

Amaya Nard is a senior at My Virtual Academy.

One of the findings that stood out to me from the students we surveyed last summer was that people who said they had a positive view on self-love also had someone older in their life who told them the importance of self-love.

My experience with self-love was different. The importance of self-love was a foreign concept for me growing up. Things like rest and relaxation were not allowed for children in my environment. I often saw adults using unhealthy forms of coping, like substances, instead of practicing self-love. I didn’t follow their example. But I can’t say the same for other children in my family. That’s not to say I wasn’t affected. Self image issues are something that I struggle with a lot. According to our survey, the older people got, their view on self-love became more positive. This makes me think that your environment as well as the people around you growing up can affect your view on self-love.

“Everyone should understand that children needing rest isn’t laziness and parents taking care of themselves is not selfishness.” - Amaya Nard

As children we follow the adults in our lives. Learning the importance of self-love in your most formative years will have an effect on how you view yourself then and in the future. Having positive influences in your family can reduce stress and conflict, according to a 2022 study in the journal Wellbeing, Space and Society. Besides family, your environment also plays a role in your well-being. Things like stable housing, food security and overall safety can affect if you practice self-care. That being said, while family and your environment can play a role in how you care for yourself, the main thing is really how you feel about yourself.

Everyone should understand that children needing rest isn’t laziness, and parents taking care of themselves is not selfishness. Learning how to love yourself can be challenging, but having supportive people in your life can help a lot. Even if you don’t have people in your life like that, you can be that person for yourself.

Amaya Nard is a senior at My Virtual Academy.

‘Alarming’ data on youth depression

Drew Smith Jr. is a junior at Metropolitan Junior Academy in Plymouth.

Teens go through a lot, and have been especially impacted by COVID. Sometimes adults might brush off what teens say and feel, and think that we don’t know better. We have the same feelings they do, and we wanted teens to know that they are heard and important.

A 2022 report from Mental Health America found that in Michigan, nearly 17% of youth ages 12-17 had a major depressive episode in the previous year. That’s higher than the national average, which was around 15%, or 3.7 million youths.

The data are alarming.

Here’s what we found after surveying our peers:

A lot of teens practice self-care by relaxing, there were a lot more people who had good relationships with self-love than people who didn’t, and more younger kids had negative relationships with self-love than the older ones. We concluded that as people grow older, they learn to love themselves more.

When practicing self-love, females will say motivating quotes about their beauty and looks, while males did not really have anything motivating to say other than, “You got this.” Female teens had deeper responses to the open-ended questions. Ultimately, we learned self-love impacts what you do in a day, how you react to people, and how much confidence you have.

“Respondents said things like, “I am loved,” “I am worthy” and “I am beautiful/handsome.” Ever since then, I’ve tried to implement “I am” statements into my everyday life to let myself know what I am.” — Drew Smith Jr.

These findings really made me think about myself and how I practice self-love. What I do to calm down and relax is lay down in my bed and watch a TV show that I enjoy. I never really thought about that being self-love until then. Spending time with my friends and family is also a way I practice self-love.

I started to ask myself, “What can I do to improve love for myself?” Then I remembered one of the questions we asked in the survey: “What are some motivational things you say to yourself?” Respondents said things like, “I am loved,” “I am worthy” and “I am beautiful/handsome.” Ever since then, I’ve tried to implement “I am” statements into my everyday life to let myself know what I am.

I’m so grateful for this experience, memories and knowledge learned this summer. And if any teens are reading this in the Detroit area, I want you to know that you are loved and you are heard and that Local Circles cares about you.

Drew Smith Jr. is a junior at Metropolitan Junior Academy in Plymouth.

Seek help when you need it

At times you may not have the best mental health or you won’t love yourself as much as you would like to, but that doesn’t have to stop you from being you.

“If there is no bright side, make one.” — Stephanie Haney

Over time you will go on a self discovery to understand yourself better and what makes you happy. Keep negative things out of your life, and if they keep coming back, take a different route to keep them away. There are going to be SO many ups and downs in your life. Try to look at the bright side of things and see how it will make you better. If there is no bright side, make one. Think of a positive situation and stick with it.

If you need help, call or text the mental health hotline at the number 988 (Michigan’s access line to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline).

Stephanie Haney is a junior at Cass Technical High School in Detroit.

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

A Detroit youth activist carries the torch for better student mental health services

2022-12-19T15:54:24+00:00

As a voice for Detroit students, Perriel Pace has been unafraid to call attention to important issues facing her peers — whether or not adults want to hear about them.

An 11th-grader at Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, Pace just completed a nearly one-year term as a student representative to the Detroit Public Schools Community District’s school board, where she pressed the district to address concerns such as student mental health, transportation challenges, and more.

Perriel got her introduction to activism through an art project, but she now works on behalf of a dozen youth-led organizations, including Detroit Heals Detroit, 482Forward, Young Voices Action Collective, and MIStudentsDream, and she advocates for causes including youth empowerment, immigration rights and restorative justice.

With her school board role complete, she spoke with Chalkbeat about how young people can get more involved in advocacy, as well as how she responds to criticism, and what the district can do to help students.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What or who got you into organizing and activism?

It is so random, but my art teacher, Ms. Loomis, who is also my godmother, we painted a mural one day, and a group of kids we were working with said (they’re) with an organization which focuses on transforming trauma into power. I decided to join them, and my career kind of took off from that, because they introduced me to all these other kinds of organizations doing great work. And the next thing I know I sit on 13 organizations.

Does it feel unique for you to be a student organizer or a youth advocate?

When I first started, I thought that I was literally the first … youth leader that I knew. So I kind of carried my title with so much pride. And then I got into these other organizations, these other spaces, and I’m like, “OK, there’s a lot more of us. So everything doesn’t have to be a burden on me.” In the past couple of years, I came across a lot of youth who are excellent leaders. And you know, it’s kind of nice that I don’t have to stand alone. But I do wish that more youth would get involved and be more aware of what’s going on.

What do you think would encourage more youth to get involved in causes?

I would say probably to get them to actually understand what’s happening. I feel like that will motivate more people to do something, especially youth.

What made you decide to join the school board as a student representative?

It was literally so random. We were in a DEYC (meeting), which is the District Executive Youth Council. And a lot of the adults there were just telling me like, “You’d make a good member on that team. You could represent for the district. You do so much in the community.” And I was just like “No, no, politics and stuff like that is not really my cup of tea.”

We had an election process and nobody really stepped up to the plate. So I said I’ll give it a shot. And surprisingly, I did win, but I won as an alternate (representative). So if the other original reps were absent, then I could come into play.

I was watching the student reps on the board, and I noticed they were kind of shy. And I told them, “You’re a student rep. It’s OK to be new to things, but you’re not just here for you. You’re not just representing yourself. You have to speak for everybody.” People saw that, and they bumped me up to one of the main student representatives.

What was that experience like on the school board?

I’m not gonna lie … school board meetings were kind of boring. I was there from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and just listened to (agenda item) numbers and numbers and numbers. It’s like, “Oh my goodness, I’m in school once again.”

Most of the time, I kind of zoned out. I felt like I was kind of there just so they could say we have a student rep on the board.

But then once I started telling them that I need to at least speak, to at least do something … (that) I don’t feel like just sitting there, then they started letting me talk on the mic.

Over time, I got a little bit more comfortable. But then the next thing I know, people started gunning for me in the public comment section.

What was it like when you spoke out at times during the school board meetings and received some criticism from community members?

I wasn’t fazed by it, honestly, because I’m used to being in this space where kids are not being seen or heard. The district staff was very supportive, but as (the public commenters) were talking and responding to me, I was writing down responses, and (the district staff) told me you can’t respond to those comments. That kind of made me frustrated, because I wanted to defend myself. I’m used to giving comebacks. It made me realize a little bit how to let things roll off my back.

But it got to the point where people started coming for me on social media. It was definitely a slightly traumatizing experience, and then to know that it’s grown adults doing it. To have an issue with there not being enough students’ voices being heard is one thing, but when you hear a student’s voice and you immediately antagonize them when they’re saying something you don’t want to hear, that doesn’t make any sense.

What were some of the issues that you brought directly to board members?

My very first concern I brought was about the student representatives, how they were not allowing us to speak really.

My second one was about mental health. How we need more SEL — social emotional learning — between students and teachers in order to better their relationship.

And my third concern was about transportation for students. What are y’all gonna do about the way that transportation is set up? Because for me personally, I get up at 5 in the morning just to get to school on time, and I still get to school late, and the city buses are disgusting. There are creepy men on there. It’s honestly scary, especially for me because I’ve been taking the bus since I was 12.

I talked to them about that, but they didn’t provide me with the answer I was looking for, that they will do something about it, such as contacting DDOT (Detroit Department of Transportation). They just left me on the cliff with that one. So I definitely want to follow up probably later on this school year.

Do you think students have enough of a voice in the district? What do you think would improve that?

I feel like we don’t have enough of a voice. I mean yes, we have the District Executive Youth Council, which meets once a month, but we have issues going on every day. I wish that it could be changed to at least biweekly meetings, where we can actively engage and work on these issues as they are happening.

The district is focused on issues like chronic absenteeism, enrollment, and academic achievement. What are students passionate about?

I don’t care what anybody else says. Our top priority should be student mental health. My attendance is low not because of my bus situation but just because I get up and I’m just like “I don’t want to come to school anymore.” Literally the third day of school, as I walked into the building, I said, “I should drop out,” because I literally didn’t feel motivated anymore to come to school.

I spoke to a few students yesterday who told me that they don’t want to do this anymore. School is mentally draining. It’s not engaging. It doesn’t feel like we’re happy anymore. It’s just work, work, work. We kind of had a crying moment there, because everything we shared was understandable. This is why our attendance is the way it is, because we mentally don’t want to be there. Mentally, we cannot have the capability of doing this work right now. We need a break. A mental break. We barely came out of this pandemic, and we’re barely out of it still.

To my knowledge, King (High School) does have SEL mental health stuff, but I don’t think a lot of people are made aware of it. Or it’s just not appealing in a way to students. I am planning a mental health week for King in January or February to make sure students are aware of what tools are available to them already.

It’s important to build one-on-one relationships with teachers, because even then if you don’t want to say something during class, you can speak with them after. You have someone to confide in.

What do you think would better support students struggling right now?

At my old school (Legacy Academy), we started each school year with SEL — social emotional learning. We did that for about two weeks, just so we could build that relationship with teachers. So we have that one-on-one relationship where at any moment, you can stop and go talk to them if you’re ever feeling down or anything like that.

But now I’m at King and you can’t do that. But it would be nice if we tried to get some of those things happening. We could really use this.

Why do you think students in Detroit feel so drained?

Everybody is going through something different. You’ve got to battle your work, and you’ve got to battle your personal life, and then just even with being in Detroit itself, you’re constantly watching over your shoulder because, again, every day is not promised, and Detroit is chaotic.

You’ve got a lot on your plate. How do you take care of yourself when you’re not constantly studying or organizing?

One thing that I love to do currently is ice skating. I usually just randomly tell folks, “You know what, I’m going to be unavailable for this week.” And I cancel everybody. Turn the phone off, turn off my emails, etc. And I’ll probably go hang out with my best friend, or go ice skating, or go to the movies. Or I love to crochet, so I will just binge watch a show on Hulu or Netflix and I will crochet.

Or I’ll just sleep my day away.

Correction: Dec. 20, 2022: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Ms. Loomis, the art teacher and godmother to Perriel Pace whose art project led to Perriel’s student activism.

Ethan Bakuli is a reporter for Chalkbeat Detroit covering Detroit Public Schools Community District. Contact Ethan at ebakuli@chalkbeat.org.

The Comeback: Memphis students and teachers share stories of resilience after pandemic

2022-11-14T22:46:06+00:00

Shreya Ganesh had been struggling with motivation as a Memphis high school freshman when one day, the district superintendent tweeted that all students were getting a half day off.

It was spring 2020, right before spring break and right as the COVID pandemic was beginning to take the nation and world hostage. Memphis-Shelby County Schools would eventually announce that in-person learning was over for the school year.

“And I didn’t even know what to do with myself,” said Shreya, now a senior at White Station High School, at a Chalkbeat and New Memphis-hosted storytelling night. “OK, I thought, this is just a really, really long spring break.”

Shreya said that the pandemic disruption and online learning, while incredibly challenging, helped her take a mental break from a taxing school schedule and forced her to ask herself, “What do I really want to do?” The time she spent doing schoolwork alongside her sister, a college student also learning from home, heavily influenced new passions and goals. And Shreya said she developed more intentional friendships, even if she couldn’t see her peers in person. After a year of online learning, she returned to in-person classes as a junior.

“My first day of junior year, I felt like I was finally stepping into the shoes I’d been making for the last two years,” Shreya said, adding that she finally got to connect with friends she had made during online learning, and that her anxiety around tests and college had plummeted during the pandemic. “I’m really proud of how I grew during all of this. This is my comeback story.”

Right before the school year began, Chalkbeat Tennessee partnered with New Memphis for an evening of stories from students and educators. New Memphis also announced its news class of Educators of Excellence.

You can watch the stories, including Shreya’s, in full below. Special thanks to additional event partners, Spillit, and the Daily Memphian.

Storytellers hit on the theme of “The Comeback,” which is what the last school year was supposed to be as students returned to classrooms after months of remote or hybrid learning, disconnection, and uncertainty. And for many schools, it was a comeback year for a while, as schools returned to in-person and vaccines were widely available. But as Shreya’s story illustrates, students and teachers are forever changed — in some good and in many incredibly challenging ways.

Watch Shreya’s story in full below, as well as stories from four other Memphis educators and students.

Shreya Ganesh, senior at White Station High School and Bank of America student leader

Curley Harris, dean of students at Promise Academy Spring Hill

Natalie Nixon, senior at Houston High School and student leader with BRIDGES

Athumuni (Arthur) Niyokwizigigwa, sophomore at Central High School and student leader with the Refugee Empowerment Program

Josh Czupryk, director of academic operations at University Schools

Caroline Bauman is the community engagement manager at Chalkbeat.

Video sheds new light on ‘Know Justice, Know Peace’ podcast dispute

2022-10-04T23:09:03+00:00

Three weeks before a group of current and former students sued Denver Public Schools over their racial justice podcast, they met with district officials in an eighth-floor conference room at Denver Public Schools headquarters.

Video from the Aug. 29 meeting reveals a central tension in the dispute. In the meeting, district officials talk about the podcast, which the students created in 2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, as something akin to a class or a club. They say the podcast will expand across the district and welcome new participants as previous ones graduate.

But the founders talk about the podcast, “Know Justice, Know Peace: The Take,” as a deeply personal project born from their individual attempts to grapple with a nationwide racial reckoning — and something they want to continue to do outside of school.

“You said that we would only be able to still participate in the podcast until we graduate,” senior Dahni Austin said to Deputy Superintendent Tony Smith in the meeting. “Why, if we created the podcast way before the district got involved with the podcast, wouldn’t we be able to continue?”

“I think you would be able to continue to participate in some form or fashion,” Smith said. “But it is the position of the district that it’s the intellectual property of the district to continue on.”

Whether the podcast and its name belong to Denver Public Schools is an issue that will be settled in court. Last month, Austin and three others filed a lawsuit claiming that Colorado’s largest school district unlawfully tried to trademark “Know Justice, Know Peace: The Take.”

Viva Moffat, a University of Denver law professor who specializes in intellectual property but is not involved in the lawsuit, said the legal issues in this case are not unique.

It’s common, she said, for two entities to argue over who holds a trademark. Legally, a trademark belongs to whomever used it first “in commerce” across state lines. That means the person or business used the mark in its branding, even if they weren’t making money on it. In this case, the podcast was posted for free on YouTube.

What is unique about this case, Moffat said, are the players.

“It’s extremely unusual for there to be a trademark dispute between a school district and students in the school,” she said. “That is extremely unprecedented — and that’s probably for lots of reasons. Students aren’t often coming up with trademarkable things and then using a trademark in commerce. And it’s also uncommon for a public school district to be aggressively asserting intellectual property rights against its own students.”

While Moffat said she doesn’t know of any trademark cases involving students and schools, she said there are established copyright cases. Generally, she said, original works like podcasts are owned by the people who create them or, if they are employees of a company, by the company.

But she said there’s an exception for teachers that generally applies to students as well.

“Just because you’re in a class and you write an essay, nobody would say that DPS owns the copyright and all the papers that all of DPS’s students wrote,” Moffat said.

Meeting video sheds light on what happened before lawsuit

The video of the late August meeting sheds more light on the events that led to the lawsuit. Four students – all young Black women at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College high school – started the podcast in July 2020 as a way to speak out about racial injustice. They had support from then-Principal Kimberly Grayson and teacher Kiara Roberts.

The students recorded the podcast at school and were paid for their work through a district apprenticeship program. Grayson left the school this past spring, and the students weren’t sure they would continue to get paid. For that reason and others, they decided they wanted to continue their podcast independently.

“We’re not obligated to stay in a space where there’s continuous missed connection,” senior Kaliah Yizar said at the meeting, “especially when this is our job, this is our passion.”

In June, Grayson filed paperwork to form a business called Know Justice, Know Peace: The Take LLC. The students said she did so to help fulfill their wish to record the podcast independent of Denver Public Schools. But when the district learned of the LLC, it filed state and federal trademark applications for the name in early August.

On Aug. 24, a district lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter to Grayson asking that she dissolve the business and turn over the usernames and passwords for any email address or social media accounts associated with the “Know Justice, Know Peace: The Take” podcast.

The district asserted in the letter that it owned the name because the podcast was created on district property using district equipment and was supported by district employees.

But at the meeting, the students said they started the podcast over Zoom on their own computers, without any district equipment. Their lawsuit argues that they first used the name in commerce in July 2020 when they posted their first episode to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

“For DPS to say they own a creation that they were not even a part of in the beginning is crazy,” said Jenelle Nangah, who was a rising senior when the podcast started and graduated in 2021.

“‘Know Justice, Know Peace’ is our faces, who we are,” said Yizar, who was a rising sophomore in the beginning. “It’s really grimy to all of a sudden, once all of the remaining original members are seniors, once Jenelle is no longer a student of DPS, once Grayson is no longer a DPS employee, to come in and say, ‘We’ll take over now.’”

Smith, the deputy superintendent, said the district isn’t trying to hurt the podcast founders.

“Your voice is appreciated,” he told them, adding that “it’s always up to you whether or not you want to be part of how we proceed forward. The invitation is there.”

“I don’t know why you are giving us the invitation,” Nangah replied. “We should be able to give the district the invitation to take what we have created and expand it.”

District lawyer and students’ lawyer have different interpretations

Chalkbeat first requested a copy of the meeting video in early September. The district denied that request, citing a federal law that protects student privacy.

But after the students filed their lawsuit in mid-September and held a press conference, district officials allowed Chalkbeat to view a video of the meeting late last week and interview Denver Public Schools General Counsel Aaron Thompson.

Thompson said the district shared the video in part to refute a claim in the lawsuit that Smith attempted to “coerce and bully” the students into admitting that the district owns the trademark.

Thompson said Smith was soft-spoken and “comported himself very fairly.” The video shows him sitting in a relaxed posture, legs crossed, and speaking in an even tone.

Thompson said the video also shows that the podcast is district property because the students admitted they eventually used district equipment to make it and were paid for their work. Thompson said the district didn’t try to protect its property until Grayson created the LLC.

“It never was, in our view, about the girls or taking anything from the girls,” he said. “We’ve always owned it. It was only an action to stop Kim from erroneously asserting ownership.”

Thompson said it’s unfortunate that the students are caught in the middle, “but we have a responsibility to the other 90,000 students of DPS to protect the integrity of our educational programming and to expand viable educational programming for all students in the district.”

In a statement, the students’ attorney Jeffrey Kass said that the podcast founders felt that the recent meeting, which was called before they could hire a trademark lawyer, was an attempt to intimidate them and “say something without the advice of proper legal counsel.”

“DPS asked them many different ways at the meeting to agree that DPS owned the podcast and trademark,” Kass said. “Each time, the students denied.”

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

What students told us they love about 5 stellar teachers

2022-09-20T11:00:00+00:00

“Abbott Elementary,” a wildly popular television sitcom centered on an optimistic Philadelphia school teacher, will return with new episodes this week — just in time for a new school year and following a successful Emmy Award run.

Chalkbeat asked readers to nominate teachers who are their real-life versions of “Mrs. Howard” — teachers who continuously demonstrated dedication and caring during the pandemic. Barbara Howard, played by Sheryl Lee Ralph, is a stern and compassionate teacher on “Abbott.”

Dozens of you responded to our request with nominations of wonderful teachers. We are featuring five of the nominees, who told Chalkbeat they are seeking to build a stronger sense of community and mutual support among school leaders, teachers, and students this year.

Their work is especially notable in a moment when many teachers are struggling, as schools and students continue to deal with the fallout of the pandemic and disruptions to in-person class. Nevertheless, many educators who persevere say they aspire to make meaningful changes within their schools and encourage students to recognize their own potential.

Here’s what students had to say about the teachers who inspired them, and how teachers answered our questions about what they need.

Briana Morales, left, with her student Taylor Ackins.

Briana Morales, 11th and 12th grade English teacher, East St. Louis, Illinois

What students had to say:

Taylor Ackins said in their nomination that students could always rely on Morales as “a friend, mentor, mother, and a shoulder to cry on.”

Damiya Brown, who also nominated Morales, agreed: “Even when I felt like I couldn’t do it, she never let up and helped me believe in myself.”

Morales teaches English at Gordon Bush Alternative Center in East St. Louis, Illinois. Morales lost three students to gun violence during the pandemic, and wanted to help students navigate their own trauma, especially during quarantine.

“What kept me motivated was staying connected to students who needed a sense of normalcy and consistent support in a time of uncertainty,” she said.

She said she was able to push her students toward academic success by validating their emotions and treating them like more than simply “kids that I teach.”

For the upcoming school year, Morales said teachers need more wraparound services to provide care for students, families, and educators who had traumatic experiences and are still processing them.

“Leaders need to be prepared to address the harm that is being done when we expect our communities to ‘continue business as usual,’ and make a true, honest commitment to transforming educational spaces into conduits of healing.”

Student Francisco Carrillo, left, stands next to teacher Andrew Cogswell.

Andrew Cogswell, instrumental music director, Colorado

What students had to say:

Cogswell “makes everything mean something in a student’s life. He is the biggest role model for many students, even by just being a band director. He supports and helps with anything for the future, even if it doesn’t relate to music,” said Francisco Carrillo.

Andrew Cogswell teaches and directs instrumental music at Alameda International High School in Lakewood, Colorado. During the pandemic, Cogswell said he reconnected with his reason for teaching by realizing the most important part of his job was not simply teaching music, but providing students with a safe place to be themselves.

“It took some time to realize the safe place didn’t need to be a physical one but that it was simply the time we spent together. I found the conversations we had were important in helping teacher and student alike in navigating life during a pandemic,” Cogswell said.

“While other schools and instrumental music programs are shrinking, ours is growing,” said Cogswell, adding that many school instruments are still in disrepair and need to be replaced.

This year he would like school leaders, community members, and local governments to help the school acquire new instruments.

Desiree Fuller poses for a photo with one of her students.

Desiree Fuller, 11th grade English teacher, Oak Park, Michigan

What students had to say:

“I’m grateful for the mother role she plays in my life, her being my teacher, her being a good friend and also being a good role model to me and my brothers,” said Javier Briggs, Fuller’s former student.

Desiree Fuller is a restorative justice trainer and an 11th grade English teacher at Oak Park High School in Oak Park, Michigan. Multiple parents and students who nominated Fuller said they appreciate her dedication to building relationships with students, partnering with parents, and being available to talk about students’ progress and setbacks.

During and after the pandemic, Fuller said she restructured her teaching strategies to adapt to changing circumstances. But the community she created remained strong.

“I had to learn a myriad of new teaching strategies to keep my kids engaged and motivated through virtual learning. When we returned to in-person learning, I completely restructured my courses in order to minister to the socio-emotional needs of my scholars,” she said. “Our classes were rooted in respect and empathy.”

Fuller’s ask: equity in school funding, so that more students can have access to resources and programs that address learning loss from the pandemic. She also is urging school leaders to raise teacher pay to attract and retain educators and to enable the school to offer after-school and Saturday programs.

Samuel Bendinelli

Samuel Bendinelli, English teacher, Newark, New Jersey

What students had to say:

“Mr. Bendinelli has made the school year easier for me by being a trusted confidant and someone whom I could be my authentic self around,” said Dashawn Sheffield, a former student of Bendinelli’s. “There were often times when I entered his classroom with negative feelings, but it was like once I reached his classroom, I would instantly brighten due to his warmness, empathy, jokes, and overall optimistic demeanor.”

“I also think that it’s important to really believe in your students,” he said. “In the same way that their effort helped strengthen my resolve, your belief in your students’ abilities can translate into their own.”

Bendinelli said he believes that teachers need more training and professional development that involves coaching, practicing, planning, and rehearsing “key moments of lessons or important discussions with students” to get better.

He also calls for state leaders to listen to teachers, specifically about working conditions.

State leaders should “solicit feedback about conditions that keep young teachers from making their new position a career, or that cause experienced teachers to feel a sense of burnout,” Bendinelli said. “Make sure that our desk in the classroom also means a seat at the table.”

Nicole Monte

Nicole Monte, special education teacher, Brooklyn, New York

What students had to say:

“I am grateful that she was the greatest teacher and the most helpful person when in need of help,” said Christofer Perez, Monte’s former student.

Nicole Monte is an educator at Dyker Heights Intermediate School in Brooklyn, New York. During the pandemic, Monte said she struggled to maintain a connection with her students and provide emotional support while teaching them academically.

“I took for granted just being able to walk over to their desk and support their learning,” Monte said. “I went to extraordinary lengths to engage my students who were struggling, not just during instruction, but in their personal lives as well.”

Monte said giving school communities opportunities to weigh in on solutions to local issues would be one way to better support students.

“We need to strengthen our community-school partnerships, better develop our parental collaborations, connect our curriculum to real-world experiences, and give our students real platforms to have their voices heard,” Monte said.

Elena Johnson was Chalkbeat’s 2022 Community Engagement and Listening Intern.

Denver students sue after district files to trademark their racial justice podcast

2022-09-20T03:41:28+00:00

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education in communities across America. Sign up to receive the latest in education news straight to your inbox.

Update: Students suing over ‘Know Justice, Know Peace’ trademark speak out

Four young Black women who created a racial justice podcast and pushed Denver Public Schools to diversify its curriculum sued the district Monday. They allege Denver Public Schools unlawfully tried to trademark and steal the name of their podcast — Know Justice, Know Peace — “knowing full well the brand name was created by the students.”

“Shame on DPS,” the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of two graduates of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College high school, Alana Mitchell and Jenelle Nangah, and two current students who are only identified by their initials because they are minors.

In July 2020, as the nation reckoned with racial justice and police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, the students released their first podcast episode. They shared the history of the Fourth of July and Juneteenth holidays, and their own experiences with racism.

“We wanted people to hear our voices,” Nangah told Chalkbeat at the time.

The podcast — the full name of which was Know Justice, Know Peace: DMLK’s The Take — attracted widespread media attention, including an appearance on The Today Show. The students’ advocacy pushed the Denver school board to pass a Know Justice, Know Peace resolution ordering the district to diversify the curriculum.

The students were also named to an advisory board for an innovative new U.S. history curriculum called Black History 365. And they raised $14,000 to purchase Black history books for fellow students because the district refused to pay for them, the lawsuit says.

Last month, more than two years after the podcast started, Denver Public Schools submitted state and federal applications to trademark Know Justice, Know Peace. State records show the district registered the name for the purpose of “providing a podcast series offering information about inequities in the educational system and providing solutions.”

The district also took over all social media accounts related to the podcast and changed the passwords, the lawsuit says.

Shortly thereafter, Denver Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Tony Smith held a “last-minute” meeting with the students and their parents “to attempt to coerce and bully [them] into admitting that DPS owns the trademark,” the lawsuit says. The students refused.

“Despite Smith’s and others’ ruthless attempts to get Plaintiffs to admit DPS owned the mark (questioning that brought the 17- to 19-year-olds to tears), the students did not waver,” the lawsuit alleges. “Plaintiffs at no time acknowledged DPS had any rights to their [intellectual property], nor did they relinquish their trademark rights to DPS.”

Denver Public Schools declined to comment on the lawsuit because it is still pending. The district also declined to release a recording of the meeting, citing student privacy law.

But a letter obtained by Chalkbeat through a public records request lays out some of the district’s argument that it owns the name. An attorney for Denver Public Schools sent the letter to the former principal of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College, Kimberly Grayson, in August. Grayson was principal when the podcast was created but has since left the school. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

The letter takes issue with a business Grayson registered with the state called Know Justice, Know Peace: The Take LLC. It demands that Grayson stop using the name because it belongs to Denver Public Schools.

The letter says the podcast series was recorded on district property using district equipment. It also says the podcast was created “within the scope” of Grayson’s job as a principal, and that the students were paid by Denver Public Schools for their work on it.

Emails from Nangah and Grayson to district staff members that were obtained as part of the open records request indicate that the students wanted to record the podcast independently after Grayson left the school. In an email, Grayson wrote that’s why she filed the LLC.

She also wrote that it was contradictory for the district to say it upholds equity “while really saying DPS OWNS four Black young ladies’ image, voice, and content.”

“That sounds very oppressive to me,” Grayson wrote.

In a separate email, Nangah echoed that sentiment.

“I am utterly disgusted and in great dismay,” the recent graduate wrote to district staff and elected school board members in August. “It’s flabbergasting to see that in 2022, Black ownership is still being threatened by people in positions of power.”

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

How can NYC help students aspiring to attend college? Recent grads have ideas

2022-08-22T18:12:12+00:00

One college counselor for 500 high school seniors. Lack of communication between school leaders and teachers. And inadequate mental health support.

These were some of the issues that have made high school seniors’ road to college difficult during the pandemic.

High school graduates across the U.S. have lost interest in pursuing higher education. The likelihood of high school graduates pursuing a four-year degree dropped from 71% to 51% in the last two years, according to a report earlier this year from the nonprofit ECMC Group. Increased stress and anxiety among students has led to a strong aversion to being in the classroom and is one possible reason behind the rise of chronic absenteeism in NYC public schools.

Some students who struggled with stress and anxiety this year ended up having difficulty completing the coursework they needed to graduate.

After two years of students transitioning between remote and in person learning, some New York students are calling for schools to develop better structures, communication, and support for their graduating seniors who are headed to higher education.

As the Class of 2023 gets ready for its senior year, here’s what three past graduates say schools can do differently.

Milena Vilez, freshman at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Manhattan

Milena Vilez grew up in Ecuador until she was nine years old, when she moved to the U. S. Vilez said she had greater access to educational resources and opportunities in the U.S. than in Ecuador. But she didn’t anticipate how hard her senior year would be.

The college application process at her school was like a “rollercoaster,” said Vilez, who graduated in 2021 from Aviation Career and Technical High School in Queens.

“I was lost in the whole process and had to seek help,” she said.

Her school had a graduating class of 500 seniors, but only one college counselor to seek help from. Vilez joined one-hour Zoom meetings with the counselor — along with hundreds of other students who also had questions. So there was no guarantee that her questions would be answered.

At home, she helped her parents take care of her younger brother who struggled with his online classes. She also cooked for her family while attending her virtual classes. Being on the computer almost all day without social interaction or physical activity, made it “harder to de-stress,” Vilez said.

She said she would have benefited from mental health resources, but they were not provided to students until the end of the year, and information about the services were not shared unless requested.

A group outside of school gave her crucial help when deciding on her focus in higher education. Vilez has been able to nurture her passion for studying political science thanks to YVote, a youth organization that focuses on inspiring young voters to become civically educated and engaged.

One key piece of advice from Vilez to high schools: Ensure that each student can rely on — and get access to — the school’s college resources, and provide mental health resources for students early and often.

Lucas Rosenberg, freshman at Fashion Institute of Technology, Manhattan

As a senior last year at Brooklyn High School of the Arts, Rosenberg had a very “chaotic” experience.

After being online every day for the past few years, Rosenberg started having painful and frequent migraines that led him to seek help from a neurologist.

“I was so isolated and lonely during the pandemic,” said Rosenberg. “My health was definitely at its lowest.”

Rosenberg felt comfortable applying to colleges, because he said it was similar to the application process for middle schools. If it weren’t for that experience, he would have faced more challenges, he said. Still, being a senior was very difficult.

School administrators put a lot of pressure on teachers who then passed it on students, said Rosenberg. And teachers’ attention was split between those who were excited to return to the classroom and others who wanted to continue online learning, even while they were in person.

“Nobody knew what was going on, what next week would be like, who to contact for support … just uncontrolled chaos the whole time,” said Rosenberg. “If you went to the dean to talk about it, he would just be like, ‘I don’t know. This is just how their class is.’ I feel like I was hearing that from everyone: ‘I don’t know, just figure something out.’”

At the same time, “the administration was panicking because grades were low and attendance was low. Suddenly not as many people were graduating [as] were supposed to be,” said Rosenberg.

Teachers expressed their aggression and frustration at students who were not performing well, instead of having sympathy for struggling students, said Rosenberg. Although he successfully graduated on time, it was discouraging for him to see that lack of care and empathy.

Rosenberg’s key advice to high schools: Communicate with teachers so they can provide better help for their students, and maintain organization so that teachers and students don’t feel lost.

Binyu Wang, freshman at Baruch College, Manhattan

Most of what Binyu Wang learned regarding the college application process was from her own research and conversations with friends.

Like Vilez, getting involved in an external organization helped Wang navigate last year’s college application process more than her teachers and guidance counselors did.

Some English teachers offered to edit students’ personal essays, but ended up being “too busy” from their overwhelming classroom workloads to actually help, said Wang. And she struggled to receive help with other parts of her college application at school. So Wang sought help outside of her school.

She joined Bottom Line NYC, an organization dedicated to helping high school seniors from under-resourced communities earn a college degree, for help with her personal statement and college application.

One key piece of advice Wang has for high schools: Integrate teachers’ discussions of — and advice about — college resources with students throughout the school year.

“I expected our regular teachers to give us more support,” Wang said. “I felt like they should have talked more about it, because one of my teachers did go into talking about paying loans and all of that, but it was just one teacher.”

Elena Johnson is Chalkbeat’s 2022 Community Engagement and Listening Intern.

‘A powerful voice’: Student fellows reflect on writing with Chalkbeat

2022-08-18T21:32:24+00:00

Last school year, Chalkbeat launched its paid Student Voices Fellowship to give teens a platform to share their stories about how their educational experiences shaped them. The impact of their work rippled beyond their communities, as major newspapers republished their essays, podcasts invited them on to speak, and their essays won journalism awards.

With applications for the 2022-23 school year now open to public school students in New York and Newark, New Jersey, Chalkbeat wanted to give you a chance to hear directly from our first cohort of students.

Students told me they joined the fellowship program to strengthen their writing skills – to prepare them for everything from college essays to future careers – but they also learned how to use their stories and experiences to advocate for their communities and other students.

Here’s what they had to say.

Some responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

Jeremiah Griffith

Rising senior at Noble Academy in Chicago

Jeremiah Griffith

An aspiring journalist accustomed to writing from a more objective place, Griffith said the fellowship allowed him to incorporate himself into the story as the main character for the first time. He said: “It forced me to be able to write about myself. I was able to sit down and actually think, and find a space where I could think deeply about what I wanted to write about.”

Ajibola Junaid

Graduate of Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago; freshman at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan

After Junaid’s schoolmates read her story, she said more students became comfortable voicing their opinions to administrators to discuss problems occurring in their school. “If I didn’t do what I did, the students in my school would not have the opportunities they currently have,” she said.

Telling your story “it’s going to open doors of opportunities for many people that are coming after you. In respect of the circumstance or situation, don’t be scared to voice your opinion because you’re not just helping yourself, you’re helping generations after you.”

Interested in becoming a Chalkbeat Student Voices Fellow? Here’s how to apply.

Chimdindu Okafor

Graduate of North Star Academy Lincoln Park High School in Newark; freshman at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

“It was just really beautiful. The whole experience. Writing … put me in a space that I’ve never been in before,” said Okafor, who relished the creativity that the fellowship fostered.

“It allowed me to break apart all of the interactions that I’ve had with people and all of the different things that have gone on throughout my days, trying to really assess: How did that make me feel, and how could that potentially go into a story that [gives people] insight into an experience that they may not resonate with?”

Umme Orthy

Graduate of Student Leadership Academy at Beeber in Philadelphia; freshman at Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania

Orthy, who immigrated from Bangladesh and speaks three languages, said the fellowship helped her improve her writing in English, telling me: “I feel like I had a powerful voice to share with others. I never thought that I could do that because I never had the opportunity to do something like that.”

Daniela Palacios

Graduate of Science Park High School in Newark; freshman at Columbia University

“Having some support is definitely really important when trying to write any type of story and making sure that the message is delivered properly,” said Palacios. She said the fellowship taught her how to create community impact through storytelling. “However, it’s still really important that the exact thing that you want to say, and even the way you want to say it, is true to who you are and it’s true to what you value. Always know that your story is really powerful and it can’t impact many people’s lives. People in your community and people in the world.”

NEXT: Interested in becoming a Chalkbeat Student Voices Fellow? Here’s how to apply.

Want to hear more? Here’s what Chimdindu Okafor and Daniela Palacios had to say about their fellowship experiences this past year during a Chalkbeat event on Instagram Live.

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‘Where did it all go?’: Four NYC high school seniors reflect and look ahead

2022-06-27T17:18:56+00:00

When the pandemic gripped New York City in March 2020, high school sophomores had no idea that their remaining two years would look nothing like they had imagined.

Many of those sophomores are graduating now, having navigated school closures and two unusual years marked with grief and isolation. City officials celebrated the full reopening of public schools last fall, but the year was not nearly as normal as anyone had hoped.

“It’s been weird because I don’t really feel like part of the school — like, I kinda had to remember where everything was again as a senior,” said 18-year-old Alexandra Cruz, who graduated this month from Millennium Brooklyn High School. “I think it would have felt like more of a community if I had been there for the full four years.”

Like students in other grades, some seniors worried about contracting COVID and infecting high-risk relatives at home, especially as a winter surge emptied schools for weeks in December and January. But on top of the anxiety of being around peers for the first time since the pandemic hit, seniors also had to decide on what came after high school.

For many others in the Class of 2022, returning to the building was a boon. It meant seeing their friends and teachers again and learning in a classroom instead of through a screen. And for some, it was why they made it to graduation.

We spoke to four high school seniors who graduated this month about their experiences and what they plan to do next.

Zhenghao Lin was anxious about a full return to school amid the pandemic, but now he says it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. He is looking forward to college and making new friends.

ZHENGHAO LIN, 18, FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL, BROOKLYN

Zhenghao Lin felt overwhelmed the moment he stepped into the crowded hallways of his school in September, his first time back since March 2020.

Fearing he would contract COVID, Zhenghao, one of about 3,000 students, wore a face shield over his mask. He was afraid to touch door handles or stand too close when talking with others. He worried his peers would judge him for feeling nervous. He feared he might be subjected to racist bullying as he had in the past, because of rising anti-Asian hate crimes.

“I was not really able to, like, learn things that first few months because I felt constantly distracted,” said Zhenghao, who was diagnosed with anxiety disorder in 2020.

The pace of instruction also frustrated him because it felt slower than his virtual classes from the previous year. Students rarely asked questions during virtual learning, but they frequently raised their hands in person.

School staffers often stopped him in the hallway to ask how he was. He would say he’s not OK.

They would refer him to a counselor, who typically had a packed schedule. Zhenghao, however, was already seeing a therapist in private practice. Those twice weekly sessions helped him turn a corner in March, when the city dropped the school mask mandate.

Zhenghao continued wearing his mask, but he found that seeing his classmates’ faces and working with them in groups helped him connect with them and read their facial expressions, which were friendlier than he’d expected. To his surprise, he didn’t experience any racist bullying or comments, which he credited to advocacy campaigns across the city raising awareness about anti-Asian hate crimes.

Through therapy, he began to understand that he was at low risk of becoming severely ill from COVID, having been fully vaccinated without any high-risk conditions.

Zhenghao stopped striving for 100’s in every class, he said, and allowed himself to miss some assignments. He also dropped his AP Chinese and physics classes. He didn’t need them to graduate, and he found them too stressful and difficult.

As Zhenghao gets ready to attend a small liberal arts college in Vermont in the fall, he already has an idea for his future career: He’s planning to become a therapist.

Kekeli Amekudzi, a Brooklyn Tech senior, had to balance in-person learning and taking care of her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer during her freshman year.

KEKELI AMEKUDZI, 18, BROOKLYN TECH HIGH SCHOOL

Kekeli Amekudzi missed 30 days of school this year.

Most of those days she was taking care of her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer before Kekeli’s freshman year and took a turn for the worse last year.

“There’s just, like, so many responsibilities that I have to take care of,” Kekeli said.

The city considers Kekeli someone who was “chronically absent,” for missing at least 10% of school days. More than a third of students citywide were on track to have missed at least a month of school this year.

During remote learning, Kekeli could help her mother get to doctor’s appointments and work on schoolwork from the waiting room. She had more time to cook and clean.

Returning to school this year meant Kekeli could see her friends more regularly, but it was challenging to balance in-person learning with responsibilities at home. Being inside the 6,000-student high school, the nation’s largest, also brought concerns about reinfecting her mother, who’d already had COVID while in the hospital.

Kekeli’s teachers met with her to catch her up on assignments, and some deadlines were extended. She found it helpful to vent to a teacher during office hours about the stress of school or her mom’s illness.

A sense of normalcy continued to feel out of grasp.

Kekeli plans on studying environmental science and international law at Emory University in Georgia.

COVID cases began rising in December and exploded in January with the omicron surge, causing stress and absences among students and teachers, prompting students to organize a walkout at Brooklyn Tech. Less than three-quarters of students were at Brooklyn Tech on the Friday after winter break ended, according to data compiled by PRESS NYC, a group advocating for stronger COVID protections in school.

Her extracurricular activities, such as the debate team, remained virtual. Field trips for her favorite environmental science courses were paused until the spring.

Kekeli received some help while applying to college, but she had to navigate some details on her own, such as figuring out what financial forms she needed.

She is planning to attend Emory University in Georgia, where she wants to major in environmental science and international law. She’s considering a gap semester to help her mother transition to a home health aide.

She feels that she and her peers made it through one of the hardest times in New York City’s history. She has tried to take action, participating in climate marches, protests over gun violence, and abortion rights — making friends along the way.

But Kekeli is still grappling with a sense of loss that many graduating seniors feel.

“When we came in freshman year, we came in with so many expectations with, like, what our final year would be, and so many events were getting canceled or postponed or just weren’t done because of COVID,” Kekeli said. “There’s just been this sense of like, where did it all go?”

Abrahan Castro German, 19, is a graduating senior from English Language Learners and International Support Preparatory Academy in the Bronx. He spent much of his time in high school grieving the deaths of family members.

ABRAHAN CASTRO GERMAN, 19, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT PREPARATORY ACADEMY, THE BRONX

Abrahan Castro German spent the previous school year mourning the loss of a beloved uncle, who died of COVID in his home country, the Dominican Republic.

Abrahan, who immigrated to the Bronx in February 2019 and is learning English, navigated that grief alongside remote school, which he described as “very difficult” because it was hard to get extra help from teachers.

So he felt both happy and nervous to be returning this past fall to his Bronx high school, ELLIS Prep, which serves under-credited, over-age students who are new to the United States.

But halfway through this school year, he suffered a new blow. On New Year’s Day, Abrahan’s older brother died in a motorcycle accident back home.

School staff and his friends noticed that the normally bubbly, well-liked teen — known by one counselor as “The Mayor” — was quiet. Sometimes he asked to leave for the day, but staff wouldn’t let him, he said. He stopped doing much of his homework.

He missed his mother and grandmother, who are in the Dominican Republic, and would stay up at night looking at photos of his brother and uncle on his cell phone.

“I’m thinking about what feeling my brother went through in the accident, what feeling my mother went through when she lose my brother,” Abrahan said.

Teachers and guidance counselors saw his grades dipping in every subject and urged him to keep up. They worried he was falling off track to graduate.

He visited guidance counselors daily explaining how he was physically in the classroom, but his mind was on his family.

At one point, a counselor told Abrahan that his brother would have wanted him to graduate. He said he wanted to give up, but the counselor replied, “You need to try, and you can.”

Abrahan said he began feeling like himself again around March. He credited ELLIS staff and his friends for helping him work through his grief, as well as family back home who encouraged him to stay on track. He began catching up on school work. He decided that he needed “to wake up” and think about his future.

As the school year wrapped up, Abrahan was still seeing his counselors every day. Pulling a C-average, he was accepted to Guttman Community College in Manhattan. Abrahan plans to take a course over the summer to improve his English, according to a counselor.

Abrahan said he’s nervous about Guttman, especially seeing new students and new teachers, and leaving his ELLIS family behind.

But he feels driven to stay on track and “try – for my future, for my brother’s son, for my mom.”

Alexandra Cruz, a senior at Millennium Brooklyn High School, struggled with severe anxiety and keeping up with her academics during the chaotic school year.

ALEXANDRA CRUZ, 18, MILLENNIUM BROOKLYN HIGH SCHOOL

A year and a half of remote learning was bad for Alexandra Cruz’s mental health. But returning to school full time proved to be just as difficult.

Alexandra, who said she has severe social anxiety, was nervous to see hundreds of other students again, at a school where just 17% of students are Hispanic like her.

While the year started off OK, it took a turn during the winter’s omicron surge. Many peers were out sick. On the Monday before winter break, just under half of the school’s students came to school, according to data compiled by PRESS NYC. Alexandra stayed home that week as a precaution.

She struggled to make up a week’s worth of old assignments and keep up with new ones.

Her grades were slipping, and she was pulling all-nighters to keep up with what felt like mounds of homework, longing for the flexibility and leniency of remote learning. It was also tough to stay engaged in class while her friends were out sick.

“It was just so hard for me — I just didn’t have anyone to talk to,” she said.

She felt teachers weren’t checking in enough to find out why students were struggling to keep up. Seventy-three percent of the school’s teaching staff is white, Alexandra pointed out, which also felt alienating. Sometimes, she just wanted “a nice Hispanic woman” as a teacher who could relate to her.

Alexandra found some solace in her weekly meetings with a school guidance counselor, where she could drop in and “vent” if she felt too overwhelmed during class.

She began worrying about college in April while also studying for her AP exams. She’d narrowed down her choices to SUNY Oneonta and Clark University in Massachusetts, but COVID rules prevented visitors from seeing the dorms at Clark, so she couldn’t “get the full picture.”

By May, when school calmed down, she had come to a realization after months of dealing with her social anxiety: It’s OK that she’s not friends with many of her classmates.

“I feel like a weight has been lifted off,” Alexandra said. “All these people in my class — I can’t connect with these people. I already have my friends. I’m just sort of looking forward to the future.”

Alexandra decided on Clark University. She chose a school outside of the city in order to get a fresh start somewhere new.

“I’m going to try to join clubs with people of color so I can talk to people who I can connect with,” Alexandra said. “It makes me nervous, obviously, but I’m excited.”

Reema Amin is a reporter covering New York City schools with a focus on state policy and English language learners. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

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High school graduates in NYC: Tell us, what’s next for you?

2022-06-27T17:06:55+00:00

As students and teachers reunited in classrooms this year, challenges remained: many still grieved over lost loved ones, battled mental health issues, and struggled to readapt to in-person learning.

For many students, the pandemic changed the course of their lives.

Increased stress and anxiety among students has led to a strong aversion to being in the classroom, one possible reason behind the rise of chronic absenteeism in NYC public schools. While some high school graduates were able to continue moving forward, we know that other students were not ready to return to normal and had difficulty transitioning because of multiple setbacks. For instance, many students had to take care of ill relatives or work to financially support their families, as economic insecurity also soared during the pandemic.

The likelihood of high school graduates pursuing a four-year degree dropped from 71% to 51% in the last two years, according to ECMC Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students succeed academically and professionally. The percentage of teens who believed education beyond high school was necessary also decreased.

Chalkbeat wants to hear from New York City high school graduates about how your school year went, and what’s ahead for you.

Tell us:

What are your thoughts and plans beyond graduation?
What advice would you give to upcoming high school seniors?
How could schools better serve students?

We look forward to receiving your submissions on the form below. Questions? We’re always listening at community@chalkbeat.org. If you are having trouble viewing this form, go here.

What’s your favorite book with a LGBTQ+ connection? Tell Chalkbeat for Pride Month.

2022-06-22T18:48:37+00:00

For Pride month, Chalkbeat wants to celebrate diverse LGBTQ+ identities and experiences by exploring the power of representation in literature, especially at a time when educators face new limits on the types of stories they can share in the classroom.

Efforts to ban books considered obscene or divisive are censoring the narratives of racial and LGBTQ+ identities, according to Pen America, an organization that advocates for freedom of expression. The discussion of critical race theory, an academic framework that examines how policies and the law perpetuate systemic racism, has led to 36 states enacting legislation that restricts the teaching of race and racism. And restrictions like Florida’s recent “Don’t Say Gay” law prohibit lessons about gender and sexual identity in kindergarten through third grade. Florida’s law inspired other states to enact legislation that threatens to marginalize LGBTQ+ kids by restricting the teaching of LGBTQ+ issues in history and removing books with themes of sexuality and gender from school libraries.

But stories with diverse characters and themes help adolescents feel seen. Diverse literature is vital for kids’ personal development and identity formation, according to the Urban Libraries Council, as stories are mirrors in which people see reflections of themselves.

Chalkbeat wants to hear from students, teachers, and members of the LGBTQ+ community about what Pride means to you, how you think of your identity, and how diverse storytelling affects you.

Tell us: What is your favorite novel or short story featuring an LGBTQ+ narrative or character? We might include your suggestion in a book list.

We look forward to receiving your submissions on the form below; the deadline is Wednesday, July 13th, at the end of the day. Questions? We’re always listening at community@chalkbeat.org.

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Missing support: Students, psychologists say existing mental health resources aren’t enough

2022-06-09T17:47:38+00:00

When there was no distinguishing line between home and school while classes were virtual during the pandemic, Brittyn Benjamin-Kelley felt like her life was “going nowhere.”

“It was partially a self-discovery process because I had to figure out what I like to do on my own,” said Benjamin-Kelley, a senior at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. “But it was still a hard journey to have to go through by myself.”

Edi Wolde from Aurora, Colorado, described a similar feeling.

“It’s not fun being alone with your thoughts, especially if they’re negative,” she said.

They were among several students from across the U.S. who reflected on their experiences over the last two years during a discussion on mental health hosted Wednesday by Chalkbeat and College Track, a nonprofit focused on helping students reach and finish college.

Students shared familiar concerns, explaining that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of isolation, loss of structure, and added mental health burdens. But it was also a time of personal growth, some said — a testament to the resilience required of young people during the pandemic.

Xitlali Curincita, a student from the San Francisco Bay area, set “little goals” for herself, like participating in class once daily, and eventually started her own club that served as a space for students to talk. “I got the opportunity to actually make a statement and say that ‘I got your back,’” she said.

When students struggled, schools didn’t always have the resources to support them. Though schools across the country have added counselors, social workers, and training for teachers — thanks in part to federal COVID relief funding — many have faced staffing shortages and student needs that outstrip educators’ ability to effectively help.

The pandemic also followed years of alarming increases in rates of suicide and depression among young people. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-24, noted Mitch Prinstein, the chief science officer at the American Psychological Association, who participated in the event alongside other mental health experts.

“I’m not sure why it didn’t get more attention before. But I sure wish that it did,” Prinstein said. “Like so many things, the pandemic really exposed a problem that was there for a long time and made us see it all in a very different and more disturbing way.”

COVID also highlighted longstanding racial and age-based inequities in access to mental health services, said Jessica Jackson of the AAKOMA Project, a nonprofit focused on meeting the mental health needs of young people of color. And when families do realize they need help, they often encounter community mental health systems that aren’t flexible, accessible, affordable, or staffed to serve children in crisis.

“When I worked on impatient units, parents don’t know that you have to go to a children’s hospital most of the time” to get intensive services, she said. “If you go to your regular emergency room, everyone on the inpatient unit is like, what do we do with this 15 year old?”

Resources shared by panelists

David Anderson, the Child Mind Institute:

Child Mind Institute: Hundreds of articles for parents and educators on a range of mental health topics.
Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Project: A collection of 34 videos and 60 skill sheets for educators and parents, adapted for elementary, middle, and high school populations. Each teaches age-appropriate concepts and language, including understanding feelings, managing thoughts, distress tolerance, relaxation skills, and mindfulness. Available in English and Spanish.

Laura Clary, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health:

National Academies: Videos geared toward educating kids and teachers about mental health symptoms and where to go for help.

Jessica Jackson, the AAKOMA Project:

AAKOMA Project: A nonprofit focused on the mental health needs of young people of color. AAKOMA has funding available to connect young people with therapists.
Sound It Out Together: An initiative by the Ad Council that helps young people learn about social-emotional learning and expression via music.

Finding mental health support on an ongoing basis is a particularly acute challenge for families of color, she said. In addition to confronting higher rates of COVID, they’ve experienced the impact of racist violence in their communities.

“Not only am I experiencing the health issue, and grief, but now I’m also experiencing, I don’t know how people feel about who I am as I identify,” she explained. “And then you have to find a therapist that really can work with all of those things.”

It’s not that schools and outside groups don’t want to help, said Le’Yondo Dunn, principal of Mastery Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia.

“What we are seeing when we want to jump in and get a young person access to support is that the system is incredibly overworked,” Dunn said. Dunn’s school has six social workers, more than most schools. Still, they feel strained.

“Our social workers are spending 80, 90% of their days responding and triaging,” he said. “What I wish our social workers had the capacity to do is to do some of the proactive work.”

Through a program called Rebound, his school provides additional therapy and violence mediation for a fraction of its students. Every student could use something like that, he said, “but it takes resources, and it also takes the right people.”

Students at the event — the final episode of a four-part Chalkbeat series — had their own suggestions for how schools could help.

Curincita said she would like to see schools host conversations about vulnerability, offering space to be vulnerable and to talk about what the concept means.

“Vulnerability, for me, is super hard to talk about,” she said. “But in most cases, I feel like there’s a need to be vulnerable to feel fully heard and understood.”

Another student wished people wouldn’t always try to solve their problems for them, but rather be a listening ear. Others suggested that schools add “mental health breaks” or time for rest. Lisbeth Martinez from Jordan Senior High in Los Angeles said she would like to see schools offer lessons on navigating conversations with adults about emotions, too.

Laura Clary of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shared research suggesting that those conversations can make a difference. Her study of a mental health program in Baltimore showed that students do actively apply the emotional management skills they learn.

“It’s heartening and depressing at the same time,” she said. “It’s heartening, because we can see that this could make a difference. But schools need the resources to be able to do these things.”

Watch the full conversation here.

Diverse books remind readers that their stories matter. Why are schools trying to ban so many of them?

2022-06-09T12:00:00+00:00

I still remember the time in elementary school when my mom and I were sorting books on my bookshelf. We would choose which ones to keep and which to give away so we could make room for new ones.

Sometimes, my mom would place books that I had put in the giveaway pile back on my shelves — books like “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters,” “Amazing Grace,” and “Lily Brown’s Paintings.” When I asked her why, she said she didn’t remember having picture books with Black characters when she was a kid and wanted me to make sure my library always had books with characters who looked like me.

Elena Recinto

Ever since then, I sometimes have trouble trading out books with Black and Asian characters because those are the books I sometimes relate to the most.

When I was 9, I started Elena Reads, a blog to share my love of reading with others and introduce people to diverse books they might not have known existed. For example, on my blog, I reviewed “Loretta Little Looks Back” by Andrea Davis Pinkney (about a Black family living when slavery and segregation were legal) and “The War That Saved My Life” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (about a girl who has a disability and faces abuse). I want to make sure these books are accessible to everyone.

From a young age, I’ve loved books. Sometimes, reading gives me the feeling of escaping this world and going into another one. I love playing the scenes of the story in my head. It’s like a movie, but better. I also love that reading teaches me about people who are different from me. So it is really confusing when I hear about books I love that are on banned books lists because they discuss racism or have gay characters, for instance.

Why would parents and educators want to take amazing books with diverse characters out of schools and off library shelves?

Jerry Craft’s Newberry award-winning “New Kid,” a funny graphic novel about a Black boy attending a mostly white middle school, tackles racism and stereotypes, and it shows how hurtful they can be. I can’t understand why a school district in Texas banned this book, which is based on the author’s life.

When I interviewed Craft recently, he told me he didn’t really get why people were so upset about his book. He said one parent didn’t like how the white characters were depicted and worried that it would make her white child feel bad about real things happening in the world. He said if that parent had taken the time to read the book, she would have seen that many of the white characters aren’t depicted as bad or evil. And, when complaining parents say that everyone is “equal,” they dismiss injustices and experiences that happened to many people of color, the LGBTQ community, and those with disabilities.

It’s particularly upsetting to see diverse books banned because it makes it harder for students who are Black and brown or who are gay to see themselves in what they are reading. When we read about characters whose experiences correlate with our own, it makes us realize that our stories matter. And these books also help other readers open their eyes to people who are different from them.

It is really confusing when I hear about books I love that are on banned books lists because they discuss racism or have gay characters.

For example, I think kids can learn about what it is like to be an immigrant family in this country if they read “Front Desk,” by the award-winning author Kelly Yang. It is a story about a Chinese family who immigrates to America. The book details their lives here and how they struggle, like when the main character is bullied because she is Asian. This is another book that some school districts have banned for being “racially divisive.” When Yang heard about one such ban in a small Long Island district, she tweeted that she was “heartbroken,” writing: “Books about the immigrant experience are valid. Books about POC are valid. We are valid!”

A book I read in English class, “Mexican WhiteBoy” by Matt De La Pena, also appears on some schools’ banned books lists. It is about a biracial teen named Danny who finds his identity through baseball and family. Those who oppose teaching the book say it promotes “critical race theory,” and white students might feel uncomfortable reading it.

But it works both ways. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable for Black students to read about race. When my mom and I read “Addy” books from the American Girl series, I learned about slavery for the first time. Reading about it made me really uneasy. I was a little sad and scared, but my mom and I had conversations after every chapter, and I became more educated about racism.

This could be the answer to banning books: open conversations with parents, teachers, and others about what is being read. If we do this, we will become more understanding of what we are reading and each other, even if it is hard and uncomfortable at first.

Elena Recinto is a Michigan middle school student who reviews diverse children’s books on her blog, Elena Reads. She would like to be an author one day. She usually has her nose in a book, but she has many other interests. She runs cross country, plays piano and violin, and recently played Charlie Bucket in her school musical, Willy Wonka Jr.

4 North High students on why Denver needs more teachers of color

2022-05-20T20:35:43+00:00

Leer en español.

North High School senior Martin Castañon grew up in a neighborhood where most people looked like him. But now, he said, white newcomers treat him with irritation, when they were the ones who “came into my neighborhood, tearing my culture away from me.”

North High’s decision not to rehire teacher Tim Hernández, who taught English, Latinx literature, and a Latinx leadership class, along with leading a student club, feels like yet another blow for the majority-Latino students at a school serving one of Denver’s most gentrified neighborhoods.

“It’s sad. It’s depressing,” Martin said. “It’s like you go from so much color and so much joy to so much depression and darkness. It sucks to get that taken away from you.”

Hernández grew up on Denver’s Northside and began teaching at North High last school year. He was hired again this school year on a one-year contract. When he applied to continue teaching at North next year, Hernández said he was not rehired.

In a statement, Denver Public Schools did not address why Hernández was not rehired. The statement said the district is committed to recruiting and retaining qualified teachers of color, and it’s up to each school’s personnel committee, which at North includes Principal Scott Wolf, to decide which teachers are hired. If the committee can’t come to consensus, the principal has the final say, according to the teacher’s union contract.

Teacher Tim Hernández poses near North High School earlier this month.

Hernández’s students said it’s been devastating to lose the teacher who taught them about the Chicano movement, Colorado student activists like Los Seis de Boulder, and the West High blowouts of 1969, when Denver students protested racism and discrimination. Hernández kept a refrigerator that students from the club stocked with free groceries. His classroom was decorated with flags and a hand-painted banner that said “casa de la cultura.”

“In the walls of our building, we know our culture is not centered anywhere else,” Hernández said of North High, “but it was in my room.”

District and state data show 75% of Denver students are students of color. But only 29% of teachers are teachers of color. Hispanic or Latino students make up 52% of the district population, but only 19% of Denver teachers are Hispanic or Latino.

“This is bigger and has always been bigger than Mr. Hernández,” said North High freshman Nayeli López, who is part of the club, called SOMOS MECHA. “The reason we talk about him so much is because he’s one of the only teachers of color at the school. Because retaining teachers of color isn’t just offering them a job, it’s making this a safe place for them.”

Over the past several weeks, North High students have held a sit-in and two walkouts to demand the school rehire Hernández. On Thursday, approximately 50 students and supporters marched to the district’s downtown headquarters, where they chanted, “Who do we want? Mr. Hernández! Where do we want him? At North High!” About 20 people signed up to talk about Hernández and North at Thursday night’s school board meeting.

At the end of the meeting, the board voted unanimously to remove Hernández from the list of teachers being “non-renewed.” Superintendent Alex Marrero said that while that doesn’t mean Hernández will be reinstated at North High, “we will support him on his journey to finding another position within DPS next year.”

Chalkbeat spoke to four students — Nayeli, Martin, senior Daniela Urbina-Valle, and junior Viridiana Sanchéz — about Hernández and the need for Denver Public Schools to hire and retain more teachers who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Here’s what they said.

(From left to right) North High School students Nayeli López, Martin Castañon, Daniela Urbina-Valle, and Viridiana Sanchéz.

What have your experiences been with having BIPOC teachers in school?

Martin: I’ve only had about two teachers, total, of color. … Mr. Hernández was one of the only teachers that was really true about having Brown pride. It’s kind of unfortunate that we can’t really learn about our culture through teachers. … Bringing in teachers of color would help us a lot. We can’t find out who we truly are if we don’t know where we came from.

Viridiana: Finally having a teacher that talked exactly like you did, that had a background story exactly like yours, it was eye-opening. It was so refreshing.

Nayeli: I was raised around a community where it was people from the Chicano movement and that community. That’s what I was raised in, but I never heard it in a school setting.

Daniela: Even when we do have these teachers that look like us, they are expected to conform to a system that was made by a white man. … A lot of times the white man thinks education is about control, and Mr. Hernández taught us all that that’s not true.

What did you learn in Mr. Hernández’s classes? And how did you feel?

Martin: I learned who I was. I learned what it meant to be Chicano. Coming from straight-up Mexican parents, the term Chicano isn’t really taken lightly. It’s a completely different definition from what it actually is. To them, Chicano is lazy, someone who lives off the system. That’s not what it was intended to be. Chicano is about Brown power.

The first few weeks of school, [Mr. Hernández] took us to the reunion of West [High School]. That’s not only what it was, it was a celebration from the West blowouts that happened. That was the first thing I learned about Brown people were those things from Mr. Hernández.

Nayeli: I actually met Mr. Hernández at the West High event. My dad [Denver City Clerk and former city council member Paul López] was an alumni at West High School and he had to speak there. I was the only kid who was like, “Dang, I’m from North and I’m at my rival school.”

That’s when I saw a big group of students marching in with a sign that said “From North to West, Chicano Power.” And right there, I was like, “Oh my God, how cool is that?” I’d never heard the words “Chicano power” outside of my home.

Daniela: My mom was born in Mexico and my dad was born in Nicaragua so I’m a first-generation child. … It was not normal for me to say I was Chicana because that’s wrong in their eyes. … [Hernández] taught us to be proud by showing us the history. … It’s not just Cesar Chavez. It’s not just Dolores Huerta. It’s more than just those people.

Viridiana: I met Mr. Hernández at the beginning of the year. … I remember telling him how much I hated being in AP Language because I didn’t connect with the curriculum. Everybody in the class was white. There were only three people of color, including myself, and it felt horrible. I felt very alienated in there.

He told me he taught Latinx literature and that it was so fun. … The moment I stepped in there, it felt welcoming, it felt like there was a community, and he just wanted you to be authentic.

North High School.

What do you want the adults in power in Denver Public Schools to know?

Nayeli: We want our teacher back. … That’s not just a teacher to us. That’s a safe person. … Him being one of the only Northside Chicanos at North High School, that’s a big support system.

Martin: Not only do we want our teacher back, but we want more teachers who look like him, who represent their culture. We don’t want people who just look like us that don’t represent us to the fullest.

Daniela: Inclusivity and diversity isn’t LGBTQ+ History Month or Black History Month. … North thinks that they’re somehow making that an inclusive way of supporting us. But that’s in no way an inclusive way to support us.

Martin: It’s like we’re an inconvenience to them.

Nayeli: It’s like we’re written on a notepad and then tossed away.

Daniela: I know people who have said they are going to join ethnic studies classes to counselors or AP teachers and they say, “That’s not good for your transcript.’” ... I don’t think us learning and acting on where we come from is something that makes us look bad to colleges. I don’t think that’s what should be told to us by our teachers.

Viridiana: We’ve been called “troubled kids.” Or that teachers know how to handle “kids like us” because they’re worked at other schools where the majority of the population is “kids like us.”

Martin: It’s always “you people.”

Viridiana: We’ve reported it and said something, but nothing ever gets done.

Nayeli: The same kids that teachers and a lot of administrators think of as “troubled,” teachers like Mr. Hernández see us as kids who are going to get somewhere in life.

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Event: What our schools need next to support student mental health

2022-05-19T16:57:56+00:00

This event was originally scheduled for June 1, and has been postponed to June 8.

Mental health is a topic that has threaded throughout Chalkbeat’s journalism with particular intensity since COVID started.

In response to this national need for more discussion around mental health, Chalkbeat and College Track will host student panelists from across the country in conversation with Blair Imani to share their experiences with mental health and wellness over the last two years, how they have felt during the pandemic, and what they need next.

Following the students, Chalkbeat managing editor Sarah Darville will moderate a panel of mental health experts to discuss how COVID has exacerbated many issues that existed in schools around mental health, and the solutions to address the effects of the added stress students and educators have endured over the last two years.

Join Chalkbeat and College Track for this important discussion with students and mental health experts. Please RSVP for this premiere so we’re able to provide streaming information. This event is free to attend, but any optional donations will go to support Chalkbeat’s nonprofit journalism and events like these.

This event is the final in a four-part national Chalkbeat series titled COVID and Mental Health, which seeks to amplify efforts to better support the wellness of students and school staff during this challenging comeback year.

Philly student’s documentary takes honorable mention in C-SPAN contest

2022-04-08T20:08:40+00:00

A Philadelphia student’s documentary about pollution in the Schuylkill River won her $250 and an honorable mention award from C-SPAN television network.

Hanna Roemer-Block’s piece, “Bridge Over Dirty Water,” was one of more than 1,400 videos from the U.S., Morocco, and South Korea to enter the network’s StudentCam contest, which asked students to explore a federal policy or program and report on its relevance to their lives and communities.

Roemer-Block, an 11th grade student at Science Leadership Academy, said she hadn’t expected to win. “It was a big surprise,” she told Chalkbeat.

“Bridge Over Dirty Water” makes the point that government policy, not individual action, is most important for the environment.

“A lot of people think it’s up to the community to do something about this,” she told Chalkbeat in an interview. “This is too big a problem for an individual to take on.”

Roemer-Block works with the Bartram’s Garden boating program, which teaches people to row and kayak on the Schuylkill. The river, she notes in the video, supplies drinking water for more than half of Philadelphia’s residents. Yet, as experts told her, it still bears marks of its industrial past. While water quality in the Schuylkill has improved since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, there’s still the problem of sewage overflow — something that may get worse as climate change brings more frequent and more severe storms.

Part of Roemer-Block’s job at Bartram’s Garden is testing the river water for E. coli bacteria — the boats don’t go out if the levels are too high — so she went into the project aware of how water pollution affects daily life. Once she had the idea of making a video about the Schuylkill, she said, “It came to life really quickly,” she said.

Roemer-Block interviewed Josef Kardos, an engineer from Toronto, who pointed out the difference between the European and American approaches to potential new toxins. He said that in Europe, new chemical substances are tested pre-manufacture to see if they’re harmful, while in the U.S., companies “just kind of dump the chemicals in the water and deal with the effects afterwards,” Roemer-Block said. “That cycle needs to be changed,” she said.

Roemer-Block made the video as part of Michael Clapper’s American history class. Clapper said the class looks at “big questions” about government policy and the individual’s role. “She took those big themes from the class and said, why do these things matter to me, and how do I make a film that answers these questions in a real-world fashion?” he said in an interview.

As if that wasn’t a challenging enough task, Clapper said, he tested positive for COVID partway through the project and had to conduct classes over Zoom. Still, many students “really embraced this project and created a number of terrific films,” he said.

“It definitely wasn’t easy,” Roemer-Block said. “There was a part toward the end of trying to edit down all my interviews, and I thought, ‘If I make it through these next two days, then I can make it through the rest of the school year,’” she said.

Videos about the environment and pollution accounted for 10 percent of the entries in this year’s contest, making it the most popular topic, C-SPAN said. “Environmental issues are becoming more drastic,” Roemer-Block said. “When people think of problems that need to be solved, they are thinking of environmental issues more and more.”

Clapper said he’s proud of the way Roemer-Block tracked down sources to interview and edited the footage to “get those perfect kernels that really move the piece along.”

“When an 11th grader can do that so well, during COVID, when their teacher’s at home, it’s a really terrific accomplishment,” he said.

Roemer-Block said she hasn’t firmed up plans for after high school, but will probably study English or some other “writing-based” subject in college. The subject of her video notwithstanding, “I’m not a very science-y person,” she said.

A panel of educators and C-SPAN representatives evaluated the videos for the competition, which is sponsored by the C-SPAN Education Foundation. Awards were based on “thoughtful examination of the competition’s theme, quality of expression, inclusion of varying sides of the documentary’s topic, and effective incorporation of C-SPAN programming,” C-SPAN said. In all, there were 150 winners.

‘Music can help us heal’: Philly students express dealing with COVID, racial injustice in album

2022-01-21T22:45:15+00:00

In the song titled “Home Screen,” Jehmir Nixon, a junior at Hill-Freedman World Academy, raps about his fears of not making it to graduation:

“Can’t count the number of times I thought about dropping out, because I doubt that I can make it to graduation with my friends because my hesitation to be productive is destructive to my future. I’m stressing, I need to decompress.”

Rayanna Jones, also a junior at Hill-Freedman, sings in “Northern Lights” about her surroundings during virtual learning:

“Everyday feels like it’s on replay. The same view, same skies, same room, same eyes looking. I gotta move, I gotta find something new. I gotta do something to improve my mood. I wasn’t always in a bad mood.”

And in “Fallen Soldiers,” a group of students rap and sing about the dangers of street life after school:

“My brother is never coming home, Mom she is all alone. Got me writing all these lyrics on my iPhone. Plus my uncle got killed, now he’s dead and gone. Rest in peace Uncle Bob that’s in every song. Raj gone, Nas gone, what’s really going on?”

These are lyrics from “Love & Healing,” an album written, produced, and recorded last year by students at Hill-Freedman located in Mount Airy. The project features 32 original songs aimed to bring comfort for classmates who may be down about the state of schools and life in general.

The past two years have been anything but normal for Philadelphia students as COVID-19 has shaken their world.

District schools were forced to close in March 2020 due to the pandemic and shifted to virtual learning for 18 months. Most recently, almost half of the schools in Philadelphia were forced to go remote due to staff shortages caused by the omicron variant.

“The whole idea of the album is about love and healing, living with COVID, and how everybody needs to lift up each other and work together and to make sure each other is alright,” said 11th grade student Julyssa Pelliton. “I just wanted to come up with a message that will influence them to do something positive.”

The students’ views on racialized violence are also featured on the album – a reflection of the protests against police brutality and the national reckoning on racial injustice spurred by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Walter Wallace at the hands of police in 2020.

Those incidents were the catalyst for a song titled “Problems.”

“Woke up this morning, with pain in my heart, wondering why people are living the way that they are. Where do I start in the interest of reality? We need to stop police brutality,” sings Shyla Whitaker-Kelly, a junior.

Not everyone in music technology teacher Ezechial Thurman’s class at Hill-Freedman was willing to come into the recording studio to complete the album that was part of their required curriculum.

After all, they began working on the project in the fall of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. And they were scared.

“As we began, the idea of collaborating with a brand-new group of students in an entirely virtual environment was quite a daunting prospect,” said World Cafe Live teaching artist Andrew Lipke who worked closest with the students.

How could they record songs together if they were isolated at home? How could they accomplish such a task?

Would this even be possible?

It was.

The album is a component of the school’s International Baccalaureate, or IB program, where students are required to create music. The project involved 60 students who made up the entire 10th grade class when they began working on the album and are now juniors. School leaders, artists from World Cafe Live, and fellows from the national service initiative ArtistYear and WHYY Media Labs also lent a hand.

Hill-Freedman, located at 1100 East Mt. Pleasant Ave. near Mount Airy, is a special admission middle and high school.

“Our music hopes to meet a need in our community as we focus on the importance of more love and healing after a year of virtual learning and navigating through the pandemic,” said Thurman. “In difficult times, music can help us heal.”

The school’s recording studio, Hill-Freedman Records, was founded by Thurman in 2016 and is run by students. This year’s album is the school’s fifth, but viewed as its most significant due to the pandemic.

The biggest hurdle for the students was recording and producing the album over the 2020-2021 year when Philadelphia schools moved to remote learning – and fears of COVID kept some students out of the recording studio.

“Not everybody’s voice is in the album, but they do contribute. The pandemic definitely made school harder,” Pelliton said. “And I’m very surprised that we did this whole album online. That was very cool to me.”

Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the students had a good support system, said Fatou Thioune, a junior.

“The teachers were always there to be encouraging, which made everything a lot easier,” Thioune said. “We had people we were partnering with to work with the student producers and made amazing music.”

The school also had a few setbacks with staffing and funding, related to COVID, and being apart from each other for a year and a half, Thurman said

“But we’re learning that just making music by itself is a powerful way to create an influence in our community,” he said.

What 17 Chicago teens want from a new schools chief

2021-11-03T11:00:00+00:00

From day one, Pedro Martinez, the new chief of Chicago Public Schools, said he planned to listen to students and families about what is needed in the district. So, high school journalists, working with Medill Media Teens at Northwestern University, decided to ask their peers what they would tell the district’s new CEO.

The journalists fanned out across the city — from North Park to Back of the Yards to West Garfield Park —and talked to high school students about the changes they’d like to see in Chicago schools. The teens they interviewed brought up a wide range of issues, from mental health services and lunch food quality to women’s sports and lack of toilet paper in bathrooms.

Here’s what students said:

A collage of the Chicago Public Schools students interviewed by journalists from Medill Media Teens. The students appear in the order of their quotes in the story, with only Mario Duenez and Sam Zajczenko not pictured.

Jerusalem Nineth Franco, 16

Junior, Lincoln Park High School

“Dear Mr. Martinez, it would help if you teach more truthful lessons in our classes. And it would help if you were to help all teachers to be more open-minded to individuals that aren’t cisgender or heterosexual or white.”

Victoria Gianette Rivera, 16

Junior, Back of the Yards College Preparatory

“Dear Mr. Martinez, you should change the food. And the way you all treat students. And actually put tissue in the bathrooms.”

Christopher Orozco, 16

Sophomore, Phoenix STEM Military Academy

“Dear Mr. Martinez, I was wondering what you could do about the discipline at my school and other schools in CPS.”

Fernando Gomez, 16

Junior, Back of the Yards College Preparatory

“Dear Mr. Martinez, one change I would like to see in CPS schools is definitely better food because the food here is very unpleasant. Another thing I’d like to see here is therapy sessions for kids who are struggling with anxiety, depression, etc.”

Brigid Hattel, 17

Junior, Jones College Prep

“Dear Mr. Martinez, I’m a diver at Jones College Prep and I think we need more funding for women’s sports in general at CPS and especially at Jones.”

Taya Brown, 16

Junior, Lane Tech

“Dear Mr. Martinez, You have to be able to see outside of yourself when you’re looking at our school. There are so many different types of people here that handling something one way may have a negative effect on somebody else.”

Isis Clark, 15

Sophomore, Disney ll Magnet school

“Dear Mr. Martinez, CPS schools should do a better job at accommodating people’s mental and physical health during school.”

Malaisha Mullings, 16

Junior, DRW College Prep

“Dear Mr. Martinez, please get us a better lunch and a more organized system. Everything is out of place, making it hard to concentrate and making it hard to know what’s going on with the schools. Also attempt to give students better opportunities to learn at their level. Some of us need extra help.”

Nona Boyd, 18

Senior, Phoenix STEM Military Academy

“Dear Mr. Martinez, how can you increase funding to our schools and other CPS schools [so] we can get better school security?”

Jada Hamilton, 15

Sophomore, DRW College Prep

“Dear Mr. Martinez, many of us don’t have transportation to school so some of us can’t make it all the time. How can you make sure that all of the kids can show up to school prepared and on time — like a bus for school? I’ve been going to a CPS school my whole life so some students don’t eat CPS lunch because of how it looks, smells, and all of the above, so I’d rather eat at home. We are in school for eight hours so a decent lunch would be a good thing. Thank you.”

Ana Girma, 18

Senior, Northside College Prep

“Dear Mr. Martinez, I’d really like it if CPS was more upfront about the guidelines for COVID and how students are supposed to uphold them. Sitting down at lunch with my friends and then being told that I have to move to another table because there are too many people, even though there’s only five people, is very disheartening.”

Jonah Pfeifer, 16

Junior, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School

“Dear Mr. Martinez, Payton is a relatively small school compared to the other CPS selective enrollments and it’s not the most diverse school really.”

Denim Cole, 15

Sophomore, DRW College Prep

“Dear Mr. Martinez, you could help CPS schools by letting all of the schools have real lunches and have mascots for games to boost the players’ confidence. Thank you.”

Mario Duenez, 16

Junior, John Hancock College Prep

“Dear Mr Martinez, the change I would like to see at my school is improved school lunches, and a less strict policy on the dress code, seeing that the dress code is embedded in misogyny.”

London Sims, 15

Freshman, Phoenix STEM Military Academy

“Dear Mr. Martinez, I want to know what you can do to encourage CPS schools to bring about summer programs for incoming freshmen, especially those of different geographic backgrounds.”

Isabella Valez, 16

Senior, Northside College Prep

“Dear Mr. Martinez, please bring back asynchronous time [self-paced lessons students can complete on their own time]. Thank you.”

Sam Zajczenko, 16

Junior, John Hancock College Prep

“Dear Mr Martinez, I think you should address student concerns rather than what higher-up people like teachers and principals think should be addressed.”

This story was published in partnership with Medill Media Teens, a program of Teach for Chicago Journalism at Medill School at Northwestern University, which provides training, mentorship, and publication opportunities to Chicago Public School students.

Detroit teen: ‘Dig deeper’ to find and help homeless students

2021-10-19T18:33:39+00:00

There’s a lot Azaria Terrell wants to tell adults about how they can help students who, like her, have experienced homelessness. She’d start with a few simple tips: Listen to them, develop relationships with them, and give them some grace.

Too often, she said, school staff place too much academic pressure on students who are homeless.

“Making sure I’m OK and getting a good night’s sleep … that’s way more important than making sure I’m turning in my assignments,” said Azaria, who is 17 and a senior at Pershing High School in Detroit.

“At the end of the day you can go home and lay in your bed and maybe grade students’ work, but that child has to stay on the streets that night. Not everybody is lucky enough to have friends to go stay with or family to go stay with. Sometimes they’re in abusive households and they literally have nowhere else to go. So, patience is really key.”

Azaria, who has experienced homelessness during her high school years, shared her story during a panel discussion Tuesday co-hosted by Chalkbeat Detroit and the University of Michigan Poverty Solutions (Watch the conversation in full at the bottom of this story).

The discussion was held in the wake of new research that shows schools in Detroit are struggling to identify students who are homeless and entitled to federally required services, such as transportation.

Azaria was joined on the panel by representatives of local schools, a researcher, and the founder of a Detroit nonprofit that works with young people like Azaria.

Here’s who joined her on the panel, and a snippet of what they had to say.

Jennifer Erb-Downward, senior research associate at Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, an initiative that partners with communities and policymakers to prevent and alleviate poverty. Erb-Downward explained that the federal definition of a homeless student is any child who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. That includes children living in shelters or on the streets, but it also includes students living temporarily in a motel or hotel as well as children living doubled up in another person’s home because of economic hardship. “The reason that definition is important to focus on is that what the research shows is that from an educational perspective, it’s really the instability that children are experiencing that has educational consequences,” Erb-Downward said.
Courtney Smith, founder and CEO of the Detroit Phoenix Center, which provides services to homeless students. Smith said the center began as a drop-in center for students to hang out, take a shower, wash their clothes, access a food pantry, get bus tickets, and participate in recreational activities. Now, there is also an after-school program that provides tutoring and other services, such as counseling. Smith said the programming was built around what students said they needed. Listening to their wants and needs was important, she said. Adults “often create programs without young people being at the table.”
Iranetta Wright, deputy superintendent of schools at Detroit Public Schools Community District, which has expanded its services to better identify and serve students who are homeless. In 2017, when the district’s current administration took the helm, there were only 600 students — out of about 47,000 — identified as homeless. There was no doubt that number was too low, she said. So the district revamped its efforts, ensuring every school identified someone to serve homeless students, and provided staff training. At the end of the 2020-21 school year, the number of identified students had grown to 1,900. Training has been an important part of helping staff understand what it means to be a homeless student, and also how to talk to students who confide in them. “Awareness is important for everyone, from our teachers to our custodians to our cafeteria workers, to our noon hour assistants. Everyone needs to be empowered with the right language,” Wright said.
Terrence George, superintendent at Covenant House Academies, which were founded to help at-risk students obtain their high school diplomas. The academies especially help those living in shelters operated by Covenant House, which the school is affiliated with. “Homelessness isn’t always about staying in a shelter. It can be bouncing around. We have so many kids in our school that couch surf. It’s … now not where do you live, but where are you staying tonight is the question,” George said. The school provides a range of services, and is working to ensure all of its three locations have showers, laundry machines, and close access to a child care facility.

The event began with a documentary clip currently being produced by Sofa Stories Detroit, a community arts program that uses live performance and theater to tell the stories of Detroit youth who have experienced homelessness and housing insecurity. The name of the production company acknowledges that for many youth, surfing on the couches of friends or relatives is common. The full film will be streamed live in November, during National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, said Andrew Morton, director of the project. Find more information here.

Azaria, the Pershing High student, said identifying students who are homeless isn’t always easy. Educators can look out for students who repeatedly wear the same outfits, or students who start secluding themselves from others, she said. But many homeless youth become good at hiding their struggles.

“They’re hiding it not only from the world, but from themselves. They’re trying to erase that part of themselves and build a new character at school so they’re not judged, so they’re not looked at wrongly, so that their family isn’t criticized.”

It’s something Azaria knows really well. She said she’s a different person at school, known there as someone on the right track and on her way to college. At home, she said, she could be struggling. She cited her connection with Smith and the Detroit Phoenix Center with giving her a voice to tell her story. Smith, she said, was “the kindest person” she’d ever met.

“I meet a lot of kind people who really only want to hear your story to benefit them. And that’s sad. Ms. Courtney — she’s kind. She really listened to me. She gave me opportunities to use my voice.”

She wants teachers and other school staff to care not just about how students are doing academically, but how they’re doing outside school. She said they need to “dig deeper, build a relationship with their students, and really see how their life is going.”

As Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up, students and teachers reflect on resilience

2021-10-15T17:08:26+00:00

Leer en español.

During this Hispanic Heritage Month, Alicia Jones-Lumbuz’s Houston classrooms came alive with folk songs from Nicaragua and renditions from the musical, “In the Heights,” set in Washington Heights, a New York City neighborhood home to many Dominican Americans.

The masked, in-person performances were sweeter, albeit quieter, than the Zoom performances of the previous two years.

“We’re still learning to get loud,” Jones-Lumbuz told Chalkbeat. “This has been such a difficult season for everyone, especially our children. They are coming back into schools now quiet, unsure of themselves. I want them to sing out and be proud of who they are. I want them to see themselves in our songs.”

Oct. 15 marks the end of Hispanic Heritage Month. Chalkbeat spoke to Hispanic and Latino teachers and students around the nation about how they are celebrating their cultures and navigating this season of loss. Hispanic and Latino populations across the nation have made up a disproportionate number of deaths from COVID-19, and the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities for Hispanic and Latino students — widening education gaps and spurring drops in college enrollment.

For students like Ines Adriana Martinez, the pandemic upended college plans due to new caregiving responsibilities.

“I got accepted into UC Davis, but I decided to stay local and do community college, and then transfer,” said Ines, now a sophomore at Cabrillo College in California. “Because of this whole pandemic, I became more financially responsible, not only for myself but also for my family. And I realized how much I knew nothing. I wanted to know more.”

Below, Ines’ story and others’ are interspersed with poetry and artwork from students across the country. These excerpts have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

At Chalkbeat, we know the stories of Hispanic and Latino students and educators should be told all year long, not just during Hispanic Heritage Month. Do you have a story idea for us? A student or educator that should be highlighted? Email us anytime at community@chalkbeat.org.

Alexa Maqueo-Toledo, 21, Maryville, Tennessee

Senior, Maryville College

Alexa Maqueo-Toledo attended a November 2019 support rally for Dreamers in Washington, D.C. She is a Tennessee college student fighting for tuition equality.

I was born in Mexico City and moved to Tennessee when I was in elementary school. For as long as I can remember, it was me and my mom. When my grandmother got sick in March 2020, my mom was the only one who could easily move back to Mexico and care for her. We knew being apart would be difficult — but we didn’t fully understand then what the pandemic was going to do to the world. We use Zoom all the time for conversations and family gatherings, and we’re trying to get her set up to come for my graduation in May, but that feels like slim chances.

So much of my life and my choices have been tied with my [immigration] status as a DACA recipient. I found out about my status when I was 14 and tried to get a driver’s permit with all of my friends. That’s when my family told me. I grew up in the immigrant community, my aunt was involved, my mom taught English classes. I watched firsthand families being torn apart through deportation. I always wanted to go to college, but with the news of my status dimmed that dream.

My senior year of high school is when it really hit. I had to apply to some colleges as an international student, and I didn’t qualify for significant state scholarship programs or in-state tuition. Thankfully, I had a great guidance counselor who didn’t let me give up — and I applied to Maryville, which at the time had recently partnered with [a scholarship organization for Dreamers], Equal Chance for Education.

Alexa Maqueo-Toledo poses with a sign answering the question, “Why did you apply to college?”

When I arrived at Maryville, a small liberal arts college, the school’s first openly undocumented student was in his senior year. He served as a mentor to me, and I’m proud to say 15 of us will be graduating this year. We’re getting matching stoles for graduation. And we’re working hard to make the path easier for those who come after us. Tuition equity is one of my missions in life. My passion lies in immigrant, and undocumented youth, in particular, being able to obtain state tuition and state aid as any other Tennessee high school senior. They shouldn’t have to jump through the hoops that I had to or face the challenges that I was able to navigate thanks to my high school guidance counselor.

When many people picture “undocumented,” they think of criminals. They don’t think of the girl you took to soccer practice when your kids were young. They don’t think it’s the people your family grew up with. They don’t think of a girl moving mountains to try to further her education, to contribute. I want them to see me.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, seventh grade students at SENSE Charter School in Indianapolis did an author study on the writer Sandra Cisneros. The students, who speak English as a second language, used her writings as inspiration for their own. They researched their names and discussed where their names came from. They created collages that included emotions, colors, and metaphors associated with their names.

Alicia Jones-Lumbuz, Houston, Texas

Choir director and district content lead, KIPP Texas Public Schools: Houston

Alicia Jones-Lumbuz says her parents — from Puerto Rico and Jamaica — created a safe space for her to process her own identity. She strives to create that for her students in Texas.

I have taught choir for over 23 years — and I’m used to my fifth through eighth graders bounding into class, ready to sing, and often leaving me exhausted after corralling their incredible, chaotic energy. Not this year. Many of my students have been going through this pandemic since they were in third grade, and their energy is low.

They barely smile, their speaking and singing voices are very soft, and when we work on choreography, their movements are very lethargic. I have a few students who are happy to be in person — their energy is high, and they have difficulty calming down after completing fun activities or singing. I welcome their excitement and joy to surpass the quiet.

I know my students need my classrooms to be a safe place to process this year — to process the grief of losing loved ones during the pandemic or to navigate in-person environments that feel new and scary. But even before the pandemic, I knew how to create an environment in my classroom where students could process big questions around their identity. I remember what it was like to be in elementary school and have other students ask me, “What are you?” I didn’t look like the Hispanic kids in Florida, where I spent part of my childhood, and I didn’t look Black enough. I certainly didn’t look white. So, what was I? My parents — from Puerto Rico and Jamaica — provided a very encouraging space for me to process these questions, and I now offer that same encouragement to my students.

Our school systems and leaders need to understand that Hispanics are not monoliths. I bring the pride of my roots, especially for Afro-Latino students who may not feel seen or accepted. To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this year, I wore a shirt that read: Taino, African, and Spanish. I explained to my students that the Taino are the Indigenous people of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, that Africans were taken to Latin America to be slaves, like what happened in the United States, and how Spain and other European countries colonized Latin America. I told my students that without these three cultures, I would not be the person I am today.

Alicia Jones-Lumbuz’s choir of students pose for a photo after a performance, which took place prior to the pandemic.

You see, my Indigenous ancestors gave me the character to be humble, creative, loving, giving, patient, wise, and able to make music. My African ancestors gave me strength, spiritual wisdom, persistence, and a love of rhythm. My Spanish ancestors gave me vision and taught me how I could destroy lives when I let greed and selfish ambitions drive me. My Spanish ancestors also gave me the love of flowing melodies. Without any of these ancestors, the Hispanic and Latino cultures would not exist. Without any of these cultures, infectious Latin American music and hip-hop would not exist. The aim of these lessons was for all of my students, especially my brown and Black students, to stand proud of all their roots, be proud of their ancestors, and love who they are.

Students at Brighton Elementary school in Brighton, Tennessee created a collaborative project to honor artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Riviera.

Ines Adriana Martinez, 19, Santa Cruz, California

Sophomore, Cabrillo College

Ines Adriana Martinez poses for a photo wearing a shirt with her college’s logo.

Before COVID, I used to do a lot of folkloric dancing. It was very exciting to learn more about my heritage, my background, and the history of Mexico, where I’m from. It just felt empowering. There’s one local event called the Guelaguetza; it’s more like a Oaxacan, Indigenous-type of performance. With the music and with the dancing, it all just looked so beautiful.

Because of the pandemic, a lot has changed. I got accepted into UC Davis, but I decided to stay local and do community college, and then transfer. I wanted to stay home and help out.

I’m the oldest and I had to look after my younger sister. That was a lot to balance. Not only was she attending online school, but so was I. I kind of had to make my schedule around hers. She’d get distracted, and I’d have to tell her to pay attention or make sure she was on camera. I would do my homework in the afternoon, and I’d try to take her outside to the park to get a walk. We all kind of needed that. She would just be more sensitive, angrier, shyer in virtual school. We sought counseling from the school for her, and it helped.

When I started college virtually, I felt a little lost. I quickly discovered that I did not like being on a computer for very long. I just felt tired and had no energy to do anything. It would have been very helpful for them to provide more mental health resources, like free access to someone to talk to. That would have helped me because I was very stressed.

My mom worked all throughout the pandemic; in fact, I think she worked a lot more [than usual]. She works at a tea factory. My dad works in construction, and he didn’t work for a while, so my mom was like the full provider. I noticed she was really stressed. She would leave, and my sister and I would still be sleeping. I would do all of the extra work at home, like chores, cook, and look after my sister, but not like in an ‘Ugh, my god, I have to do this. I don’t want to but I have to.’ Not really. It was more like: ‘I’m going to do this because that’s my new job. I’m helping my mom, I’m helping my dad, and I’m a member of this whole team.’

I think that there is a beauty in the struggle because you’re able to appreciate what you have a lot more and also focus — like have a plan to achieve what it is that you want. Not only that but to have backups, because you never know.

Right now, I’m studying business administration. Because of this whole pandemic, I became more financially responsible, not only for myself but also for my family. And I realized how much I knew nothing. I wanted to know more. I have an aunt, and she has her own business. It’s a daycare program that she runs, and I think that’s such an amazing idea. I’ve always liked the idea of being my own boss, a girl boss.

Dennis Martin, Newark, New Jersey

Kindergarten teacher at KIPP Spark Academy

Dennis Martin (left) poses with his brother during his college graduation ceremony.

One of the hardest things I witnessed as a student-teacher last school year was parents with language barriers having a hard time logging on their children for remote learning. There was frustration, desperation, and concern. All they wanted was for their kindergarteners to get every minute of instruction they could, even if it had to be through a screen.

As the only Spanish-speaking teacher in a classroom of mostly Latinx students, I was proud to be there for these families during a time of high anxiety as many of them were experiencing the relentlessness of COVID-19. Whether it was guidance with logging on and disabling pop-up blockers so that their students could take a test, or interpreting during parent-teacher conferences, I was able to help in a big way.

But the most meaningful way I was able to support my students was by creating a safe space for them to embrace their identity and cultural backgrounds.

That safe space comes in different forms, given the tools and resources you have. Last year, through those video conversations, I welcomed students to speak to me with both languages if that was how they felt comfortable expressing themselves. This year, as a first-time kindergarten teacher in person at KIPP Spark Academy, I’ve brought my love of bachata and merengue music and dancing to the classroom.

Showing these elements of my identity and pride in my background as a Cuban and Nicaraguan born and raised in Newark, fosters an environment where Latinx students can also embrace the parts of themselves that bring them joy.

Latinx students don’t often get the chance to see themselves reflected in their teachers. Nationally, only 9% of public school teachers are Hispanic. I know how important it is for these students to have a teacher who’s also their advocate, speaks like them, and sees through a familiar lens.

As we wrap up the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, I’ve been encouraging my students to display pride in their own cultures, even if they are not Hispanic or Latinx. On Oct. 1, KIPP Spark Academy held a parade to honor Hispanic Heritage Month, and students participated by making homemade maracas, shaking them, and dancing to music. As I looked on, I felt a wave of pride all over again as my youngest students laughed and danced along. In that moment, I knew that it’s also a valuable experience for me to see myself reflected in my students. Watching them express this Hispanic and Latinx pride, they may not know it now, but it meant a lot to me.

COVID devastated many Latino families. During Hispanic Heritage Month, tell us how your school community has supported you.

2021-09-15T21:27:43+00:00

Leer en español.

Sept. 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month — and it comes as schools across America settle into a new academic year after nearly two years of chaotic pandemic learning.

This year’s month of celebration — chosen by Congress to begin mid-month to honor national independence days in several Latin American countries — comes after a season of great loss among Hispanics and Latinos populations across the nation, who have made up a significant portion of deaths from COVID-19. The virus is now responsible for 1 of every 5 deaths among Hispanics, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed by The Washington Post.

The pandemic exacerbated existing inequities for Hispanic and Latino students — widening education gaps and spurring drops in college enrollment. Students who are immigrants and English language learners, many coming from Spanish-speaking countries, faced even greater barriers to thriving at school.

Chalkbeat wants to hear from Hispanic/Latino students and teachers about what the last year was like for them, and what they hope happens as schools return en masse to in-person learning. We also want to share stories of the celebration of heritage and culture — to hear more about how you think of your identity, how you honor it, and what you wish others knew. We want to experience your artwork and poetry, and listen to your original music.

Tell us: What do you think Hispanic/Latino students need from their school leaders and communities this school year to be healthy and successful? What do you wish others knew about what it’s like to be young and Hispanic/Latino at this moment in history?

We look forward to your submissions in the callout below; the deadline is 11:59 ET Oct. 1. Questions? We’re always listening at community@chalkbeat.org. Having trouble viewing on mobile? Go here.

After a rise in hate crimes, some Asian New Yorkers are nervous about returning to school

2021-08-27T19:26:35+00:00

It’s not just the delta variant that makes Zhenghao Lin, a Chinese immigrant, nervous about returning to school next month.

Zhenghao, a rising senior at Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School in Brooklyn, said he has been subjected to racist comments at school since he arrived in New York City as a fourth grader. His anxiousness about interacting with non-Asian peers only grew over the course of the pandemic.

“After what I’ve seen on social media and about the Asian American hate crimes in New York City, I do not feel safe going back to school physically,” Zhenghao said. “I may have to deal with the occasional bat-eater comment or, ‘You guys started it’ comment, or any of those microaggressions. If I go on the bus or take the subway, I might have to deal with those comments, too.”

After a rise in hate crimes against Asians in the spring, advocates have heard similar concerns from Asian American families and students about commuting from afar to school and what they may have to endure inside of the classroom when school buildings reopen Sept. 13. For some students, that anxious feeling is compounded by years of microaggressions — subtle, intentional or unintentional actions or statements about a marginalized group — or racist comments they’ve experienced in and outside of school.

In New York City this year, confirmed hate crimes against Asians jumped from four cases in February to 34 the following month, with just over half of those involving assault charges, according to the New York Police Department. The number of incidents has declined since the spring but remains higher than the same period last year.

Cases first spiked the same month when six women of Asian descent were killed in Atlanta, which cast a new spotlight on violence and racism against Asian Americans across the nation. Some violent crimes in New York City were caught on video and circulated on social media, heightening fear among members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Kaveri Sengupta, education policy coordinator with Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, or CACF, said families have shared fears that range from potential hate crimes to microaggressions at school, adding to the nervousness of returning to in-person school for the first time in 18 months.

Sengupta’s coalition has heard from students in high-performing schools with large Asian-American populations who say that their administrators don’t really talk to students about their mental health needs. That can perpetuate the “model minority” myth — that all Asian Americans are high achievers — and ignores these students’ diverse needs that reach beyond academics, she said.

“That whole thing is swept under the rug because the outcomes are good, but what is that actually doing for students’ sense of self, confidence, all of those things?” Sengupta said.

Karen Zhang, 17, decided to stick with remote learning last school year largely because she and her family were worried about her picking up the virus on her 90-minute commute from her Flushing home.

Learning from home became taxing on Karen’s concentration, so she considered returning to Stuyvesant in the spring, when the city offered students another chance to opt into in-person learning. But that’s right when hate crimes were rising against Asian Americans in New York and gaining a resurgence of media attention. Even if her dad dropped her off on his way to work, she would have to wait for an hour outside of the school before the doors opened.

“I decided not to go because it didn’t feel safe physically, but also in terms of health, as well,” Karen said.

Karen said she’s never been physically harmed because of her race but has dealt with many microaggressions, especially in middle school on the Upper West Side, where the Asian student population was small. She recalls her peers making faces when they smelled the dumplings she would eat for lunch. Classmates would ask her to do origami for them even though she didn’t know how. She didn’t realize she was being stereotyped until recently. One of the best things schools could do to make nervous students feel better is to prioritize education about what anti-Asian harassment and microaggressions look like, Karen said.

“Education is a huge, huge, huge thing when it comes to addressing anti-Asian violence,” she said. “A lot of the hate crimes happened because people don’t see Asian Americans as Americans — just seen as a perpetual foreigner.”

Zhenghao Lin is a youth leader with Coalition of Asian American Children and Families.

When he first moved to the United States, Zhenghao said he would make fun of himself in order to make others laugh and earn their acceptance, but sometimes in response his peers called him a “dumb Asian.” His freshman year of high school, some students in his gym class would block Zhenghao and his Asian friends from serving when they played volleyball. They were often cut in line at lunch, and once, a student barred Zhenghao from entering the boys locker room, saying, “Look at this Chinese n - - - -,” referring to a slur for Black people.

In the weeks before schools closed, Zhenghao and his friends were exiting the locker room when another student said, “Holy crap they all look the same.” He wasn’t sure if that was directed at his group, but “there were indeed a lot of Chinese-looking people out in the locker room,” Zhenghao said.

Zhenghao chose a fully remote schedule last school year in part because of virus concerns, but also because he continued to see anti-Asian posts on social media, such as Instagram. Those posts, coupled with the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in the spring, made him question his identity.

“I was very depressed because I was like, why did I have to be born as a Chinese person? Why can’t I be like someone else, like a Latinx American or a white American, because like, people would say things about me just because of something I didn’t choose, which was being Chinese,” he said.

Now faced with a full return to school next month for the first time since March 2020, Zhenghao doesn’t know what would ease his nerves, though he has sought out therapy. His fear of commuting has dampened as he’s taken more trains and buses to and from his downtown Brooklyn apartment — but he does recall a man on a train moving to a seat far away from Zhenghao and his mother as they walked in.

When videos circulated of Asian people getting beaten up on the subway, 17-year-old Jenny Liu’s parents became even more apprehensive about her leaving their apartment in Ocean Hill.

Jenny, who is Chinese American, didn’t realize it right away, but she noticed that she wouldn’t look at her phone or read a book while taking a train this summer to her research internship and volleyball practice. Jenny is often the only Asian person in her train car for nine to 10 stops. She hasn’t experienced any violence on public transit before, but she’s felt uncomfortable: Two separate times, a fellow passenger got up and moved away from her as she took a seat nearby.

Jenny Liu

Taking the subway this summer has helped to ease her nerves for the commute this fall to Stuyvesant High School in lower Manhattan. After learning remotely since March 2020, Jenny is looking forward to seeing her friends, playing volleyball, and having a more normal senior year.

“That familiarity with taking the train more — still wearing the mask, of course — is a good thing, and that’s preparing me going back to the school year,” Jenny said.

Dina Yang, a 17-year-old rising senior at School of the Future in Chinatown, was with a group of her Asian American friends at lunchtime right before schools closed last year, when a student walked past and said, “I hope you don’t have COVID,” while laughing. Just before masks were required on public transit, Dina was boarding a subway train when a woman standing near the door pulled her shirt over her face. Around February, a man pulled down his mask and yelled “China” at Dina and her mother as they walked through Koreatown.

Virus concerns kept Dina, who lives in the Bronx, learning exclusively from home last school year, but her family felt more confident in that decision when they saw reports of rising anti-Asian hate crimes in the spring. She typically travels about 50 minutes to school, and her family considered it a risk for her to travel on her own.

But like some of her peers, Dina is feeling more comfortable with the idea of commuting after using the train this summer to get to work about an hour away without incident, she said.

“I realized nothing really happened to me this summer,” she said. “But it’s still on my mind that it would be a possibility.”

Dina Yang

In a statement, education department spokesperson Nathaniel Styer said schools play a key role “in educating students about how the diversity of our differences makes us stronger,” and the department works with teachers and school safety officers “to make sure students are physically and emotionally safe during this time.”

In response to the spike in hate crimes, the school safety division identified schools with predominantly Asian American and Pacific Islander students and created “safe corridors,” where police presence is increased between transportation hubs, such as subway stops, and the school. Those will be in place beginning the first day of school.

On top of normal requirements for reporting bullying, the education department created an online portal where parents can file bullying complaints.

Sengupta, with CACF, said her organization wants more data on how many bilingual counselors exist in city schools and what languages they speak, noting that sometimes students feel most comfortable approaching someone for help when that person looks like them or speaks their native language. The education department is planning to hire a full-time social worker for every school building without one or without access to a school-based mental health clinic. But Sengupta wants schools to be more intentional about who they hire.

The organization also wants the education department to conduct targeted outreach to families that alerts them about signs of potential mental health problems so that they know when and where to go for help for their children. For many Asian American families, mental health support can be considered a “western solution, in some ways, to a western problem,” Sengupta said.

The end goal is to ensure that this year “every student, every family” has a “trusted adult in the school building” who they can talk to about things beyond academics, Sengupta said.

Dina, the student from School of the Future, said she often felt mentally drained by remote learning, but teachers never reached out to check on her. She felt that was because she gets good grades. Her advice to teachers: “Check in on your students, often.”

Amanda Chen, a rising senior at School of the Future and a classmate of Dina’s, experienced a rash of anti-Asian, coronavirus-related harassment at school right before the pandemic shuttered buildings. Chen, who lives in Chinatown, is more concerned about encountering racism in school than other public places, since she’s used the train often this summer, but she feels more comfortable knowing she has supportive adults at school.

“If the racism happens at school and it’s targeted against me, I would feel more comfortable reaching out to the authority, the principal or the teachers who I feel comfortable talking with,” Amanda said.

‘It just feels ‘one’ now:’ Inside Denver’s reunified West High School

2021-08-25T22:25:17+00:00

Principal Mia Martinez Lopez stood at the entrance of the gym Wednesday, her back against one side of a bright orange double door. As students streamed by, Martinez Lopez greeted them.

“Good morning, good morning, good to see you,” she said. “Make sure your mask is pulled up, okay? Hi, hi, good morning. We’re going to sit with our grade, okay?”

Martinez Lopez was welcoming students to the first pep rally of the school year — and the first ever pep rally of the reunified West High School. Ten years after the historic school was split into two smaller ones in an attempt to boost academic scores, the school is once again a single comprehensive high school with about 850 students spread over three stories. A new reunified middle school, West Middle School, shares the same building.

At this time last year, middle and high school students were learning from home, often seeing their peers only as boxes on a video call. This year, students from the two small schools — West Early College and West Leadership Academy — are starting the year in person, together.

“It’s better now that we aren’t fighting about which side is better,” said sophomore Gianna Morello, who previously attended West Early College. “We can all work as a team.”

The West High reunification represents an undoing of more than a decade of education reform efforts in Denver Public Schools. Some of those reforms, like breaking up large high schools that served communities of color, proved deeply unpopular.

At West, students advocated for reunification to quash what some saw as a rivalry between the two small schools and to resurrect a neighborhood hub with a proud history. West was founded in 1883, making it one of Denver’s oldest schools, and its current grand building dates back to 1924. Many students are the second or third generation in their family to attend.

West also has a history of activism. In 1969, Chicano students held marches against the racism and discrimination they experienced in the classroom in protests known as the West High “blowout.” Students from other high schools across the city joined in.

A similar high school reunification will happen next year in far northeast Denver, where Montbello High School was split into three smaller schools the year before West.

West High junior Nico Gomez-Lucero described the reunification as the breaking of an invisible barrier that divided students for a reason he never understood. Gomez-Lucero previously attended West Early College. But he’s thrilled that when he graduates next year, his diploma will say West High School, just like his mother’s diploma.

“Breaking that wall opens us to more leaders and opens us to more people who have ideas and have thoughts,” Gomez-Lucero said. “That builds our community and that builds our family.”

He and other students said they were nervous for the first day of school this week. Even though they’re attending school in the same building as always, they don’t know half of their classmates. The two small schools previously had separate classes, separate bell schedules, separate dress codes, and separate traditions. Students played on sports teams and held pep rallies and dances together, but they said a de facto division still existed.

Senior America Tinoco said that when she and her cousin joined cheerleading several years ago, they were the only girls from West Leadership Academy on the team.

“It was always on my mind, like, ‘Why are there two separate schools?’” Tinoco said.

Senior Erica Luzayadio, who went to West Early College, agreed.

“It felt like we were always cliqued up, even playing sports together,” Luzayadio said.

Both seniors are happy that West High is reunified, even if it makes the first week more awkward. In a sense, all 850 students at West are like freshmen in a new school.

“I like it,” Luzayadio said. The school, she said, “just feels ‘one’ now.”

Back in the gymnasium, teachers directed students to sit with their class: freshmen on one set of bleachers, sophomores on another, and so on. After the hype music died down, students watched informational videos, had a basketball free throw contest, and competed in a scavenger hunt. Then Assistant Principal Derek Pike took the microphone.

“You’ve heard all week about West High School making history this year,” he told the students. “We are the first school in all of Denver to unify as a campus and come together.

“Make some noise for making history this year!” he said.

And the students in the gym roared.

COVID safety tops Philly students’ concerns before return to school: ‘I’m a little nervous’

2021-08-23T21:36:48+00:00

Jemille Duncan, a senior at Philadelphia’s Multicultural Academy Charter School, will be glad to finally see his classmates when school starts next week, but he worries about the spread of COVID with so many students returning to in-person learning.

“The district is in a really hard predicament because they are facing a lot of backlash from parents, and even some students who want to go back in person. And for good reason, lots of people perform better in person and teachers teach better in person,” said Duncan, who heads advocacy and policy for the student-run UrbEd Advocates. “However, I just don’t think we are prepared.”

Duncan was among a group of student leaders from a variety of schools and organizations who met with Chalkbeat to discuss issues, including safety plans for the 200,000 district and charter students showing up for class next Tuesday. Student representatives from The Bullhorn, UrbEd Advocates, Philadelphia Student Union, and Philly Black Students Alliance participated in a roundtable discussion on Friday evening.

To prevent the spread of COVID, the district announced plans last week to rely on “multiple layers of safety,” including universal masking, weekly testing of all staff members, on-site testing of symptomatic students, air purifiers in classrooms and other spaces, and regular deep cleaning. Philadelphia’s Board of Education also plans to hold a special meeting Tuesday “to consider a resolution to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for employees and all contractors” who work in district facilities, as New York City did on Monday.

“We have more than 2,000 students, and we do not have enough space (for social distancing),” said Vincent So, a senior at Central High School. “We’re about to move this six-foot distance to three-foot distance between students, but even that’s not possible when our school is so small. I just don’t think it’s good enough what we are doing.”

When it’s difficult to maintain distance, as it is in Philadelphia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends “screening testing” — random testing of all students, not just those with symptoms, as a virus mitigation strategy in K-12 schools.

“Going to classes in the hallways, there’s plenty of students walking by and walking past you. And we’re all packed in the lunch lines like sardines, just to get some curly fries,’ said Kara Butler, a 12th-grader at Lankenau High School, who is the chief editor of The Bullhorn. “I don’t know about that. I’m a little nervous.”

The district created a remote option for families who still felt uneasy about in-person learning. The deadline to apply through the Philadelphia Virtual Academy has passed. It has been reported that the number of students registered for the remote option is 2,600. None of the students who participated in the roundtable enrolled to stay in virtual learning.

Ellie Zdancewic, a junior at Masterman High School and a member of UrbEd, said she’s torn about returning. “Going back to school will be my biggest risk throughout the entire pandemic, because in the beginning when we were at home, I wasn’t going anywhere. And then mask wearings became prevalent, and then I got vaccinated, and so I felt safer. But then the delta variant hit and now I’m going to school with many other people — it’s uncharted waters for me.”

Sophia Roach, a senior at the Creative and Performing Arts High School, said with virtual learning students could control their exposure to the virus. “But now in person we can’t control if we’re exposed to someone who maybe had a really large party and got COVID and we wouldn’t know until after the fact.”

Another safety concern for school officials is protecting students from the gun violence that has occurred in Philadelphia this year. City officials laid out a series of steps with the district’s safety department to ensure students get to and from school safely after a summer of gun violence. Philadelphia police said last week that 137 victims under the age of 18 have been injured in gun violence this year. Thirty-two of those were homicides.

“It is the district’s problem because the sad reality is, every time I turn on the news, it’s a teenager being shot and teenagers go to school,” said Nevaeh Sullivan, a freshman at Central High School. “If there were more counselors, better administrative teams, better programs for these teenagers to look forward to. I feel as though there would be less killings.”

Last year, student leaders called on their representatives on the city’s school board to have the right to vote on policies affecting them, such as safety procedures. That effort fell flat due to a need for a ballot initiative to change the city charter and changing the state school code that requires board members to be at least 18 years old.

The students said the push to give students a vote on the school board should continue.

“When you put the students on the board, but you don’t give them any sort of real power, it’s tokenism,” Butler said. “Why don’t they have a voice? The decisions you’re making are affecting them directly. So why not hear what they have to say about those decisions?”

Despite their uneasiness with COVID safety, the students who participated in the roundtable were unanimous in the sentiment that what they most look forward to as they return to in-person learning is interacting with classmates they haven’t seen in more than a year.

“I am looking forward to seeing everyone again, because I honestly forgot what most of my classmates actually look like,” said Abir Alikerar, a junior at the Academy of Palumbo and secretary for the Philly Black Students Alliance. “But I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to handle my time management after virtual learning.”

For these students, pandemic pain gave rise to activism. Here’s what they say should happen now.

2021-06-28T15:54:33+00:00

Leer en español.

Dashawn Sheffield, a rising junior in Newark, has a soundtrack for the tough pandemic months he has weathered. It’s Mariah Carey.

“Music has always helped me get past my biggest milestones,” Dashawn said. “Funerals, stress, I turn on Mariah. She’s been through a lot in her personal and professional life — she rose above it and went on to accomplish great things.”

In fact, Dashawn was listening to the Mariah Carey song “There’s Got to Be a Way” when he came up with his idea to launch a new student wellness council at his school, North Star Academy Washington Park High School.

He saw the need for more mental health support for his friends after a year of such loss. His neighborhood - like many Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Newark — was hit especially hard. By this June, nearly 360 out of every 100,000 Newark residents had died from COVID — twice the national average.

Dashawn said he has attended around 19 funerals just in the last year alone.

“It was just so sad, I’d see these people and help them bring in their groceries, ‘’ he said. “Next thing, I’d see an ambulance and their obituaries.”

Dashawn’s story is reminiscent of so many sent to Chalkbeat as part of a project called Pandemic 360, produced in partnership with Univision 41. He was one of more than 275 educators, parents, and students who wrote into Chalkbeat when we asked our readers in New York City and Newark to tell us how the pandemic impacted their schools and neighborhoods.

This series has focused deeply on communities in Newark and New York that managed to shepherd students through challenges big and small — from spotty Wi-Fi to the death of parents. Now, we turn to two students, Dashawn and William Diep — a graduating senior from New York — to tell us how they raised their voices during the pandemic, and why school leaders would be wise to listen to young people during the COVID recovery.

Dashawn Sheffield: We started a student wellness council. Here’s how it has changed the conversation around mental health.

Rising 11th-grader at North Star Academy Washington Park High School in Newark, N.J.

When the pandemic hit, I transitioned from in-person to virtual learning like countless students throughout the nation. We all went from our routines to being inside, staring at computers for eight or nine hours.

Dashawn Sheffield (middle) poses for a selfie with two of his friends.

My friends and I felt disconnected, and to help alleviate some of the stress, we started talking and helping each other with homework and life. While I felt like I was navigating virtual classes OK, I realized many of my friends were not. Some of us felt depressed and isolated; others struggled to manage ADHD.

I wanted to know more about how my peers outside of my friend group were doing. I sent around a survey, and heard from about 40 people in each grade. I heard again and again about stress, the hard workloads, the fear. I felt like we were all going through the same struggles but we were keeping it bottled up inside.

This is what activated my ambition and drive. I wasn’t really active in my school in student life before the pandemic. After COVID, I wanted to be a student leader. Last summer, I went to my school leaders and proposed the idea of a student wellness council. I wanted students to have a space to process with one another, and for us and teachers to get more training and advice on mental wellbeing.

Our school ended up really listening to us on this. At first I was worried it was all just performative. But in the fall, our school offered a new class on mental health and wellness and our council went into effect.

We now have a student-led space to educate parents, staff, and students on the importance of mental health — increasing awareness around struggles and helping us build resilience. This next school year, we plan on having mental wellness days, one day out of every month geared toward mental health.

I currently live with my godmother — a lot of people around us have passed away sadly. We feel angry and fatigued — and we’re not alone.

Strong education systems are essential to the recovery of students. A school should be at the center of the community and form deep partnerships with the people and businesses of the neighborhood. And every school should work with students to launch a student wellness council.

William Diep: During COVID, students raised their voices. That can’t stop now.

Graduating senior from The Brooklyn Latin School in Brooklyn, N.Y. Incoming freshman at Columbia College.

William Diep is a graduating senior from The Brooklyn Latin School.

I remember the first day of my senior year — I had biology and chemistry virtual classes. I was navigating Zoom and the classwork, and feeling totally stressed. I had to do so much on my own — emailing teachers questions that I couldn’t ask in real time and trying to figure out how to write a college essay.

My family tried to be so careful, but my dad still works in the construction industry. We got COVID in the spring in quick succession — my parents and then me. It was a very hard time. I thought about the teacher my school had lost to COVID early in the pandemic. That was such an emotional time for all of us, and here I was with the same illness. Thankfully, my family recovered.

While navigating the pandemic, so many of my friends and fellow Asian Americans are also being attacked. One of my friends was verbally attacked while getting senior photos taken. Our school has an Asian American affinity space that I led this last year. We were able to create and host forums and spaces to talk about how COVID was exacerbating Asian American racism.

And COVID exacerbates so many inequities: Technology disparities, who has Wi-Fi at home, mental health disparities and access to getting healthcare, economic disparities and job loss, vaccine-distribution disparities in Black and brown communities. Where do schools possibly go in the face of all of this? How can we move forward after a year of such hardship?

During this pandemic, there were opportunities like never before for students to raise their voices. Suddenly, people in power were asking us how we were doing and what we needed to succeed. This should have been happening before, but it can’t stop now.

Instead of students reaching out to teachers, teachers reached out to students during the pandemic with suggestion boxes and anonymous feedback forms. They used our feedback in tangible ways. For example: After a survey on wellness, the school created a mentorship program between upperclassmen and underclassmen. They started organizing equity events around race and justice, because we asked for it.

We said that the deadline to submit assignments — which used to be 10 p.m. — should be extended to accommodate students working evening jobs. Someone started a petition to change this, and the school listened. That’s the power of student voice.

Beyond the pandemic, I hope this trend of listening to students and taking our suggestions seriously continues and spreads to every school. There are so many mistakes in our education system, and adult decisions impact students the most. We should be given the most voice.

UrbEd Advocates, Philadelphia student-led education advocacy group, to name new executive directors

2021-06-24T20:56:11+00:00

Brandon Archer, a recent graduate of Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration High School, is going to be one of the new co-executive directors of UrbEd Advocates, a student-led education advocacy group in Philadelphia.

Archer also will be attending Swarthmore College as a McCabe Scholar in the fall. The nonprofit organization plans to launch a public search for the other co-executive director, who will be in charge of advocacy and programs. That position will be held by a Philadelphia high school student.

UrbEd plans to formally announce its new leadership Friday. Tamir Harper, who co-founded the nonprofit organization in 2016, is stepping down as executive director. A student at American University in Washington D.C. and a 2018 graduate of Science Leadership Academy, Harper will transition into a leadership role as an advisor for the organization and will support other youth organizations across the country.

“Being Co-Ed brings my commitment to ensuring our team and programming is truly representative of the city,” Archer told Chalkbeat Thursday. “We are making sure our team consists of students from all schools, especially neighborhood schools. To be in advocacy is often a privilege and to be able to give the opportunity to students to do it and be compensated for their work is crucial. I am excited to bring my background in community leadership and racial organizing, to increase our funding opportunities and have UrbEd programs change how we think about youth-led movements.”

Under Harper’s leadership, the organization advocated for more power for the two student representatives sitting on Philadelphia’s Board of Education, arguing the student reps should be voting members. They argued students are denied a voice in the decision-making process despite being the ones most affected by the board’s decisions.

The students also wanted to create a 15-member student committee from diverse schools across the district to support and inform the two student representatives. They also expressed concern about getting information about action items in advance of board meetings and ensuring a smooth transition when student representatives change each school year.

Getting the vote for student reps on the board would require a ballot initiative to change the city charter, which states students are non-voting representatives. Such a move also would require a change to the state school code, which currently requires board members to be at least 18 years old. That would require legislative approval.

Though the students received a groundswell of support from teachers, community organizers, and local politicians, the demands fell flat with the two outgoing student representatives.

Keylisha Diaz, a junior at Philadelphia Military Academy, and Toluwanimi Olaleye, a junior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science, said they would prefer to focus on their goal of getting resources for mental health services for students during the pandemic.

Thursday the school board installed two new student representatives Rebecca Allen and Armando Ortez for the 2021-2022 school year. Allen, is a rising junior at Central High School and Ortez, is a rising senior at Northeast High School.

In March, UrbEd joined the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools in a suit against the school board, arguing its speaker policy limiting public comments at meetings, violates Pennsylvania law. Local ACLU lawyers filed the suit in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of the two groups. Members of the organization were also critical of the district’s reopening plans.

Prior to joining UrbEd, Archer served as a founding chair member of the Philly Black Students Alliance. In his new role as co-executive director he will oversee administration and strategy.

“We are excited for the energy and experience Brandon will bring to the lead role and look forward to supporting him as UrbEd expands its impact in urban schools,” said Sterling Grimes, board chair.

‘Our generation is bold’: Students reflect on a pandemic year, interviewing Sec. Cardona

2021-06-22T20:30:00+00:00

After a year upended by the pandemic, six high school graduates from around the U.S. spoke to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona about their hopes for the future of education.

In a virtual event with The Education Trust and Chalkbeat that will stream on June 24, the students told Cardona about policy issues facing their schools and offered him advice of their own. On their minds were issues like the digital divide, the challenges facing undocumented students, and gun violence.

From Brownsville, Tennessee, to the Bronx in New York City, they offered Cardona a window into their lives as students — and challenged him about the ways schools have fallen short in their communities.

“Each student that was on the panel was from a different background,” said 17-year-old Chinaya Mason. “You never realize how much you can connect from a simple Zoom call. But us working together on Zoom calls and speaking to the secretary, that is a way to create change in a positive way.”

Chalkbeat spoke to each student about how they navigated their senior year, their plans for the future, and what they wanted the education secretary to take away from their conversation. Here’s what they told us.

Trey Cunningham

Haywood High School, Brownsville, Tennessee

Trey Cunningham, a recent graduate of Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tenn.

Growing up in rural Tennessee, 18-year-old Trey Cunningham was always aware that the big school district in nearby Memphis offered students things he couldn’t get in Haywood County. It served as a real-world lesson in inequity in education.

“Just now, because of the pandemic and the COVID relief money, we were able to provide students in the Haywood County School District with Chromebooks,” he said. “That was the first time that’s ever happened, where every student had access to a computer.”

Today, most students at Haywood High School are Black, but that wasn’t always the case. It was originally built for white students only. “There’s a lot of history here when it comes to race and education,” Cunningham said.

In high school, Cunningham was involved in student government and the NAACP, where he got a taste for working in policy and advocacy. He moderated the event with Cardona, which he sees as a chance for students to engage directly with people in power. “In education, students are the main stakeholders,” he said.

He hopes to use some of these skills in his future, too. In the fall, he’ll attend Tennessee State University and double major in health care administration and public health.

Kenneth Usoh

Science Skills Center High School, Brooklyn, New York

Kenneth Usoh, a graduating senior at Science Skills Center High School in New York City.

Early in the school year, Kenneth Usoh developed strategies to keep up with his school work while learning remotely. He worked on assignments during his lunch break and he read all the materials uploaded to Google Classroom to make sure he was prepared for tests.

But not all of his classmates were able to keep up with the demands of virtual school amid the stress of the pandemic.

“In New York, we have a grading system where if you’re not able to complete all the required assignments and pass with a 65 or higher, you receive an NX grade,” Usoh explained. “If the NX grade is still in your transcript, you’re not able to move onto the next grade or graduate. I noticed a lot of people have been getting those grades recently.”

Usoh has been tutoring some of his classmates to try to help them pass before graduation on June 24. But he’s noticed that the NX grades are not so much a reflection of the students, but rather their circumstances. “It’s not just my school,” he said. “It’s an entire New York City problem.”

This year brought other challenges. Usoh had a particularly hard time applying for college. He spent hours late at night trying to figure out different application and financial aid systems. His parents and guidance counselors helped him a lot, he said, but it would have been easier to work with the counselors in person.

Next year, Usoh will attend the seven-year Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program at the CUNY School of Medicine where he’ll pursue a bachelor’s degree and an MD. He hopes to eventually become a neurosurgeon.

“What makes me optimistic is the fact that we were able to rebound off this pandemic and still be pushing through,” Usoh said. “I believe that this generation is a very resilient one.”

Elizabeth Jaramillo and Joaquin Martinez

Western International High School, Detroit, Michigan

(Left to right) Elizabeth Jaramillo and Joaquin Martinez, recent graduates of Western International High School in Detroit, Mich.

Elizabeth Jaramillo and Joaquin Martinez say they are lucky to have had opportunities that many of their peers didn’t. Both recent graduates of Western International High School in Detroit, Michigan enrolled in college support programs to help them navigate the application process and transition to college.

This fall, Jaramillo will attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Martinez will go to Kalamazoo College. They feel ready, but Martinez said that’s not the case for all of his graduating class.

“Unfortunately, not all of my classmates were able to receive these same opportunities,” Martinez said. “Without any experience or help, they are expected to navigate their way into the college system.”

Jaramillo agrees, and the experiences of her undocumented classmates have hit particularly hard.

“As we’ve gotten closer to the college process, a lot of students feared they wouldn’t be able to continue going to school,” she said. “It made me realize how privileged I am to not have that issue in my personal life, but it also brought to my attention how much these students struggle.”

In 2019, the superintendent of Detroit’s public schools declared the district a “sanctuary district,” meaning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials cannot access schools without a warrant. The step is one Jaramillo would like to see everywhere.

“We are becoming less and less afraid to speak up about the issues that affect us — not only us, but also the communities around us,” Jaramillo said. “We know that our voices are empowering and we can use them for good.”

Chinaya Mason

Austin East Magnet High School, Knoxville, Tennessee

Chinaya Mason, a recent graduate of Austin East Magnet High School in Knoxville, Tenn.

Chinaya Mason, a recent graduate of Austin East Magnet High School in Knoxville, said her school was like one big family. Like many families, they faced a lot of challenges together this year.

During the pandemic, Mason and her peers were in and out of the classroom, learning from home for a few weeks or a month at a time when COVID cases spiked. But even when they were together, they weren’t allowed to be as close as they used to be.

“We went from all being in the lunchroom talking to each other to eating in our classrooms where we would be like 10 feet apart,” Mason said. “You could only take down your mask for like 10 minutes and then mask right back up, for eight hours a day.”

The school also struggled with an even more heart-wrenching crisis. In the second semester, they lost five students to gun violence. Suddenly, Mason found herself unable to socialize much outside of the classroom, either.

“We have cookouts here and block parties,” Mason said. “That’s the way teenagers hang out. We went from having that to where your mom and your dad are like, ‘you’re not going here, you’re not going there’ because you never know who’s thinking what and who’s near you. Bullets don’t have eyes.”

Looking to her future, Mason thinks she might want to work in politics or be a civil rights attorney. She’s always been outspoken, she said, and she’s inspired by her work with the Education Trust and the National Achievers Society. Next year, she’ll attend Spelman College where she plans to study political science.

“Our generation is bold,” Mason said. “I think the fact that we use our voices in a million different ways, I think that’s going to be a good thing for the future.”

Zadane Russell

Academy for Scholarship and Entrepreneurship, Bronx, New York

Zadane Russell, a graduating senior from the Academy for Scholarship and Entrepreneurship in the Bronx, N.Y.

As he gets ready to graduate from the Academy for Scholarship and Entrepreneurship in the Bronx, 17-year-old Zadane Russell is still deciding where he’ll go to college and what exactly he’ll study. But he knows that, one way or another, he wants to help people succeed.

Growing up in Jamaica, Russell said he saw that financial illiteracy was a big problem holding people back. “It’s hard to see people suffering and thinking, I could really help them if only they were taught how to save or where they should go banking or even how to do the stock exchange or how to handle loans,” Russell said.

Russell has taken a few classes on finance in high school, but he took these classes virtually and missed out on face-to-face interaction with his teachers. He believes young people need to know more about finance as they begin their adult lives, especially as they navigate paying for college and try to avoid crippling student loans.

Despite the challenges of this last year, Russell feels optimistic about the future. He sees his generation as one that’s innovative and driven to succeed. But he hopes his peers remember to look to previous generations and learn from them, too.

Otherwise, he said, “It would be like going out blindly, without the help of someone whose eyes are already open to what they’ve seen before.”

Reopening plans, antiracism, and mental health: Philadelphia students discuss education issues with superintendent

2021-06-10T21:36:12+00:00

As high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nia Weeks, Kara Butler, Kaitlyn Rodriguez, and Shamir Britt-Holmes had to acclimate to virtual learning like all of their peers. But as student journalists during the historic school year, they also chronicled the struggles of their classmates, teachers, and administrators — many of whom they’ve never met in person.

At a Chalkbeat Philadelphia virtual event Wednesday night, the students turned their questions to Superintendent William Hite. They asked about a variety of topics, including summer learning, vaccine requirements, antiracism and equity initiatives, and ongoing issues with building conditions throughout the district.

With Friday marking the end of a landmark school year, Hite reflected on 15 months of uncertainty caused by the pandemic and discussed plans for the next academic year.

Listen to their in-depth discussion here or view below.

Here’s a recap of Hite’s remarks:

Vaccines and Personal Protective Equipment

District officials announced three weeks ago that they’re planning full-time in-person learning in the fall for all students who choose that option. (The district will also offer an all virtual option). Hite said Wednesday night that, currently, vaccines are not required for teachers or students because the district cannot compel individuals to get a vaccine approved specifically for emergency use.

“We don’t have any information yet that that is likely to change” by the fall, Hite said.

The district will still require all students and staff to be tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis until the “vast majority” of students and school personnel are vaccinated, Hite said Wednesday.

Teaching staff will also have a substantial number of masks available at each school in the fall and when summer school starts June 28, Hite added. Masks will be required in Philadelphia schools until the CDC loosens its guidelines.

Summer Learning

The district has introduced an especially robust summer learning program this year to provide enrichment to K-12 students who fell behind during the pandemic. There will be two main options: a fifth marking period for students who either didn’t pass at least one quarter or failed to meet graduation requirements, and a variety of targeted enrichment programs.

Areas of study this summer will range from foreign language to math to special programs for students with disabilities, Hite said.

Based on grades, 14,000 students are eligible for the fifth grading period, and Hite expects up to 20,000 students to enroll in the district’s summer enrichment programs — four times the enrollment of previous years.

Still, he said, “we’re not gonna make up for the time that we lost over the last year and a half over the summer or even over a year.” The district plans to use coronavirus relief money from the federal government to “recover some of the lost and interrupted learning” from the pandemic over the next three years. That money will cover before- and after-school care, and various other enrichment programs.

Antiracism

The district has introduced a number of equity-focused initiatives after the police killings of Walter Wallace and George Floyd, which Hite said “brought to light work that we need to do more broadly in the district to ensure that we were not operating as a racist institution.”

The district created an equity coalition in September to examine district policies, ensure that the district has appropriate data to evaluate those policies, and communicate findings and policy changes to the public.

The district also introduced eight equity fellows, four of whom are students, to work with officials to ensure that all of their policy prescriptions are antiracist.

Ventilation and building conditions

The district has made significant investments in facilities upgrades since school buildings emptied last March due to COVID-19, Hite said.

Throughout the past 15 months, district contractors have removed 250,000 feet of asbestos and remediated other hazards, including lead paint and mold. Moving forward, Hite said, every classroom will be measured for ventilation to ensure that appropriate air quality standards are met.

The district plans to spend $325 million of its $1.3 billion in federal coronavirus relief money on facilities work, and Hite said the district will release information about those remediation efforts to the public.

“One of the things we’re trying to do is make sure that we make public information that’s helpful to the public,” Hite said.

Mental Health

Between losing loved ones and being isolated from their friends, many students have struggled with their mental health since the pandemic began last March.

“I’ve had so many mental highs and mental lows even to the point of breaking down,” Rodriguez said.

The district has introduced a number of behavioral and mental health interventions. Starting this year, Hite said the district is taking an approach to student mental health called “healing together,” where students have gotten the chance to talk about their emotions and feelings of isolation.

That approach extends to teachers as well.

“Educators were also experiencing trauma,” Hite said. “Some severely missed young people.”

From sandbox to graduation stage, the story of two Philadelphia friends and the impact of a neighborhood school

2021-06-08T22:20:53+00:00

Sameera Sullivan and Elaina Hunter first met in kindergarten at Richard Wright Elementary in the heart of North Philadelphia.

When they were little, Elaina would go over to Sameera’s house — and Sameera would spend time at Elaina’s, Sameera’s mom, Ameera Sullivan, recalled. They played games, read books, did whatever kids do.

As they got older, their educational paths diverged. Sameera lived for a time in Cheltenham. Elaina went to AMY Northwest for middle school. But both families remained anchored in Strawberry Mansion, one of the city’s poorest and most crime-plagued areas. As they got older, the neighborhood was steadily losing residents and Strawberry Mansion High School, once a sports powerhouse, saw a plunge in enrollment. In 2018, the school district announced a plan to phase out the school and use the building for specialized programs instead. It did not accept any new freshmen that year.

But the neighborhood fought back, the district reconsidered, and the school stayed open.

Sameera and Elaina are glad it did. They will graduate Wednesday from Mansion, with both ranked among the top five students in what was supposed to be the final graduating class. (Due to weather, Mansion’s graduation has been moved indoors.) They not only earned a diploma, but college credits through the Advanced Senior Year program, one of five dual enrollment opportunities the district offers.

Both plan to study nursing, Sameera at Lincoln University and Elaina at Marywood, a Catholic liberal arts institution in Scranton.

“People think because the neighborhood is bad, the school is bad,” said Sameera. “But in the school, you get the vibe of immediate welcome. It’s more than just a school, it’s a family.”

If it wasn’t for Mansion, Sameera said, she wouldn’t have the opportunity for dual enrollment. The ASY program accepts 40 students from across the district to spend their last year in high school taking courses at Community College of Philadelphia. Sameera and Elaina are the first two students from Mansion to participate.

Sameera had an unorthodox high school journey, leaving two selective institutions for a struggling neighborhood school. She started at Girls’ High, but when the longtime principal left at the end of her sophomore year, she transferred to Science Leadership Academy at Beeber. But SLA Beeber “wasn’t a fit,” she said, and in the middle of junior year, she enrolled in Mansion, where she knew she could qualify for the ASY program.

Barely a month later, “COVID happened,” she said. She found working from home frustrating. The work was “harder, and it kept me on my toes.” She took psychology, biology, two English courses, and one juvenile justice class.

“One thing I didn’t expect was COVID,” said Sameera, who turns 18 this month. “It came out of nowhere. But I’m glad it happened. This is the most confident and independent I’ve ever been in life. I had time to find myself and grow as a person.”

Elaina had a more traditional journey, attending Mansion for all four years. The family roots ran deep: Her two brothers had gone there and her mom urged her to follow their path.

She did not regret her choice.

“People automatically assume it’s a bad school, with students not learning and always fighting,” she said. “It’s nothing like that at all.” Instead, it is nurturing, with opportunities such as ASY.

“Me, I wanted to make my mother proud,” Elaina said. “I wanted to stand out.”

Elaina was a freshman when the district announced Mansion would close. At first, classmates thought it would be cool to be part of its last graduating class.

Now, she said, she realizes that impulse “was ignorant. I wish we never said those things. Mansion is home to a lot of people.”

Like Sameera, she said that doing her senior year at CCP was good preparation for college. “I had to get used to asking people I don’t know for help,” she said. “Nobody babies you.”

Elaina, 18, took classes in anatomy and physiology, statistics, nutrition, and history. “Even though I passed, I may take some of them again,” she said. “I need in-person teaching.”

Both Sameera and Elaina worked full-time while studying at CCP, Sameera as a cashier in a Center City Rite Aid and Elaina at the Homesense store in Radnor.

The experiences of the two girls and their success shows the value of a quality neighborhood school for motivated students, said Mansion principal Brian McCracken.

“This class is really important to me, it’s the class I came to Strawberry Mansion with,” said McCracken, who was assistant principal during the closure scare. Since being put in charge, he has led a transformation effort. He brought in Advanced Placement courses and made sure that all classes were rigorous. With a rebuilt staff, he changed the teaching culture, recruiting people who “circle around children and push them to success as if they were their own.”

Most significantly, he created new career track pathways in Media Arts, Music and Management that are now shoring up neighborhood enrollment and even attracting outside students. The incoming freshman class of more than 70 comes from 21 middle schools across the city.

The music program focuses on production and sound engineering. The management program is in hospitality, and includes a culinary track. Media includes visual art, graphic design, and photography.

“School should meet student interests and provide opportunities for post-secondary success,” he said. And, “it should be fun.”

He started regular school-wide town halls — in person before the pandemic and virtually afterward — at which students show off their writing, their art, their culinary creations.

The ethos is a combination of care and rigor. “I don’t want to see children fail, but I want them to know their diploma is earned,” he said. “I want them to know they’re capable and teachers see and nurture their capability and skill sets.”

The school’s small size — 30 members of the instructional staff, including 21 teachers, and fewer than 300 students — has been turned into an advantage. “They can’t hide,” McCracken said. “Even in the virtual environment, if a student is disengaged, we show up at their house.”

Ameera Sullivan

Ameera Sullivan, Sameera’s mother, is also the counselor at the school and a graduate of Mansion herself, class of 2006.

Her life story is deeply tied to the high school. She was a ninth grader there when she became pregnant with Sameera. Securing her daughter’s future “changed everything I wanted to do,” she said. “I finished ninth grade with no hiccups” and graduated on time. She enrolled in Penn State and received her BA from Temple.

Sullivan earned a degree in counseling from Eastern University the same year that the school district laid off all its counselors in an austerity move. So she pivoted again and started her own nonprofit to help students with college and career readiness. When the district started bringing counselors back, she was hired at her alma mater.

She knows intimately the struggles of neighborhood students and viscerally understood the need to keep the school open. She knew that many would simply give up on attending, not wanting to cross dangerous territory to attend a rival like Ben Franklin or Gratz. She wanted to be a role model to demonstrate the upside of academic success.

When Sullivan attended the school, it was much bigger – there were 289 students in her graduating class. “That’s the whole enrollment now,” she said. “The entire school would go to basketball games.” As recently as 2010, the Mansion boys basketball team went to the finals in the state championships.

Now, however, there are fewer sports programs and many students — who often have to work or take care of siblings — could not invest the time after school in any case, Sullivan said.

Still, the school’s basketball team during this difficult year won its division in the Public League, and several members of its track team placed in citywide meets. Because their numbers are so small, Mansion fields teams jointly with nearby Vaux High School. But the basketball team is still made up almost entirely of Mansion students.

One reason McCracken and Sullivan wanted to bring the Advanced Senior Year program to the school is to help the students feel good about academic success.

For too long, Sullivan said, Mansion students bought into the perception that they could not succeed. “When they are doing well in school, they don’t want people to know,” she said. “It makes them different, and they don’t like to stand out. It puts eyes on them.”

Sullivan worked to change that, saying “I wanted to make students feel comfortable being successful.”

McCracken was on the same page, and he says the school redesign has had a major impact. Now, 47 students will graduate on Wednesday and, the principal said, “there’s definitely a level of pride in academic achievement.”

Sameera and Elaina are prime examples.

Sameera, he said, “is really, really smart, and she always had a goal in mind.” Elaina, whom he has known since she was in ninth grade, has “always stood out as a leader. Every opportunity she encountered, she took advantage of it. It’s been a joy to see her blossom like she has.”

They are gifted students who prioritized family ties, community roots, and loyalty to an important institution, McCracken said.

“A neighborhood high school worked for them.”

Students to lead discussion with Philadelphia superintendent on issues facing the district

2021-06-04T14:29:03+00:00

Aden Gonzales, a graduating senior from Julia R. Masterman High School has experienced a school year like no other.

As the first president of Philadelphia’s official student newspaper, The Bullhorn, Gonzales led a team of student journalists this year through the uncertainty and upheaval of a pandemic. The Bullhorn staff has covered everything from community food trucks to calls for increased student representation on the Board of Education.

Gonzales will join four district students on June 9 in a conversation with Superintendent William Hite on some of the most important education issues facing the School District of Philadelphia. The discussion will center around the district’s plan to spend nearly $1.3 billion in federal coronavirus relief money, what summer learning will look like, and what to expect for the fall semester as schools plan to bring back all students for in-person learning.

“This conversation with Dr. Hite is beneficial to students because it humanizes the leaders of our school district and makes them feel more accessible and approachable,” Gonzales said. “In order for us as students to organize around the problems we face, it’s important that we understand the systems of power and how they work.”

The group of students interviewing Hite will include: Nia Weeks, outgoing Bullhorn chief editor, and graduating senior from Masterman; Kara Butler, incoming chief editor for the Bullhorn, who attends Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School; Kaitlyn Rodriguez, the incoming president of The Bullhorn, who attends Creative and Performing Arts High School; and Shamir Britt-Holmes, a junior at Martin Luther King High School.

“Events like these are important because they establish a line of communication between students and the district so that the district can continue serving students the best way possible,” Weeks said.

The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. June 9. It is free to attend, but there will be an option to donate to support Chalkbeat’s efforts to cover public education in Philadelphia.

The event will also feature a brief discussion between Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s Bureau Chief Johann Calhoun and Senior Writer Dale Mezzacappa on education happenings, and a word from Paul Socolar, founder and longtime editor of The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

“My heart goes out to all of the students in Philly for withstanding so much during this year of virtual learning,” Calhoun said. “I’m honored and proud of Chalkbeat Philadelphia in partnering with The Bullhorn for this event. What a great opportunity for these students to sit down with Dr. Hite and learn first hand for their classmates on what to expect in the new school year.”

‘Tired of being shut out:’ Denver students advocate for a student bill of rights

2021-05-17T22:36:46+00:00

High-speed internet access. Advanced courses. Diverse teachers. The right to vote on school district decisions, including which curriculum to use. The abolition of letter grades. Comprehensive sex education classes. Gardens at every school.

Those are some of the demands included in a “student bill of rights” penned by a group of Denver Public Schools students and recently presented to district leaders. The students hope the district will adopt the document, distribute it widely — and live up to it.

“Student voice is not valued as much as it should be,” Sonali Blair, a senior at South High School, told the Denver school board. “Students are always viewed as children, immature. Yet it is evident there are many students who would be more than willing to take on the responsibility of leading side by side with faculty and leaders in the district.”

Many of the students who helped craft the bill of rights are already involved in district-sponsored leadership programs. But they said that while Denver Public Schools claims to listen to students, district leaders too often stop short of putting students’ ideas into action. The goal of the bill of rights is to codify in writing what students say is sometimes just lip service.

“There was nothing formally on paper,” Sarah Blake, a junior at Denver School of the Arts, said in an interview. “Having an accessible document that people know exists, that people can reference, that people can bring up conversations is vital to maintaining equity in the district.”

Carrie Olson, president of the Denver school board and a former Denver high school teacher, said in a statement that the board is “highly impressed” with the bill of rights. She stopped short of committing to adopt it, saying the board is eager to discuss “how to move forward.”

“We are committed to elevating student voices across Denver Public Schools, and we value their leadership in sharing how we can improve our policies,” she said. “There is nothing more important than hearing from and working with our students.”

The idea for a student bill of rights came from adults. Steve Finesilver, a teacher and sports coach in Denver Public Schools for 42 years and a graduate of the district himself, started an advocacy group last summer called the Denver Youth Initiative. It aims to improve conditions for children in the city. Several of its initiatives are related to education, including the drafting of a teacher bill of rights, a parent bill of rights, and a student bill of rights.

Finesilver recruited West Early College high school teacher Daniel Walter to convene a group of students to work on it. Walter is involved with the district’s student leadership initiatives, and he sent out a survey to see who would be interested. About 25 students got involved, he said, meeting virtually every Monday after school starting in February.

The students settled on seven categories that they’d like to see the district improve: culture, equity, accountability, student voice, due process, curriculum, and health.

At last month’s school board meeting, they spent an hour telling the board members why. Their testimony was remarkably different from the three-minute speeches that usually fill public comment. Several students recited original poems. One sang.

“I’m tired of being shut out / Tired of being shut down / You will hear us now / Listen to our sound / We’ve tried to talk it out / Let you understand / But now we must demand,” sang Perla Estrada, a graduate of Denver Justice High School.

Among the bullet-pointed demands in the student bill of rights is that students are entitled to teachers who are representative of the demographics of the district, in which 52% of students are Hispanic and 14% of students are Black but most teachers are white. Another is that all students have the right to take Advanced Placement, honors, and college-level courses.

Jasmine Postell, a junior at George Washington High School, told the board she is often the only person of color in her classes. She said she feels lonely and isolated — feelings that intensify when her classmates ignore her or her teachers don’t advocate for her.

“As an African American woman, every day I have to prove myself,” Postell said. “I have to prove myself to be just as smart and just as capable as my white peers.

“When they take one step, I have to take 20 more.”

The students’ public advocacy led to at least one step toward change already. Rose Barcklow, the comprehensive health education supervisor for Denver Public Schools, heard the students’ demand for mandatory medically accurate health education courses that teach about consent and are inclusive of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

“I saw those students perform and they were amazing; the bravery of singing and saying poems,” Barcklow said. “I had not heard of the work they were doing. Literally as the last one was presenting, I was emailing the teacher: ‘How can I get involved?’”

Barcklow has invited the students to give input on work already underway to design a new robust health curriculum for Denver Public Schools, where sex education is not mandatory.

“The students of Denver Public Schools have a vision,” Joanie Kinsella, a sophomore at Denver School of the Arts, told the school board. “We envision DPS as a school district that will revolutionize the educational system. … Our students’ bill of rights is a major step toward opening the voice of students in education.”

What Newark students need now: A student-led event to plan for pandemic recovery

2021-05-07T14:15:21+00:00

Over the past year, Newark’s high school students have watched their worlds turn upside down.

School buildings shut down for 13 months, and classes moved online. Art and athletic pursuits were put on hold, and socializing was confined to social media. Many teenagers spent the school day looking after younger siblings or earning paychecks to help support their families.

Now, as classrooms slowly come back to life and planning gets underway for the summer and next school year, it’s critical that we take stock of the past year and contemplate what should happen next. And the people best equipped to do that are students.

On May 19, Chalkbeat will co-host a virtual event on Zoom where Newark high school students will come together to discuss the pandemic recovery.

First, students will split into groups to discuss four key issues: mental health, academic recovery, college readiness, and student advocacy. Each group will come up with specific recommendations that can help guide decision-makers as they plan for the months and years ahead.

Immediately after the planning session, students will present their ideas to the public. All community members are invited to attend.

Please join us and help spread the word to Newark high schoolers. RSVP here to attend.

This event is hosted by Chalkbeat Newark, The Newark News and Story Collaborative at WBGO, and Free Press.

Experiencing racism as a child was traumatic, but these young voices are helping me heal

2021-04-29T16:28:42+00:00

A note from Chalkbeat’s editor in chief: I’d like to give special thanks to the young people who found the courage to share their thoughts with Chalkbeat during this historic time of racial reckoning in America. Your experiences and viewpoints — published here on Chalkbeat — are so important. Please know that Chalkbeat will continue to provide a forum for you to express yourself in words, music, and art — your voices are helping all of us move forward. Thanks again. — Nicole Avery Nichols

Chalkbeat Editor-In-Chief Nicole Avery Nichols.

“I need you to be uncomfortable.” — Kayla Park, 17, Washington, D.C.

When I was in fourth grade, a classmate and his older brother followed me halfway home from school while calling me the n-word.

It wasn’t our first dust-up. But because every time he called me that word I would snap back “Yo Mama!” the boy’s mother joined the battle on this day. She glared at me from the window of her slow-rolling car as her sons threatened me and spat in my direction.

A classmate whom I distinctly recall looked just like Snow White joined me in my fight toward home. As the situation escalated, we tried to ignore the taunting, but we made it clear that we would stand our ground if it came to it.

“We are all the same, stop!” — Angel Peña, 14, Jamaica, New York

The boys eventually grew tired of their racist taunts and jumped into their mother’s car. Once they rumbled away, my classmate gave me a pep talk. She said that her older brother knew karate and that he would teach us to defend ourselves.

Next time, we would be ready.

As our fear began to fade, we started planning our defense. My classmate suggested that we could pick up sticks to keep the boys at bay. I wasn’t convinced, so she searched for a sample stick along the fence line.

My friend spied a piece of wood hidden beneath some leaves behind a row of small evergreen trees. She picked it up, but when the leaves fell away, a jolt of terror struck us both. The wood was a cross, with “KKK” scrawled across the front.

I bolted. All my classmate could do is trail behind me, pleading for me to believe that she was not a Klansman.

This incident happened in the 1980s in a mostly white Long Island suburb, vastly distant in time and space from Mississippi, where 14-year-old Emmitt Till was brutally murdered in 1955. But still, on that day as I struggled to tell my parents what had happened on the way home from school, the image of Till’s mutilated body was seared into my mind.

Would I be next?

Mourners visit and leave flowers at one of two spas across the street from one another in memorial for the lives lost during the March 16, 2021, shootings at the Atlanta spas.

“How scared and terrified, a victim.” — Jiaci, 17, .N.Y., N.Y.

You don’t outgrow racial trauma. It sticks, hovering just below the surface of awareness, poised to break your heart or spirit at any given moment.

I healed a bit from that fourth grade incident, and many others like it over the years, while I was reviewing the six-word stories Asian American students shared with Chalkbeat after their communities had endured a year of increased racial targeting, violence, harassment, and othering, due in part to the coronavirus pandemic.

Similar to the forum that Chalkbeat provided for Black students last spring after the videotaped murder of George Floyd and the racial reckoning that followed, we wanted to also amplify young Asian voices, particularly in the aftermath of the horrific spa shootings in Atlanta that left six Asian women dead.

In just six words, students of Asian descent and allies shared their thoughts about race, racism, culture, and the reparative conversations that are long overdue in America. Their mini-stories — some of which are embedded in this text — are heartbreaking, powerful, jarring, insightful, thought-provoking, inspiring, poignant, and all too familiar.

OJ Adeyemi and daughter Adenike listen to people speak before they march through the streets after the verdict was announced for Derek Chauvin on April 20, 2021 in Atlanta, Ga.

We deserve to live without fear. — Helen Chen, 17, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Last week, Americans of many races held their collective breath in anticipation of the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the white officer who murdered Floyd, a Black man, last year.

On Tuesday afternoon, when a jury convicted the former Minneapolis police officer of murder on all counts, relief swept through much of the country like a tidal wave.

But after that emotional surge dissipated, many people (including the young people Chalkbeat interviewed) pointed out that the damage caused by racism, whether overt and violent or implied and silent, is ever-present.

Medical experts say that exposure to prolonged racism — experienced personally or vicariously — can negatively affect mental health, causing depression, low self-esteem, anger, and other negative health outcomes. Just this month, the CDC declared racism a public health threat, and the Department of Justice launched an investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department, in part to determine whether it engages in “discriminatory policing.”

Fourteen-year-old Adam Vu of Denver, Colorado, asks the right question:

“Why did it take that much?”

Why indeed.

Asian American students’ hopes and fears — in six words

2021-04-29T16:28:36+00:00

After Chauvin verdict, classroom discussions turn to racial justice and remembrance

2021-04-21T23:19:04+00:00

A heavy routine has taken shape at some schools across the country.

A tragedy grips the nation — often the killing of an unarmed Black man by police, but sometimes it’s a woman or a teenager — and school leaders bring their students together to learn, to process, to grieve.

The conversations Wednesday, a day after a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in the death of George Floyd, were in some ways unique. The verdict brought a measure of relief, a semblance of accountability in a death that served as a catalyst for a massive protest movement.

But in other ways, the town halls and conversations and safe spaces held in classrooms and over Zoom were similarly somber. Because George Floyd was still dead. Because another teenager was killed Tuesday.

In Brooklyn, a school read a remembrance poem for Americans killed by police. In Newark, a school board member reflected on the textbooks her community needs. And in St. Louis, a class of sixth graders talked about their own city’s history of police violence.

One Brooklyn high school’s sad ritual

A poem that Principal Robert Michelin of Gotham Professional Arts Academy in Brooklyn, N.Y. reads with his students every time a person is killed by the police.

Principal Robert Michelin opened a virtual town hall Wednesday for his Brooklyn high school by summarizing the historic murder verdict.

Moments later, Michelin informed students that a Columbus police officer had fatally shot teenager Ma’Khia Bryant about a half hour before the Chauvin verdict. The shared screen changed to a “remembrance” poem that the school created for people killed by police, next to a picture of Ma’Khia. Many of the 70-plus participants on the Zoom turned on their microphones to read the poem aloud – a ritual they’d performed about a dozen times in the past year. One student wrote in the Zoom chat, “UGHHH I HATE DOING THIS.”

“I know doing this is hard and it’s painful, and it’s hard for the wounds to heal when we reopen them like this,” Michelin said in response to the student’s comment. “But if we allow ourselves the space to forget — as we have for a long time, right? — it makes it harder to really get the progress that we need to move forward, in the ways we must as a society.”

When Floyd was killed last May, the school, Gotham Professional Arts Academy, held a similar town hall. The next month, the school held a “day of action,” where students presented activism-focused art projects.

Over the past year, the school has tweaked its curriculum to lean toward activism and examine racial disparities in various subjects, Michelin said. For example, the school’s freshmen have been studying why the coronavirus pandemic has more severely affected Black and Hispanic communities.

This ongoing focus on racial justice meant that when the Chauvin verdict was announced, Michelin and some teachers were well positioned to plan activities for the next day.

During the 90-minute town hall, some students shared their frustrations with the criminal justice system and policing. One student, Soby, asked why police officers carry guns at all times, believing weapons may be necessary for a drug bust but perhaps not a call of domestic abuse. The same student, who believed the evidence for murder was clear, questioned why the jury needed more than a day to deliver the verdict and wondered why murder charges come in different degrees.

Some students said they were upset about people celebrating the verdict, since it won’t bring Floyd back to his family. “In reality that’s a whole life, a whole person gone,” a student named Hannah said. “No matter what the government decides to do, he’s still dead.”

In the chat, a different student wondered why protestors weren’t more excited about the outcome, saying “it’s dumb” to be unhappy after getting justice. A staffer responded that people are happy the “system held an officer accountable,” but justice would mean “people of color would be seen as equal under the law.”

Michelin said he or other staff members try to follow up with students to understand their perspectives. In the case of the student who questioned protestors’ unhappiness, staff would offer to have a conversation to better understand his view, but he doesn’t have to take them up on it, Michelin said.

“My job is not to hope he thinks a certain way,” Michelin said. “My job is to hope he thinks perpetually.”

— Reema Amin

An ongoing reminder

Asia Norton, left, spoke with fellow Newark residents in 2018. Tuesday’s verdict filled her with mixed emotions.

Like so many Americans — and Black Americans, in particular — Asia Norton felt a wave of conflicting emotions Tuesday. The guilty verdict brought relief, but the occasion was tinged with sorrow and anger.

“Yes, justice is being served,” she said. “But why does it have to be this way? Why are we celebrating someone being convicted of murdering a Black man, a Black father, a Black son?”

As a former teacher and current school board member in Newark, N.J., Norton was considering how schools could address the trial and the issues it raised, including systemic racism and police violence against Black people.

For one, textbooks and lessons should reflect the lived experiences of students of color in America and provide an unvarnished depiction of American history — including its legacy of racism, she said. Also, students need to feel safe discussing those topics in class, and teachers need training on how to lead such conversations, she added.

If Tuesday’s verdict reminded some Americans of the prejudice and racial violence that remain common in this country, it also underscored how other Americans never had the privilege of forgetting.

“I’m an African American woman raising her Black son in the city of Newark, which is predominantly Black and Brown,” Norton said. “So I’ve been thinking about this ever since the day I was born.”

— Patrick Wall

What might have been

Monica Reed teaches African American culture at KIPP Inspire Academy, a middle school in St. Louis.

Just before 8 a.m., Monica Reed sat atop a desk in the middle of her classroom, ready to lead what she hoped would feel like a family meeting with the 11 sixth-graders before her.

Reed teaches African American culture at KIPP Inspire Academy, a middle school in St. Louis, and she often talks with her students about current events and the history of racism in America. She knew her students, half of whom watched the Chauvin verdict, would be ready to discuss it.

She began by asking how they would have felt if Chauvin had been found not guilty.

“I would honestly feel mad because he did all that and then his family didn’t get justice,” one student shared.

“I would have felt …” another student began. “I would have felt messed up. Because not only are you killing a Black man, and he’s saying he can’t breathe, but still, you got it on video.”

Reed used the student’s point to talk about how cell phone recordings and social media have changed how police are prosecuted. And she told students they could become the next generation of lawmakers who could make changes to how police are held accountable, too.

“What I want you to learn how to do is grow up and not be afraid to say and do what is right,” she told them.

To bring home the magnitude of the guilty verdict, Reed recalled what it was like in their city when Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown in 2014, wasn’t charged with any crimes. She thought it was important to draw on the knowledge her students had about Brown, who faced some of the same challenges as them.

“St. Louis erupted,” Reed told her students, many of whom receive special education support. One nudged her to explain what the word meant. “It means we exploded.”

Then Reed relayed the memory she had of leaving a science field trip early with her students on the day the announcement was made back in 2014, in anticipation of the protests that would break out when no charges were filed. The police station two blocks from their school was set on fire.

“St. Louis will never be the same,” she said. Had Chauvin not been found guilty, “this would have been the same thing.”

— Kalyn Belsha

‘I don’t feel satisfied’

Lunden Augusta, left, Gabriel Watkins, center, and Lucy White watch Philonise Floyd react to the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of his brother, George Floyd, during a discussion between Northfield High School student council officers and members in Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.

Students in Jennifer Carabetta’s student council class at Denver’s Northfield High School helped organize one of the biggest Black Lives Matter marches in the city last summer. On Wednesday, some of those same students discussed the verdict.

Carabetta started by having the students, some of whom were in person and others of whom were online, type their thoughts on virtual sticky notes. She read some responses out loud.

“This case will be a pivotal point in the elimination of systemic racism in the United States,” one student wrote. Others saw it differently, saying the case was important but the issues underlying it — racism and police brutality — are still rampant.

“Honestly, right now, I don’t feel satisfied,” another student wrote.

“He was convicted, so we count this one as a victory,” yet another student wrote. “But all of the other ones … got away and were not held accountable. Yesterday was just the beginning.”

Gabriela Kobak, a sophomore, listens to another student during a discussion between student council officers and members at Northfield High School.

After Floyd’s death last year, the Denver school board voted to end the district’s contract with Denver police. School resource officers are being phased out districtwide, and Northfield is set to lose its school resource officer at the end of this school year.

Some students in Carabetta’s class argued it was unfair to characterize all police officers as bad. Senior Gabriel Watkins said he wasn’t allowed to play with Nerf guns as a child for fear an officer would mistake it for a real weapon. But he said having police work in schools is a good thing because it improves relationships between police and young people.

However, sophomore Gabriela Kobak said that characterization, the stigma that all police are dangerous, is born of real fear. “People have the right to be scared,” she said.

— Melanie Asmar

Nine and a half minutes of silence

South High School student, Graça Jovelino, 16, a recent immigrant from Angola, holds her drawing of Ahmaud Arbery, left, George Floyd, center, and Breonna Taylor. right, during a 9 minute and 29 second moment of silence at Denver South High School April 21, 2021.

Shortly before noon at Denver’s South High School, a group of students filed out of the building holding large banners that read “Black Lives Matter” and “How Many More?” Under gray skies, in a damp chill, they stood in silence for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, the amount of time that Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck.

Ninth grader Graça Jovelino bowed her head as she held a drawing she had made of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.

“These things that are happening are not normal,” she said in Portuguese. “Racism is a sickness of some white people. We’re all children of God, and we should love each other in spite of everything. Inside, we’re equal. We shouldn’t be mistreated.”

Charlotte Anderson, student body co-president at South, said she started crying when she heard the verdict. A high school senior, Anderson found walking out with her classmates, as students at South have done many times in response to injustice, a comforting act of normalcy in what has been a strange school year.

At the same time, standing outside in the cold weather drove home just how much Floyd suffered.

“My hands were numb, but it was really important for everyone to feel the weight of just what a long time that is,” she said. “It felt like forever.”

Madison Baldwin, a member of the Student Senate at South, said students there planned to take some kind of action whichever way the verdict turned out. South is a diverse school serving many immigrant students. Baldwin, like most of the students who walked out of school Wednesday, is white. She said it is important for white students to speak up and use their privilege to work for change.

“It’s important to recognize that this is an amazing victory, but this is just a small fraction of the accountability that needs to be served,” she said. “This isn’t justice.”

— Erica Meltzer

Relief and reflection: After Chauvin guilty verdict, teachers and students look to the work ahead

2021-04-21T01:29:12+00:00

After a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in the death of George Floyd Tuesday, educators across the country prepared to help students make sense of this pivotal moment in U.S. history.

The verdict — the culmination of a case that kicked off a historic wave of protests against police brutality and racism — brought some relief that Chauvin would be held responsible for a death that came to symbolize racial injustice in America. But students and educators acknowledged that the larger struggle persists, as the recent deaths of Daunte Wright, shot by a police officer in a Minneapolis suburb, and 13-year-old Adam Toledo, shot by a police officer in Chicago, have underscored.

The jury found Chauvin guilty on all three counts he faced, including second-degree murder, in the May 2020 death of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man. Bystander video showed Chauvin, who is white, pinning Floyd to the ground with his knee for nearly nine and a half minutes as onlookers yelled for the officer to stop.

“I want to say that it’s a relief, but I also know that it’s not the end,” said Makiah Shipp, a freshman at the University of Michigan who graduated from a charter school in Detroit last summer. “The guilty verdict should have been an expectation and it wasn’t, and that’s how we know the problem is in the system.”

A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue on March 31, 2021, in Minneapolis, Minn.

Floyd’s death and the subsequent protest movement prompted many Americans, including educators and school administrators, to examine their own biases. Some school districts promised to reevaluate relationships with school police, reflect on how racism plays out in schools, or overhaul reading lists and curriculums with an eye toward diversity and inclusion.

Late Tuesday, teachers across the nation were scrapping their lesson plans and preparing to discuss the historic verdict in classrooms and over Zoom.

Robert S. Harvey, the superintendent of the East Harlem Scholar Academies network, was working on an email to his staff within minutes of the verdict being read. He wanted to give his teachers tips for tackling the news in the classroom, with suggestions to compare this moment to other historic trials and to leave room for students, many of whom are Black and Hispanic, to feel some joy.

He hopes to check in with his staff, too, and give them time to process the news, including offering time off to people who may need it.

“The arc of the moral universe bent a little,” he said. “Tomorrow may not need to be teaching as usual.”

Moni Woweries, an eighth grade English and social studies teacher at ReStart Academy in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, will take a similar approach. She plans to talk about the verdict Wednesday with her students — middle and high schoolers who are behind on credits — for as long as they want.

“This is such a big moment,” she said. “How important is it, in that moment in time, to form memories and make sense of what happened?”

People celebrate the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue on April 20, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minn. Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer was found guilty of all three charges in the murder of George Floyd.

Students played a major role in protests throughout last summer in the wake of Floyd’s death. And ahead of the verdict, students across Minnesota participated in walkouts Monday to protest police brutality both in Floyd’s death and the recent killing of Wright.

On Tuesday, in his living room in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood, Mateo Curiel and his mother turned on the television and waited for news of the verdict. When it arrived, Curiel, a junior at Back of the Yards High School, felt a flood of relief.

Curiel has followed developments in Chauvin’s trial closely — an experience that in recent weeks has been overshadowed by Toledo’s death in neighboring Little Village. For Curiel and some of his classmates, that shooting has brought what some might have once considered a Black issue squarely home for the local Latino community.

“My classmates and I have been in shock that a life can be lost in a matter of seconds,” he said. “It’s been heartbreaking.”

Curiel became interested in student advocacy after Floyd’s killing last spring, and he says he has sought out opportunities to speak up on both police violence and LGBTQ issues since, often with support from a civics teacher at his school. He said he feels inspired to step up his activism in the aftermath of the verdict.

“I hope George Floyd’s family is able to find resolution and peace, and we as a country are able to make change,” he said.

Still, the moment is a complicated one. Mendy Mendez Ventura, who lives in the Bronx and graduated last year from Manhattan’s Vanguard High School, said he knows the verdict leaves the structural issues that led to Floyd’s death largely unresolved.

“It still stands that this is a systematic issue across the nation, and no real changes are being done for the most part,” he said. “All of the people who were involved in police shootings during the Chauvin process — when are those people going to see justice?”

Mendez Ventura suggests that teachers who want to have conversations with their students in the coming days tread carefully.

“It can hit a little close to home for students,” he said. “Be mindful that some students might not want to participate.”

Some teachers said they recognize they need to be sensitive to the trauma in their students’ lives. Angela Crawford, who teaches 11th and 12th grade English at Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia, says she will “never have a script” for conversations like this. When she addresses the verdict, she will offer space to her students, many of whom have lost friends or relatives to violence close to home.

“I know some kids are like, alright that’s George Floyd, but we have people in Philly getting killed all the time, like my homeboy was killed or I just lost my friend,” she said. “When are they going to find the people who killed him?”

Andrew Darling, a performing arts teacher at KIPP Thrive Academy in Newark, was planning lessons Tuesday evening when he saw the news on Facebook. It was not the verdict he expected.

Last summer, Darling had joined a massive rally for Floyd in Newark. During the protest, he and some fellow educators formed a circle and sang the words of a spiritual, “Oh Lord, hear my prayer.” But even as they prayed for justice, Darling wasn’t counting on it.

So he was somewhat shocked Tuesday — both by the verdict, and the sense of optimism he felt for his kindergarten students.

“Hopefully this becomes a stepping stone where they don’t fear the police,” he said, “where they don’t fear that things are not going to go the way of justice.”

In his mind, he already was planning the lesson he would give his young students about the Black Lives Matter movement, Floyd’s death, and the jury’s decision to hold his killer accountable. And he decided to teach them an anthem from an earlier civil rights movement: a song called, “Oh, Freedom.”

Charlene Dixon, the principal of KIPP Life Academy in Newark, listened to the verdict as she was driving home from work and strategizing with her assistant principal. It came as an unexpected relief. Dixon remembers how it felt to watch Los Angeles police officers be found not guilty in the beating of Rodney King when she was 11.

“It’s almost like PTSD since then of verdicts over and over and over again being not guilty,” she said.

For Wednesday, she’s keeping in mind the image of Floyd’s former second grade teacher, who shared a picture and essay Floyd wrote about wanting to be a Supreme Court justice. Dixon wants her own staff to spend part of their usual morning meetings with students asking not just how they’re feeling about the trial, but about their hopes and dreams for themselves.

“It’s so important that we don’t just see kids as who they are in the moment, but who they can be and who they will be, and allow them the space to define that for themselves,” she said.

At the University of Colorado Boulder, the verdict only brought a momentary feeling of relief for senior Isaiah Chavous, one of three student body presidents at the campus.

Since Floyd’s murder, Chavous and the University of Colorado Student Government have worked with the school’s administration to create on-campus police reform changes, including a recent agreement to form a police oversight board.

He said he’s overwhelmingly seen students at CU Boulder agree that change needs to occur and faculty come together to help students discuss systemic racism. But the verdict represents only one moment, not the change that many have fought for, he said.

Chavous said he’s tried to understand various sides of the issue of police reform, but also the need to grapple with racist systems that affect him as a person of color.

“It’s important for everyone to know that the conversation needs to carry forward,” he said. “This is only a temporary win. And so we’re pushing for the systemic win for that long-standing change.”

Kalyn Belsha in Chicago, Johann Calhoun in Philadelphia, Jason Gonzales in Denver, Koby Levin in Detroit, Mila Koumpilova in Chicago, Christina Veiga in New York, Patrick Wall in Newark, and Alex Zimmerman in New York contributed.

‘I miss everything’: Newark teenagers reflect on their year away from classrooms

2021-04-08T13:55:20+00:00

The pandemic has spared no student from its grasp. If asked, every young person could share a story about how the crisis rearranged their life and learning this past year.

In Newark, where the coronavirus has mounted a relentless assault, the stories have been heartrending.

Lisalove Atangana’s mother lost her job this fall, and her family had to cram into motel rooms while they searched for affordable housing. Stephen Haley, who has spent years training as a dancer, turned his living room into a makeshift dance studio yet still felt his skills slipping away. Nayvon Terry, an ambitious teenager who had maintained a 4.0 grade point average and planned to run for senior class president, watched his motivation dwindle and his grades decline. And Sophia Enemoh, stuck at home away from her friends and teachers, mourned the loss of the freshman year she’d always imagined.

“I miss everything,” she said.

And yet, like so many others in Newark and beyond, these young people have persisted. They’ve logged onto virtual classes even while looking after younger siblings. They’ve stayed connected to classmates and committed to school. And they’ve learned important lessons about themselves and the world amid the upheaval of the past year.

Chalkbeat spoke with those four Newark high schoolers and a dozen others over the past few months to hear firsthand how the pandemic has transformed their lives, both in and out of school. More changes are in store next week when Newark school buildings reopen — though just under 40% of district students, and only 28% of high schoolers, are registered to return.

The following are excerpts from those interviews, which were conducted individually and in groups, and organized here by topic. They offer a window into the hardships many students experienced over the past year, as well as their determination to make it through.

Not pictured: Brianna Sherrod (9th grade), Luke La-Anni (9th grade), and Sierra Garrett (12th grade), who attend Great Oaks Legacy Charter School.

Disruption

Sophia: I started my freshman year virtually, and that’s the hardest part. I’m telling you, the first day of high school, everybody was lost, everybody didn’t know what to do.

Nayvon: I’m the type of personality where I like to get up and go and do things. I love to be on top of things. I love to be interactive with the students and the teachers. And I haven’t been able to do that.

Brianna: I feel like I wake up and do the same thing every single day. It gets to the point where sometimes I feel like my days are blended. Like a whole week could pass by and I wouldn’t even notice because I’m doing the same routine every day.

Nathan: I don’t go anywhere at this point. The only place I might go is church on the weekends. Even that, they’re so cautious and everything. There’s no, like, hanging out afterwards.

Zacore: Six months ago, I just had a daughter. So my days are more or less me and my daughter. I sit in the living room, I do my [school]work. I’m here with my baby mother, my girlfriend. She helps me if I need help. But most of this stuff I try to work out on my own.

Lisalove: We were spending months in motels trying to look for homes. That was really rough. … It also took a toll on us as a family because sometimes we would just get mad at each other or just be so frustrated and stressed out because of how we’re living right now.

Nathan: My mother never stopped working because she works in the medical field. The stress and anxiety that she had to deal with was visible, it was audible, whenever she came home. On top of that, multiple members of my family had COVID at one time or another.

Sophia: I barely know what my own high school looks like. And that’s a high school I’m supposed to go to, but now I’m in my bed during school. And it’s just like I miss school, I miss walking through the hallways, I miss going to my friend’s house. ... I miss everything.

“It’s honestly not healthy at all. I don’t get away from my computer until 12 o’clock at night.” Photo: A student engages in virtual learning on their computer.

Virtual learning

Nathan: In the beginning, it took my brain and my body a while to realize that you’re at home but you still have to work, you still have to go to school. Because before this, if I was staying home, it meant relaxing.

Stephen: In my opinion, it’s not school. It just doesn’t feel like school at all. If you ask me, it’s all about retention now and not necessarily learning.

Lisalove: My second class, I have my Spanish teacher and she wants all of us to be on camera and visible. So that’s one class I can’t escape and be in the dark in my bedroom laying down.

Stephen: Sometimes I don’t even get out of bed and I just join from my bed. Sometimes I wouldn’t even have the energy to log on and I’ll miss a period. It’s definitely harder to stay motivated.

Sophia: The teacher will ask a question and it’s just quiet. I feel like I’m the only one to talk in class even when I feel like I’m the dumbest one. Because everyone will act like they get it and not say nothing.

Brianna: In my household, there’s just a lot of distractions. You know, technology and all that. And it gets very hard to log into every class and be like, “I got to do this,” and not just, like, ignore all my classes for the whole day and go watch Netflix.

London: When you’re the oldest [child], like I am, and everyone’s breaks are at different times, the children can come ask me for something but I’m in the middle of class. … They’ll ask me to make them something to eat. Or if it’s school-related, they’ll ask me to help with, like, a math problem. That one I usually get a lot.

Sophia: Teachers don’t know why your camera is off and they call you. They think you’re skipping class or you’re late on purpose or you’re not listening. Mind you, I’m trying to listen but I have to help my little sister.

Lisalove: It just takes so many hours for me to really get stuff done because I’m around my family and something might catch my attention and I’ll get distracted.

Sierra: It’s honestly not healthy at all. I don’t get away from my computer until 12 o’clock at night. … And then, on the weekend, you’re so tired to the point where you just want to sleep all day.

Nayvon: The momentum and the motivation stopped, so I didn’t want to study for the SAT. … We would also have a program where we could study for the SAT, almost SAT prep. That stopped. So when I did take the SAT, it wasn’t the score that I wanted and that I know I deserve.

Luke: There’s not a lot of motivation sitting in front of a computer for about eight hours a day — on top of COVID, on top of not seeing your friends or your teachers. I think that’s the largest issue about online learning: There’s not much motivation to do anything, but it’s not like you have a choice.

Malayjah: I used to be good in school, and then after awhile with the virtual I just started giving up. Because I feel like the teachers wasn’t really helping me.

London: For most of my schooling, it’s been teachers interacting with me. And [now] I’ve found it hard to do things without instruction. It’s been difficult for me to do things self-taught.

Nayvon: There’s no relationships and bonds being built. So the connection and excitement for school isn’t the same.

Zacore: I try to stay as focused as possible. I read, I watch a lot of YouTube, just keep my mind active. … In this day and age with technology, everything is free. These resources we have, I can easily Google it and figure it out and try it so many times until eventually I get it right.

Loss

Sierra: I was going to use this last year to let me branch out a little bit, let me explore my freedoms as a young adult. And then once this happened, it was like that was all gone.

Nayvon: A lot of things were ripped away from me. … The previous year I went to an internship at Ernst & Young. I thought I would be doing that again. … I’ve always dreamt of running for class president my senior year, being able to plan our prom … There’s a lot of things that I’ve had to leave behind.

“I’ve regressed.” Stephen Haley hasn’t been able to train in a dance studio during the pandemic.

Stephen: It’s really hard being a dancer in quarantine — especially when you don’t have the studio to work in. You don’t dance, basically. … I’ve regressed, you know. And I’m not where I should be in my development as a dancer.

Sophia: Now I’m a freshman and I’m pissed because I did not have my eighth grade social. My dress was on the way and I had to cancel the order. I cried because I was so ready.

Brianna: A couple months ago, my uncle, he got diagnosed with COVID. At first they didn’t know what it was because, you know, people were still gathering information. He had to go to the hospital … A couple days later he died from that. It’s just been really hard on my family. Especially my mom. My mom has a lot of brothers and sisters and she’s very close with all of them, especially my uncle. And just seeing her go through that, it really hurt me.

Sierra: I had to sit down and think about, “Oh, I’ve had so many deaths in my family.” … I have a hard time coping with death itself and grief. I feel like everybody grieves in a different way. It’s hard. It’s like you’re not taught how to to grieve. You’re not taught how to deal with your emotions. It’s like something you have to deal with yourself.

Stephen: Thankfully I haven’t been hit as hard as some of my friends. But I know some of my friends who actually thought about suicide. They couldn’t take the isolation anymore. I know people who grew depressed. They just feel so alone, and everything is just so sad in this world.

Lessons

Stephen: I find myself going through my camera roll remembering all the good times I had in school. And it’s like, wow, I really should have just stayed there and enjoyed it. … So if COVID taught me anything, it would be to take my time and enjoy these moments, because you never know when you’re going to have another one.

Lisalove: Even though it was kind of a curse and a really bad situation, it kind of brought us together. Because now we know we can really count on each other and really strengthen our bond as a family. Spending all that time — every single day, every single hour — being in that space, probably even getting to know each other even more than before. … Yeah, things were stressful. But at the same time, I was still able to laugh with my family, to have those good times.

London: When everything came down to it, I really had to learn a lot of skills that I wouldn’t necessarily have had to learn until college. Like time management. … With everything virtual, it’s definitely made me a lot stricter on myself with getting things done.

Nayvon: Just being really honest, I would say I strived for success for the wrong reasons. Such as, like, getting the award or just getting the praise and the acknowledgement. But now all that’s been stripped away. I have to regroup and find out what it is that I’m really striving for success for. Now I’m striving for success to better my future, to instill a different life than what my family has been used to.

Zacore: Sometimes isolation is your best friend. You don’t need to be outside and running around. You can sit sometimes and just learn about yourself, focus on yourself, and really take time to love yourself. … It gives you a chance to go to the next direction. Like a chance to do something new. Or a chance to be somebody new.

Stephen: I just hope that whatever comes next, I get to fully enjoy it. That’s all. I’m just ready to enjoy life again.

This project was a collaboration between Chalkbeat, The Newark News and Story Collaborative at WBGO, and Free Press.

The following individuals and organizations provided assistance: Deborah Smith-Gregory, Great Oaks Legacy Charter School, LEAD Charter School, Schools That Can-Newark, and SHE Wins Inc. These students also participated in interviews: Abriyah Julu, Lakita Lloyd, Nyla Mitchell, Taniyah Ferrell, and Zerlina Sutton.

They were targets of racist remarks. Now, these NYC students want to talk about Asian American history — and hate.

2021-03-23T22:44:17+00:00

For New York City high school students Amanda Chen and Joyce Jiang, the recent mass shooting in Atlanta that left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent, was more heartbreaking than surprising.

The teens have been painfully aware of the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes over the past year. Across the five boroughs, this past weekend alone saw at least four possible anti-Asian hate crimes, even as hundreds took to the streets protesting to end such assaults. Amanda and Joyce, who are friends and juniors at Manhattan’s School of the Future High School, were the targets of racist remarks amid news of a novel coronavirus that had originated in China.

As they continued to hear about violent acts targeting New York’s diverse Asian community, the teens — who have shared their own experiences with racism on a student-run podcast that later won an NPR contest — have begun to fear for their safety in new ways.

“Whenever I would walk on the street, I was seriously afraid I was going to be harmed, and my life was going to be taken away, even though those people on the street were casually walking and going about their day,” Amanda said of her anxiety levels last spring. “That’s how panicked and insecure I was.”

The incidents over the past year have galvanized both teens, inspiring them to confront the issue of anti-Asian hate and violence and to push for more Asian representation in their school’s curriculum. They want their classes to discuss anti-racism and include more about Asian American history in hopes of bringing others into the conversation.

In a note to families last week, New York City’s new schools Chancellor Meisha Porter described the shooting and other reported anti-Asian hate crimes as “horrific.” She pointed to a list of resources that the education department shared with teachers to fight school-based hate crimes and to support students emotionally. On Tuesday, during a City Council budget hearing, Porter said students must be able to see themselves in their lessons, when asked how schools will support students returning to campuses after more than a year of disruption to in-person schooling.

“What this recent wave of hate crimes against our Asian American brothers and sisters has shown us in a real way [is that] our diversity and inclusion plan has to be about what happens in classrooms, how we train our teachers, how the adults show up for our students, and so they are all very deeply connected tissue,” Porter said. “And the learning loss is connected also to students being able to really see themselves in the curriculum they experience.”

Lingering fears

In the year since their stories were featured on the student podcast, both teens have been more isolated since they — along with the overwhelming majority of Asian students citywide — opted to learn fully remotely. But fears linger.

After the Atlanta shooting, Amanda and Joyce said they were disappointed that their teachers had not brought the topic up in their classes the next day. Joyce said she wished they had created a space to discuss what’s been going on just as they did in June, as Black Lives Matters protests swelled in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis. (Their principal, Stacy Goldstein, said teachers were likely still planning out lessons.)

“I feel like all of these inequalities, racial inequalities, should be talked about in class,” Joyce continued.

Last year, 28 hate crimes were reported against Asian New Yorkers, compared to three in the prior year — though advocates and police officials suggest many more incidents go unreported, according to the New York Times. And the Asian American community — a diverse group that includes nearly 20 different ethnicities — is reeling in other ways. Unemployment claims among Asian-Americans surged past other racial groups last year, and one report found that unemployment among Asians grew past 25% in New York City during lockdown.

Amanda said she was raised “to mind my business,” but she’s choosing to speak out.

“There are people like that in my life who choose to endure the harm they receive because they don’t want to cause any trouble to other people, or they are afraid they won’t be heard,” she said.

Amanda Chen, a junior at School of the Future

In one incident, Amanda said she and Joyce were standing outside with a group of other Chinese American students when a group of upperclassmen laughed in their direction and said “that group of Asians” is spreading the virus. Amanda recalled a fellow Chinese American student pointed at their group of friends and said, that they “have coronavirus because I live in Chinatown.” One day during lunch, Amanda was eating spicy noodles when the spiciness caused her to cough. A boy nearby said she must have the coronavirus.

“I had to scream back at him that I don’t have coronavirus just because I was coughing, but he just took it as a joke, like, ‘Yeah it was just a joke. You’re overreacting,’” Amanda said.

On a separate occasion, Joyce said one of her classmates asked her if she knew how to make “bat soup” — a reference to reports that the virus likely first emerged from a bat.

Both students shared their experiences during writing club, alarming their club’s supervisor, who was their former English teacher. That educator alerted school administrators, who contacted the parents of at least one of the students and asked the teen to apologize, according to Goldstein.

Goldstein now says there should have been a bigger discussion among students at the time about what Joyce and Amanda experienced.

‘Spaces for solidarity’

Last week, the morning after the Atlanta shooting, Goldstein penned a note of support and solidarity to families. In a separate email to staff, she encouraged teachers to heed her advice from a few weeks ago: Consider planning discussions about anti-Asian racism into lessons. She noted that 21% of their middle schoolers and 13% of their high schoolers identify as Asian-American — compared to about 16% of students citywide — and that she wants “to be explicit about our support for their communities’ safety and dignity.”

“It’s also an important opportunity to explore the intersectional reality of civil rights efforts and spaces for solidarity,” Goldstein wrote.

Goldstein expected teachers to begin talking about anti-Asian discrimination and racism in weekly student “circles,” which are similar to advisory periods and are spaces for students to share their feelings.

But students often skip their circles, Amanda and Joyce said. They became disappointed over the past week not to hear their teachers weave anti-Asian racism into lessons. That changed on Tuesday, when their math teacher had students watch a New York Times video about the recent rise in hate crimes against Asian people and had students use Jamboard, a virtual whiteboard, to anonymously share their takeaways. He shared data about the number of anti-Asian hate crimes in different cities in recent years, highlighting the percentage rise in New York City. Students were asked if they were aware of or had experienced anti-Asian crimes online, at school, or in their communities. Most said yes.

“Not everyone is active in this, but I appreciate my math teacher and those who participated for doing so,” Amanda wrote in a text message.

Helping students feel ‘heard’

Amanda wants to see teachers embed the topic of historical and structural racism into lessons, similar to what her math teacher did. That would make students feel “heard” and “cared about,” she said.

She also wants to see more of herself and her culture in the curriculum. Specifically, she’d like more lessons about Asian immigration to the United States.

“It’s part of America’s diversity and culture,” Amanda said.

Joyce added: “I think that right now in English and history we are doing a lot of how the past relates to the present. I feel like that should also be implemented into our curriculum — how different races impact and make America into what it is, and how they continue to do that, so it’s not just like white Americans, you know?”

Joyce also believes there is not enough emphasis on Native American and Hispanic history in her classes. Goldstein disagreed, noting that there are multiple big units about Native Americans, including their fight for independence, Latin American movements, and the “havoc” that American imperialism caused in Latin American countries.

Anti-Asian racism comes up in sixth and ninth grade global history courses and an eighth grade immigration unit, but “it’s not a pervasive enough part of the curriculum,” Goldstein said. She wants her school’s equity committee to consider these gaps as they rethink their school’s curriculum this summer, as their administration also grapples with becoming more integrated through changes in its admissions process.

“We talk about discrimination in general and microagressions and equality in a lot of different places, but I don’t think we specifically talked about the Asian American experience,” Goldstein said. “I think we talked a lot about Black Lives Matter — not like it’s a competition, I don’t want it to be framed that way. It’s all important, and it’s not like either that or this, but when I sent the email to the staff and the families, I definitely was like, we don’t explicitly speak about the Asian American experience enough and we should.”

Learning from home full time, Joyce and Amanda said they have not experienced any bullying or racist comments since schools closed last spring. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be talking about it.

“I feel like if we brought those topics up, maybe we can learn to understand each other, develop more of a compassion and love towards each other to ultimately have some sort of peace,” Joyce said.

I’m 17. Here’s how this pandemic year changed me.

2021-03-11T21:35:46+00:00

I’d wake up at noon with no plans. Would I spend the remainder of my day wallowing in self-defeat, or would I manage to get something done?

Pretty soon after the pandemic began, I found myself consumed by gloom doing the most menial tasks. As I helped out my father with our weekly grocery runs and completed assignments, it seemed as if the whole world was circling around me, watching as I stood still. This went on for months. When would I finally be able to go back to school? When would everything go back to before?

Leonel Ramirez

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, I’d say I had the average day-to-day experience of any high school teen living in New York City. It would start off with waking up ridiculously early with enough time to catch the L train and a cup of coffee before my AP U.S. History class. After that I would participate in my culinary-centered courses and socialize with my peers.

“We’ll be back in no time,” I said this to myself every day as I scrolled through social media and saw all the amazing things people were still managing to get done in the midst of the tragedy. I wanted that to be me, but instead I spent long stretches reminiscing about life before the coronavirus. I was exhausted, and I wanted more than anything to return to school.

But I also realized that, even before the pandemic — back when I bathing in my accomplishments and taking part in new things — I spent a lot of time living up to everyone else’s expectations of what I should be and how I should act. That’s hard to do, especially when this notion in your head is secluded from the outside world and all its tribulations.

Until that epiphany hit — that realization some people have in the shower or right after you wake up. While in the middle of my weekly shopping outing, I realized it was time to stop feeling so sorry for myself and take action before this new world.

Alongside my peers at Food and Finance High School, I helped in create a first-of-its-kind magazine celebrating chefs of color, Pass the Spatula. We got all sorts of media attention, from the New York Times, Food & Wine, and Taste. I knew right away with all the momentum we were getting that I had so much more to do.

I knew I had to use this as an opportunity to highlight not just people that had the same interests as me, but people from different walks of life. I soon began to branch out and met amazing creatives. Scholars with successful careers in academia, peers who were, like me, taking a summer class at Columbia University, and people who worked in the field of mutual aid, all making strides in their community.

Among them, there was Carmen Lopez Villamil, a Beacon High School student who is the campaign lead at the youth activism organization Teens Take Charge. There was LA Ramos, a student at the Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies, and a member the Youth Leadership Council, the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute, and many other groups. And there was Anais Aboab, a Gramercy Arts High School student who has brought to light issues facing impoverished communities through her work in mutual aid and film.

Regardless of where we come from and the different work we do, these individuals and I have this in common: We work in environments that are made to defy us. We are constantly negotiating the apparatus and redefining the system that has confined us to this one image. In the end, we don’t owe anyone anything but remaining authentic to our true character.

I won’t say that I came out of this pandemic a different person. Just as someone with new experiences, new goals, and a new interpretation of what it means to be a teenager working his way up.

Leonel Ramirez is a 17-year-old student at Food and Finance High School in Manhattan. Leonel is a member of YVote and the Youth Leadership Council.

How are Chicago’s students? What families said about learning in a tumultuous year

2021-02-25T15:21:46+00:00

Nearly a year after Chicago closed schools amid the coronavirus pandemic, Chalkbeat Chicago asked parents and students for an assessment of how students were faring in a topsy-turvy year.

We received more than 350 responses from families and students citywide. When asked whether the student in their home was on pace academically, families were divided, with some reporting that they believed their learners were behind grade-level standards, some saying they believed their child was on pace or ahead of where they should be academically, and significant numbers unsure how to gauge.

In anecdotal comments, parents and students overwhelmingly expressed concern about negative impacts on mental health and on students’ motivation for academics, more so than mastering particular concepts. Some families expressed these concerns even if they reported feeling positive about the year overall.

There was optimism. Some families felt overwhelmingly encouraged by the experiences of the past school year, suggesting that technological skills children learned during the experience would be useful for future employment.

Some other observations stood out: Regardless of whether they chose the district’s hybrid plan or to stick with remote learning for now, families lamented the instability caused by the district’s terse negotiations with the teachers union. Families consistently wanted more communication from their principals and from the district. Several worried that the vocal pushback from teachers earlier in the year made parents less likely to express their needs. And some fretted that teachers would, knowingly or not, penalize students who returned to classrooms.

Families also shared some of the reasons why they chose to return to in-person learning or stay fully remote. Safety was a major factor, but it wasn’t the only one. Factors influencing those decisions ranged widely and included a lack of after care, temporary resettlement outside the city that would make commuting to schools difficult or impossible, and whether children’s teachers were returning or had sought accommodations to continue to work remotely.

Here’s some of what we learned in the words of parents and students.

Recognizing challenges, some parents and students still felt positive overall about the year.

“Teachers have worked thoughtfully to adapt curriculum, to provide differentiated instruction, and to make remote learning as fun and engaging as it can be. Another disruption in how these teachers are teaching and how students learn is not in the best interest of our students. Children excel when they have a consistent environment with clear expectations. A new learning plan in the middle of the year is not what is best for our young students.” — Cortney Ritsema, parent of three

Cortney Ritsema’s twins, Adelyn and Mila, play dress up. They are 5-year-olds in preschool at New Field Elementary.

“It has been a really good experience. My son’s teacher along with their team works tirelessly with constant parent communication, quarterly assessments, daily active lessons, remote centers. It has actually been a really good experience for him.” — Jaime Queroz, parent of a kindergarten student

“It is taxing but my children are doing fine with our support.” — Danielle Bridges, parent of three and CPS teacher

“It’s not the Kindergarten year I’d have wanted for him, but given what the reality of life is right now, it’s as good as it can be.” — Anne Cooper, parent and social worker with Chicago Public Schools

Anne Cooper’s son, Arthur, sits alongside his learning mates Merlin the cat and Watson the dog.

“They are normally A & B students and have been able to maintain their grades. I understand that remote learning is not ideal, but my kids have been learning and their teachers have been great. I also expect all kids to be a little behind this year and I believe teachers do too, so there will be quite a bit of catching up when they return. At this point, with teachers having to teach in person and remote simultaneously, I have reached the point where I throw my hands up in the air.” — Miriam Santiago, parent of two

“My children are a little behind, but everyone is a little behind. Compared with other districts, my children are at the same level because everyone is suffering. Our lives and health are worth more than what might be lost. My brother died of COVID, and there is no recovering from that, unlike education delays. Despite all the challenges, I feel really fortunate. My children can learn without putting the health and safety of my family at risk. They are managing the school work very well. Their teachers are loving, passionate and enthusiastic, with their classrooms now on Google instead of in school buildings. While we are navigating this new world of learning, I hope we can recognize the deficiencies of our current education system.” — Jose Martinez, father of a fourth-grader

“It’s been good since I get to stay home and do my own thing and just not have to worry about getting the virus.” — Violet Chicho, 10th grader

Violet Chicho is a 10th grader at Solorio Academy High School.

“Remote learning could be better, but we’re in the middle of a pandemic, so I don’t have major complaints. My daughter is healthy, and all of us at home are healthy because we can work from home. This is really hard, but necessary.” — Xóchitl Bada, parent of a seventh grader

“Last school year the transition to remote was abrupt, not well planned, and he had a rough time. This school year, I can tell that remote learning plans were developed over the summer to improve the experience.” — Megan Merrill, parent of a fourth grader

For some families, the school year overall had negatively impacted them.

“Ironically both my kids are getting better grades than ever but I feel like their teachers are going super easy on them (and maybe they should be given the circumstances). I do feel though that the teachers are doing the best they can given the very difficult situation so I honestly was never expecting my kids to be on pace this year. I worry a lot about next year. What will classrooms look like where half the kids are on grade level because they actively participated in remote learning and half are behind because they didn’t have the supports at home to participate? Will the whole class have to slow down? Or will those that are behind get left further behind? CPS notoriously does not have enough staff for those who may not qualify for services but need a little extra help so who will help those kids who are currently falling behind? I feel most sad for the kids that are going to struggle going forward.” — Melissa, parent of a fifth grader and a seventh grader. (Note: Some respondents requested anonymity or that their first name be used. Chalkbeat weighed this on a case-by-case basis).

“Lack of educational content, lack of interaction with teachers and classmates. Not healthy.” — Daisy Gamboa, parent of an eighth grader

“My poor 8th grader with an IEP will never catch up.” — Esther, parent of three who did not want her last name included

“I think my middle school boy aged teens are being challenged, as they are learning as much as they can in this difficult situation. I’m very concerned about their social and mental health because they are experiencing more stress, more homework and they both need less screen time. [There needs to be] more mental health support for children who are suffering with stress, grief, loss and trauma.” — Sadaka Whitehead-Smith, a parent of two, a therapist, and an educator

Sadaka Whitehead-Smith has students in sixth and eighth grade.

“Not even CLOSE. My kids have always been good at school. Straight A students. Now they are struggling to get through assignments. Struggling with grades. Acting out. Depressed and anxious.” — Joellen Daly, parent of two

“Teenagers should be interacting with a wide variety of people on a daily basis — they are in the stage of life where they should be acquiring new relationships and experiences on a consistent basis to learn the “soft skills” needed to be complete and independent adults. They are being deprived of basic social interaction, the ability to collaborate and the experiences needed to develop a sense of self. And, they are receiving a sub-par education at best while their peers in other schools, cities and states are being given those opportunities. The longer this goes on, the more likely that the losses will be insurmountable.” — High school parent who asked to remain anonymous

“I’m failing and y’all ain’t helping.” — Reina Torres, 11th grader

Reina Torres is in 11th grade at Curie Metro High School.

“How is COVID-19 going to impact CPS high school admissions? How are they supporting the CPS juniors and high school students with college entrance processes? Those two sections of the student population are going to be really impacted by this . . . Generally it seems there’s more sympathy to families with younger children — toddlers, preschoolers — but parenting older kids during the pandemic can be just as challenging.” — Trudi, a mother of three who asked that her last name not be used

“It’s harder for me to learn in a virtual environment and I wish I were back in school.” — A sixth grader whose name Chalkbeat withheld to protect his privacy

“I’m so frustrated that they’ve been remote this long and we are still fielding scolding emails and assignment reminders from teachers when remote school blatantly sucks and it is insane to ask parents to be at-home teachers.” — Kate Rockwood, parent of two

“Remote learning is horrible, I get headaches and eye strain from the screen, teachers are way too touchy feely and waste my time often (SEL is fine but this is overkill). And last but not least, there’s no set return date for high school, when clearly large swaths of the population will be vaccinated by April or May. Even if they give us 2 months of school just tell us now.” — Grace Kurtz-Nelson, 12th grader

“My kids are regressing. Not learning is a problem. Losing their special Ed minutes isn’t fair. Some days I’m not sure we can keep doing it.” — Lesby Ortega, parent of four

Lesby Ortega is pictured with her four children, Ashley, 13, Roberto, 9, Zion, 1, Nathan, 8 (left to right).

A notable number of parents and students said they were indifferent, had mixed feelings or weren’t sure how to sum up the year.

“CPS rolled out a “plan” with no sense of what the actual needs are and that ends up hurting remote learners to varying degree and worst of all- in the same inequitable ways they claim they were trying to address. I am angry and anxious everyday. They have started and stopped, announced and changed minds, over and over again for months.” — Single mother of a kindergartner who asked to remain anonymous

“They are ok. I’m sure if school was normal they’d be further along. But this is a City wide and Nationwide issue. (My child) has learned other skills in place. Life skills forever: problem solving, computer, typing, email, etc — Vince DeJulio, father

“Honestly, I don’t really care about some arbitrary line that they should be meeting. The entire world was set off course. They will be okay.” — Becca Blue, parent of three

“My son has an IEP and has special requirements. Our school is doing the absolute best they can to accommodate him. However, his grades have slipped considerably, his interest in learning in front of a computer is non-existent, and his social and emotional well being have been compromised significantly.” — Michelle Piek, parent of a prekindergarten student

“I’m just depressed.” — 12th grade student whose name Chalkbeat withheld for privacy reasons

“It’s not working, but it’s safe.” — Steven Guy, parent of a middle schooler

Still at home, NYC high schoolers struggle to manage their time and fight isolation

2021-02-24T23:44:51+00:00

High school did not start the way Jannatul Isha had envisioned.

Twice a week this fall, the 15-year-old Queens freshman masked up and took virtual classes on her laptop while sitting in a classroom with about six of her peers at Brooklyn’s Academy of Innovative Technology.

Still, Jannatul had almost no complaints.

She liked having direct access to teachers or students when she needed help. She liked not being disrupted mid-lesson by her mom asking for assistance with cleaning and cooking. She wasn’t tempted to nap between live sessions instead of completing assignments, as she does sometimes on her remote days at home.

She even made a friend during outdoor gym class.

After Mayor Bill de Blasio closed school buildings nearly two months into the school year, amid rising coronavirus cases, Jannatul felt more overwhelmed than ever. She didn’t log on to classes for two weeks.

“Some days I would feel like doing everything — I would do all my assignments and keep up with everything — and then some days I would just feel unmotivated and not enough to do anything,” Jannatul said. “It just felt overwhelming, and I felt like giving up.”

Jannatul and tens of thousands of other high school students who had opted for at least some in-person learning have now been remote full-time for the past three months. Unlike their middle school counterparts, who are expected to return to classrooms starting Thursday, high schoolers have no return date and many feel lonely, anxious, and unmotivated. Even students who chose full-time remote learning — representing the majority of high schoolers — are struggling. The education department declined to share the number of high school students who have opted for hybrid learning, though in the fall the teachers union estimated that 60% of them chose to learn remotely full-time.

Students who spoke with Chalkbeat reported keeping cameras turned off most of the time, having off-kilter sleep schedules, and feeling disconnected, whether they’re freshmen starting new schools, or seniors, who missed out on college campus visits and won’t have a typical graduating year. Teachers and community organizations that partner with schools are trying different ways to keep teens engaged. They’re creating student-led podcasts, virtual after-school cooking classes, and texting teens to check in on them.

Shortly after November’s citywide school building closure, the mayor reopened elementary schools and programs for students with the most complex disabilities, citing that they were struggling most with remote learning. He increased in-school coronavirus testing from monthly to weekly and said he needed time to expand the COVID-19 testing program before this week’s middle school reopening. The mayor has yet to announce a plan for reopening high schools though promised a timeline in the “next few weeks” — saying again that the city needs to increase testing capacity. On Wednesday, high school principals received a survey they must fill out by March 3 to show the city how many students they can offer in-school instruction to five days a week. (Middle schools received a similar survey on Jan. 30, three and a half weeks before those buildings are set to reopen.)

“Our main focus continues to be making sure we have every safety precaution in place,” Miranda Barbot, spokesperson for the education department, said in a statement, “and [we] will increase testing capacity and situation room staffing as needed.”

When work piles up

Even before going fully remote, Jannatul’s grades suffered in nearly all of her classes. She said she felt overwhelmed as assignments “kept piling up.” Thanks to concerned teachers, who reached out and pressed her to stay engaged, she has largely caught up; now she’s just behind in a couple of classes. She still feels isolated and depressed on some days, but having a teacher to talk to “was actually helpful because I feel like there is someone who cares about me and someone who’s there to motivate me when I’m not doing well,” she said.

Jannatul Isha, a freshman in Brooklyn, said she’s felt overwhelmed with learning remotely and keeping up with assignments.

Jannatul is not alone in her struggle, said Kyle Pierre, one of her teachers.

Before winter break, 81% of his school’s ninth graders were missing work, Pierre recalled. Last spring, after school buildings were first closed, more than one in five high school students across the city received at least one “course in progress” grade, the demarcation used in place of “failing.” This school year, one of Pierre’s students, who had been attending in person, dropped off completely, despite numerous attempts to reach him.

Pierre, who teaches computer science, has found that bigger projects are too overwhelming for many students right now, so he’s assigning smaller and more “digestible” work. He also checks in occasionally with his students through discussion prompts or by touching base via text or email. But he’s struggled particularly with freshmen.

“The transition from middle school to high school is rough on a regular day,” Pierre said, noting that current freshman ended middle school while fully remote. “I can’t imagine what it’s like for them during a pandemic.”

Seeking connection

Hailey Hebert, a freshman at Brooklyn’s Leaders High School, chose hybrid learning in the fall because her mother wanted her to become acquainted with her new teachers and peers. Hailey soured a bit on her schedule of mostly logging on to remote lessons while on campus and the logistical quirks of being in the building. For example, teachers on her floor would have to text each other if a student wanted to use the bathroom to ensure no one else was in there. But Hailey felt happier being out of the house and around “different people.”

Though full-time remote learning has been going well for her academically, she becomes frustrated when most of the people in a 50-person class keep their cameras off, making it tough to get acquainted. She’s unsure she wants to return to the building if campuses reopen this year because she doesn’t want to mentally prepare for another “first day of school,” as she’s still nervous about contracting the virus.

The trade-off, she said, is isolation.

“I can’t go anywhere, I can’t see friends, I can’t do anything,” she said. “I feel lonely because I can only talk to people through my phone, but I’m already using technology every single day.”

Last year was Nicole Granillo’s first year at John Bowne High School in Flushing, and when school buildings across the city shuttered last March, it was the start of a new semester with new faces in her classes. Like Hailey, Nicole felt like she didn’t know anyone, a feeling that has persisted.

Nicole, 16, opted to learn exclusively from her family’s apartment in Elmhurst, Queens — once considered the city’s epicenter of the pandemic — for her sophomore year rather than travel to Bowne, where she feared she might get sick.

“All of our lives, we’ve basically been going to school Monday through Friday, waking up, getting ready, heading out. Now you’re just at your house all day, every day,” Nicole said.

“Before if I talked to people I could just talk. Now, I feel like I don’t know how to start a conversation.”

Nicole Granillo, a sophomore in Queens, said she feels like she doesn’t know many peers at her school, since she ended the previous year with fully remote learning.

One bright spot for Nicole has been the online cooking group she joins weekly, run through a partnership with the nonprofit Commonpoint Queens, which works with several schools in the borough. The program at Bowne also offers yoga, meditation, dance, and other groups, plus help with college and career readiness, counseling and academic support. Organizers this year are trying to create a virtual space where teens keep their cameras on and have the space to socialize in non-stressful ways.

Academically, Nicole feels like she’s learning a lot and that the teachers “don’t waste a day.” When she occasionally has trouble staying on top of her assignments, her teachers have allowed her to hand things in late, when needed. She tries to keep track of the time she goes to bed, but sometimes she’s still watching television at 2 a.m.

Time management is also a struggle for many teens, said Elizabeth McArdle, a clinical social worker who is the senior director for Commonpoint Queens’ high school and college success division. The organization is doing a test run at one of its programs to help students stay on top of coursework. Their staffers can access students’ academic progress to see when assignments are piling up, and support the teens with time management and goal-setting.

“It’s not the intensity of the assignments. It’s the quantity. They get behind, and the assignments are mounting,” she said. “We’re seeing students that typically get A’s and B’s, who are now ‘65 students.’ They didn’t lose their knowledge.”

The challenge of keeping teens caught up is compounded by the anxiety, depression, and other mental health needs. And many students are caring for younger siblings, helping parents whose native language is not English, and are dealing with job and food insecurity, she said.

“We see the symptoms of depression, the lack of motivation, withdrawal, not wanting to engage with friends and family. Their sleep cycles are completely out of whack,” McArdle said. “They’re staying up all night watching TV or online. They feel like they’re not working toward anything.”

A space to share

Clementina Sarpong, a senior learning exclusively from home, felt despondent at the start of the year. She had wanted to return in person after barely leaving her home since March, but decided against it when she discovered that much of her learning would involve logging onto remote lessons from the classroom. As vice-president of DeWitt Clinton High School’s student government, the 17-year-old spent part of her summer planning for virtual and in-person activities for students in the fall. But as reopening details were in constant flux, their plans for a spirit week and other events faltered. It became more difficult to consult with teachers or administrators, who were busy with reopening planning. She and her fellow student government members lost the drive to plan anything, she said.

Clementina Sarpong, a senior at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, said she’s found comfort in a school podcast started by her Spanish teacher.

But she got some of her spark back in the fall when she discovered that her Spanish teacher had started a podcast to create an activity for students as many other extracurriculars disappeared. Despite a “mentally draining” year, Clementina never misses a Friday podcast gathering.

The program, called Governor’s Radio (a nod to the school’s mascot, the Governors), has provided a space for students to discuss adjusting to remote learning, mental health, and less serious subjects, like homecoming. Sometimes in their weekly gatherings they talk without even hitting “record.”

“It’s like the end of your week so you’re able to vent out whatever you are feeling and whatever happened this past week,” said Clementina, who has a packed schedule of school, college scholarship applications, and virtual enrichment activities.

Christian Aviles, the teacher who dreamed up the podcast, has been trying to ease the burden on his students. He’s taken out late-assignment penalties and tries to avoid creating a rigid class structure, allowing students to go on tangents for a few minutes if it feels right — sort of like the podcast.

“The main thing is kids showing up and just feeling like you are going to listen to them,” Aviles said.

Here’s what to know as NYC middle schools students head back to buildings

2021-02-24T20:37:23+00:00

New York City’s middle school classrooms will reopen Thursday for students who had been learning exclusively from home the past three months even though they opted for some in-person learning this year.

Mayor Bill de Blasio had closed all schools in late November amid a rise in coronavirus cases. Two weeks later, he reopened elementary schools and programs serving children with the most complex disabilities, while ramping up in-school coronavirus testing from monthly to weekly. But he delayed bringing back middle school students until expanding testing capacity for those schools and vaccine access for teachers, he said. High school campuses remain closed until the city can further expand COVID-19 testing.

Roughly 62,000 of about 200,000 middle school students are expected to return to buildings, education department officials said.

A majority of middle schoolers and other students, however, will still be learning remotely full-time. Roughly 70% of the city’s 960,000 students opted to learn from home this year.

Here are four key things to know about the return to middle school campuses:

How many middle school teachers have been vaccinated?

Schools staff are currently eligible for the vaccine, and city officials said middle school teachers were prioritized for shots during last week’s vacation. Roughly 30,000 of all teaching staff — including teachers, administrators, social workers, and guidance counselors — have received at least one vaccine dose, officials said Wednesday. (They didn’t immediately share data specifically for middle schools.)

The figures were based on appointments at city-sponsored vaccination sites only, so the total figure could be higher, said education department spokesperson Miranda Barbot. Additionally, the city teachers union estimated that 8,000 of their members have been vaccinated through their own vaccination program.

A total 150,000 people work for the education department, including central department staff.

What will COVID-19 testing look like, and how will the city handle positive cases?

New York City public schools must swab 20% of their in-person students and staff for the coronavirus. Testing is mandatory, and parents or guardians must fill out consent forms. If students refuse to be tested, they will be reverted to full-time remote learning.

When a positive case is reported at a school, the city’s so-called Situation Room begins a process to verify the test result, start tracing the student or staffer’s “close” contacts, and determine whether a classroom or the entire building should close. Ahead of middle school reopening, city officials have said that an additional 35 contact tracers will be in place. Officials also said they were prepared to fill 580 full- and part-time positions for the Situation Room. The education department did not immediately say where this hiring effort stands.

Educators, families, and lawmakers have said the Situation Room has issued confusing guidance for principals and has sometimes failed to let close contacts know of exposure, as in-school testing at already-open schools has become more frequent, while positive cases across the city were on a rise.

Can I expect my child’s middle school to remain open?

Schools across New York City have seen frequent closures since winter break, as in-school testing became more frequent and positive cases among students and staff ticked up alongside a rise in positive cases across the city. There have been 1,546 extended building closures since the fall, with about 700 happening in the month after winter break.

With the return of middle school, more students and staffers will be getting tested on a weekly basis. That could ultimately mean more detection of positive cases. The mayor had also previously shared concerns about the coronavirus variant from Britain, which is more highly transmissible, alarming many public health officials.

A school can be closed for 10 days if there are two positive cases in the building without any clear links, such as being in the same classroom. City officials are now reconsidering that rule.

“It’s something we’re working on right now to figure out the best way to handle that. I’m not going to say something until it’s done,” de Blasio told reporters Wednesday. “Clearly, we’re reevaluating that, we want to find a way to handle things that focuses on health and safety first, but keeps kids in school more, and we’ll have more to say on that soon.”

One public health expert told Chalkbeat that the city shouldn’t base closures on numbers, but rather on individual investigations of a classroom or school with the positive cases. Schools should only close if people are not following safety measures or there is not adequate ventilation, Dr. Elissa Perkins, director of infectious disease management at Boston Medical Center’s emergency department, previously told Chalkbeat.

Studies have found that in-school transmission can happen but is rare, and is less likely when schools follow safety protocols, including mask-wearing, social distancing, and increased ventilation.

Who is getting instruction five times a week?

About half of the city’s 471 middle schools will offer in-person instruction five days a week to the students who opted for hybrid learning, Chancellor Richard Carranza said earlier this month.

The rest of the schools will serve a portion of students full time. At those schools, full-time seats will be prioritized for high-needs students, including children with disabilities, who are learning English as a new language, and without stable housing.

What would student debt forgiveness mean to you? Tell Chalkbeat.

2021-02-22T18:50:39+00:00

Americans owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, a burden that prevents them from buying houses or even starting families.

Calls have mounted to cancel student debt. President Joe Biden has suggested he’s open to canceling up to $10,000 in student debt but balked at canceling larger amounts.

Advocates say canceling the debt will stimulate the economy and allow college graduates more economic freedom, especially during a pandemic that’s upended finances for many Americans.

But what does that really mean to the average borrower? Chalkbeat wants to hear your experiences and questions. We’re especially looking to hear from people who live in or attended school in the state of Colorado. We plan to use the results of the short survey below to inform our coverage. If you are uncomfortable with your name being used, please let us know at the bottom of the survey.

If you are having trouble viewing this form on mobile, go here.

Tell us: As Philadelphia inches toward reopening some school buildings, what are parents and students thinking?

2021-02-11T21:04:32+00:00

Philadelphia students in prekindergarten to second grade are supposed to head back to classrooms the week of Feb. 22, two weeks after Mayor Jim Kenney unveiled a vaccination plan for teachers and school staff.

This would be the first time students and teachers have returned physically to a classroom since March — but the school district and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers are still at odds over the district’s plan to keep educators safe.

Chalkbeat Philadelphia wants to hear from families and students at this moment in time. Our short survey will be used to gain insight into what families are experiencing and what questions they may have. We plan to use the results of the survey to inform our coverage. Know that this form is confidential and if you are uncomfortable with your name being used, please let us know at the end of the survey.

If you are having trouble viewing this form on mobile, go here.

From ‘ready to go back’ to ‘easier to learn this way,’ Memphians share their virtual learning experiences 5 months in

2021-01-29T00:13:12+00:00

One high school junior said “it’s not really school” and she hasn’t learned much. The parent of a second-grader has been blown away with teachers adapting to virtual school but is itching for a return to classrooms. A sixth-grade English teacher pauses every day to tell her students on the other side of the screen that she loves them.

The 2020-21 school year is now reaching the halfway point — and it’s played out entirely online for the roughly 90,000 students in Shelby County Schools.

District officials are tentatively planning a return to classrooms Feb. 8 for students whose families have taken that option — about a third of the student population. That could change, however, if Superintendent Joris Ray, who has taken a cautious approach to reopening, believes COVID-19 cases in the community are still too high.

Either way, the majority of Memphis students will continue to be learning online from home. We asked parents, teachers, and community leaders how it was going.

This is what we heard.

This story has been lightly edited for clarity and style.

Khalifa Clark, 11th grade student at White Station High School

Khalifa Clark

I know COVID-19 is going around and everything so it’s probably best to stay online, but at the same time, it’s draining. It’s nothing fun.

Our teachers talk, we just “listen” and then we log out. I feel like going online took the emotion out of the teachers as well. It took a toll on teachers too.

As far as me learning anything, no I haven’t really learned a lot this year. It’s been a lot more work and assignments than usual and I usually do them during class. It wasn’t the best even in person, but this year, it feels like it’s not really school. It’s just being there, turning stuff in. That’s what I feel like.

Even if we did reopen now though, I think it’s too late for this year. When they first gave that option I wanted to go back, but now I’m so used to online learning. I wouldn’t be able to keep up if we switched back now. I don’t think it would go well for a lot of folks.

I don’t know what I would want to be different. I just wish we were back in school. That’s all I can really say.

Kathy Mize, parent of a second grader at Grahamwood Elementary and a seventh grader at White Station Middle

Celia Mize, left, and Molly Mize, right.

My daughter in second grade is ready to go back. She’s mostly able to concentrate during the school day, but that age group needs socializing. We chose in-person learning for her each time the district asked.

But my daughter in seventh grade is living her best life with virtual school. She’s very motivated and doesn’t mind the social isolation as much. Chatting online with friends is enough.

When the school year started, I cried for weeks because my kids’ teachers were so great. They came prepared. They came with a plan. They didn’t just say it was going to be horrible. They came with their A-game. I was blown away.

Virtual learning has worked for our family. Our internet has survived and my husband, who works for FedEx, has been working from home. I’m a nurse but currently not working so I can stay at home with my daughters. But every day I remind the kids that it’s not working for everybody.

My kids get how serious this virus is. My father-in-law died from COVID-19 in a nursing home. We watched him die through a window and I got it during the funeral despite our safety precautions. I get Dr. Ray’s conundrum because there doesn’t seem to be a right answer. I know that it’s not as safe for a lot of kids to be at school. But it’s also not safe for them to be at home. You could argue it on either side.

Eric Watkins, virtual learning center coordinator at New Horizons apartment complex, executive director of Red Door Urban Missions

I don’t think students are really retaining the information. The kids are already behind. Now they’re going to be further behind. I know we’re trying, but it’s not working for the majority.

Eric Hawkins helps a student with his online class at a virtual learning center run by Red Door Urban Missions in an apartment complex in Memphis’ Whitehaven neighborhood.

The superintendent says virtual learning isn’t broken, but it’s broke, man. The students don’t think it’s school, they think it’s play. Come out to the communities where your students are attending online class and ask questions. If you don’t understand what they’re going through, how can you serve them with excellence?

If they can’t read the instructions, how can they answer the question? So they go to what they know and play an online game or start acting out.

I’m often the bridge between the school and the parent. I’ve had a principal call me when a student doesn’t show up for class online. Turns out, his mom was in the hospital. Many parents lost their jobs and kids don’t have the necessities they need. They’re just trying to survive.

I don’t know what would make it better, but how can we come together?

Bianca Martinez, sixth grade English teacher at Colonial Middle School

My favorite moment this semester was when we did a virtual field trip to Disneyland where someone had their camera on the whole time they were riding rides. The kids loved it.

Every morning I’m playing music and I’m happy. I start the day with a minute of mindful breathing with my students and I end each day with an affirmation we say together: I am kind, I am powerful, and I am responsible. I also say I love them at the end of every day. The resilience that is required for them to continue to show up each day, that’s why I’m not super hard on them.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a kid right now in front of a screen for so long and not being able to play outside with your friends. I just try to be graceful with them.

Bianca Martinez

Virtual learning has been difficult to navigate. We know that our students have extenuating circumstances, and they’ve always had that. But the pandemic has brought that to light. I have a handful of students who have lost their parents to COVID-19 and some who have to babysit their siblings during class while their parents work.

As with all learning, virtual learning works for some students and doesn’t for others. And I don’t think there’s a way that we can make it work for everyone. Everyone is doing the best they can. Parents can’t stop working. I was really reminded this semester how important it is to really make a loving space for kids. But if it comes with the risk of getting the kids sick or their parents sick, I recognize it’s a difficult choice to make.

I’ve been working from the school building so far because I have my own room by myself. But I plan to work from home when classrooms reopen. Ideally, we would wait until teachers are vaccinated to get back in the classroom. But if they required us to go back, I would go.

There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all and there’s not a perfect way to do it. I’m really grateful for how Dr. Ray has handled this because he aims to protect everybody.

Jalynn Sanders, 10th grader at Central High

Jalynn Sanders

The pandemic started a few weeks before my birthday. I was planning on having a big sleepover with my friends, maybe go out to eat and a movie, so it was really disheartening and it hurt a lot not to do it. With people who were in your life every day, it’s hard to be withdrawn from that so suddenly.

When virtual school started, I was devastated. But now I’ve come to enjoy it. I would take this over in-school learning. It’s easier to type out documents and assignments, there’s no paper. I have longer breaks in between classes and can email my teachers to get answers when I need them. There’s the comfort of being at home and not having to worry about lunch and people bothering you.

For people who have speaking anxiety, being able to turn your camera off during class and write down what you’re going to say before you unmute really makes a difference.

I definitely have learned a lot over virtual. I have seen a positive difference. It’s a lot easier to learn this way. I’m definitely retaining a lot more information than I did last year.

I hope teachers who are struggling with technology will get more help. Those kinds of problems take up a lot of class time and sometimes they ask students to help them. But I’m staying virtual most definitely. I am enjoying the luxury of virtual and 15-minute breaks between classes. But I will miss seeing my friends’ faces.

Encuesta: Mientras el plan de reapertura de Chicago se tambalea, ¿qué piensan los estudiantes y las familias?

2021-01-25T19:59:34+00:00

El enfrentamiento entre los profesores y el distrito escolar, debido a la reapertura, tiene a los estudiantes y las familias de Chicago en un estado de incertidumbre. Queremos saber: ¿Qué decisiones están sopesando ahora mismo? ¿Y qué necesita su hijo en este momento?

Chalkbeat Chicago quiere escuchar a las familias y a los estudiantes. Nuestra breve encuesta servirá para conocer lo que están experimentando las familias y las preguntas que puedan tener. Planeamos utilizar los resultados de la encuesta para informar sobre nuestra cobertura. Si no se siente cómodo con el uso de su nombre, comuníquelo al final de la encuesta.

Si tiene problemas para ver este formulario en su teléfono móvil, visite aquí.

Survey: As Chicago’s reopening plan teeters, what’s on the minds of students and families?

2021-01-25T19:59:34+00:00

A reopening standoff between teachers and the school district has cast Chicago students and families into a period of uncertainty. We want to know: What decisions are you weighing right now? And what does your student need in this moment?

Chalkbeat Chicago wants to hear from families and students. Our short survey will be used to gain insight into what families are experiencing and what questions they may have. We plan to use the results of the survey to inform our coverage. If you are uncomfortable with your name being used, please let us know at the bottom of the survey.

Having trouble viewing the survey on mobile? Go here.

It’s been two weeks since the Capitol attack. Here’s how students are feeling about national politics

2021-01-22T19:51:44+00:00

When Trump supporters attempted to take over the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the world was shocked. People were glued to their television and cellphone screens as the insurrection unfolded live on U.S. news channels and social media. Among the viewers? Young people.

“It was almost physically nauseating,” said Cayla Kushner, a 10th grade student at Laguardia High School in New York City. “I just felt very powerless.”

Students lived through many historic moments during former President Donald Trump’s administration, and his actions and words prompted many of them to join social justice movements.

Teenagers say they follow what’s happening at the Capitol because it directly affects their lives — and in a few years, they will be able to take a stand at the ballot box.

Two student moderators from the New York Youth Journalism Association joined a group of peers on a Jan. 14 Zoom video call to discuss the insurrection and what they think it means for national politics as a whole, now and in the future.

“It was just crazy because everything seemed … after the election, to not calm down, but at least slightly from what was happening before,” said Lucia Tsurumaki, a 10th grader at LaGuardia High School. “Then, just suddenly, we turn on the news, and it was very chaotic and just sort of disgusting to watch in some way. So many people just going there at once in a very violent and chaotic manner.”

The conversation covered issues such as the police response during the insurrection, Trump’s comments to the mob, and his second impeachment. Students also shared their thoughts about race and equity, social media, and Generation Z as they pertain to national politics.

“I’ll be blunt,” said Joshua Araujo, a senior at the Academy of American Studies. “I don’t think that there will ever be unity in the country.”

Watch the full conversation below.

‘This is something I can do now’: What Kamala Harris’ ascension means for girls of color

2021-01-19T23:26:42+00:00

As Kamala Harris becomes the first woman, the first African American, and the first person of South Asian descent to become U.S. vice president, many girls of color will be celebrating the multiple historic barriers coming down with a single oath.

In the days leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden and Harris, Chalkbeat spoke with Black, brown, and Asian teenagers about the significance of this moment. They discussed the importance of having elected officials who look like them, wondered why it took so long to get here, and told us how they plan to hold the new administration accountable. These young women also shared their wide-ranging policy priorities, including COVID relief, combatting climate change, increasing the minimum wage, and defunding the police.

Their stories are interspersed with poetry by younger girls, and a performance of “Represent” by 16-year-old spoken-word artist Ife Martin of Detroit. “Do you feel that?” she asks. “The roar of change rumbling under our feet, under our All Star Chucks and church shoes. It’s hard to find but long overdue.”

Kellen Zeng, 17, Staten Island, NY

Senior, Staten Island Technical High School

I saw something on Twitter about all the vice presidents throughout the years. It’s all white men and then, all of the sudden, you see Kamala. I find that really inspiring.

I want to follow in her footsteps in a way. I’ve always had an interest in policy and advocacy and activism but I told myself: “No, you have to play it safe. You have to reach financial security.” And then there’s the whole idea that as a woman of color, you have to work twice as hard. But now, having a female vice president and seeing BIPOC women in office, I want to be able to pursue that path, too. I’d love to see the day that having a woman in office isn’t something to celebrate. It’s not a success story; it’s just a norm.

Kellen Zeng is a member of the nonprofit civic engagement organization YVote.

For now, there’s a lot of pressure on Biden and Harris during their first 100 days. What are they going to do about the pandemic? How are they going to help Americans who are currently unemployed? The economy is not doing the best right now, and that should be one of the priorities. Both of my parents were unemployed at the beginning of the pandemic. My dad helps out in his friends’ restaurants, and my mom has a beauty salon that wasn’t open for a long time. They are immigrants from China, and I had to help them apply for unemployment.

The most pressing thing right now is rolling back some of the damage done during the Trump presidency. A lot of LGBTQ rights were violated. I know that the fight isn’t over. Just because Biden and Harris won the election, it doesn’t mean America is great again.

Ife Martin, 16, Detroit, Michigan

Junior, West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Michigan

Ife Martin performs an original poem titled “Represent,” reflecting on Harris’ historic role. Ife is a member of InsideOut Literary Arts and the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. She is the winner of the 2021 National YoungArts Award in spoken word.

Ashton Mayo-Beavers, 18, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Freshman, Mercer University in Macon, Georgia

When I moved from Tennessee to Georgia to start college last fall, I was expecting, well, another version of Tennessee.

Growing up in Knoxville and Chattanooga, I saw policies that impact women’s health designed by men. I saw a lack of representation of Black women in government. I saw police brutality and inequitable justice systems.

Ashton Mayo-Beavers started college during the pandemic.

I still see many of those things in Georgia from my dorm room. But now, I also see Stacey Abrams. I see Kamala Harris. I see the importance of local elections, and that every single vote really does matter.

Fall of 2020 was a crazy time to start college. The COVID-19 pandemic meant that some of my classes were online and some were in person, and I had to navigate the tension of trying to focus on friends and classes while staying safe. As we were trying to prepare for our first final exams — and on top of the pandemic — there was this election. One of my professors called it the most important election of our time. For me, it was the first election I ever voted in.

On Election Day, which was more of an election month, we were told by older African American students that we shouldn’t go out. Even though Kamala Harris, a Black woman, was on the path to one of the most powerful positions in our nation, I, as a Black student, didn’t feel comfortable going to all-campus debate watch parties. I worried that the color of my skin would make me a target if tensions escalated.

Even now, I’m not sure I have processed how big it is that Kamala Harris is going to be so many firsts. For so long, I was waiting for the results to be official. I was waiting for the carpet to be dragged out from under us. It’s happened before.

No one is fully processing how big it is or how long it took. There already are so many great local leaders that are women of color, and that’s amazing. But the fact is, we will have a woman vice president who is a person of color that’s going to open the doors for so many people to envision themselves as our nation’s future.

Kimora Guy, Memphis, Tennessee

First grade, Power Center Academy Elementary School in Memphis

I can
I can do what she can do…
She went to a Black college.
I can too.

She wrote a book.
I can too.
Look! She’s running to be Vice President for the United States.
Can she do that?

Not only can she do it, but she has done it!!
So I can too!

Munaja Mehzabin, 17, Queens, New York

Senior, Academy of American Studies in Queens

Growing up South Asian, I saw brown actors and actresses while watching Bollywood movies with my parents. When it came to Hollywood films, Jasmine from “Aladdin” was the closest it came. Of course, when I was younger I didn’t think about representation, about not seeing people like me in TVs or movies. (The exceptions were side characters in stereotypical roles — a math whiz, or an owner of a gas station store.)

Munaja Mehzabin has critiqued Harris’ record as a prosecutor.

These days, there are more and varied roles for South Asians, and I’m extremely glad. But representation is about more than entertainment. Representation also matters when it comes to who is representing us in government.

Kamala Harris will be the first-ever South Asian vice president, even though that tends to go over people’s heads, and the first-ever African American vice president. She will also be the first-ever woman to be vice president. In this role, she is changing things for women of color. It is so important to see people who look like you make a change because it can push people to be “the next first.” Young girls can look to Kamala Harris and feel like it’s possible to have a seat in the White House. Sure, there will always be men who don’t think a woman is capable of an important job, but we must prove them wrong.

Even though Kamala Harris has accomplished something so extraordinary, she’s far from perfect when it comes to racial justice. She was previously a prosecutor, and has sometimes sided with the police. As California’s attorney general, her office fought to keep a man named George Gage behind bars even though there was evidence that he had been wrongly convicted. She also opposed a state bill that would have regulated the use of police body cameras.

As citizens, we have to hold our leaders accountable. We have to make sure they hear us. Vice President Kamala Harris will inspire others and hold open doors. I am extremely grateful for that. At the same time, I will not glorify her.

Brooklyn Cauley, 16, Rockwall, Texas

Sophomore, Rockwall High School

I live in a predominantly white community and attend a predominantly white school, where I’m a National Honor Society student and participate in several clubs. I’m the only Black girl and the only Black person on my robotics team. I used to mentor a younger robotics team, and I felt like I was showing others that Black girls — and girls in general — can excel in STEM. That’s a big, progressive step.

Brooklyn Cauley has mentored younger students who are interested in robotics.

In a political office, where there is not that much diversity, Kamala Harris’ win is a big thing. It shows that people are moving forward. It’s making a change. Our voices are being heard.

Biden talks about raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15. This increase would bring so many people out of poverty in the U.S. This could help make so many Black communities better.

I also hope they get more vaccines out, and they actually focus on the coronavirus. [President Trump] made a joke out of it. I know a lot of kids at school don’t believe that the virus is dangerous. I’m also in the agriculture program at school, and a lot of the students tend to be big Trump supporters, which is fine. I’m not judging anyone based on their political views. We are required to wear masks to school, but a lot of students don’t keep it up over their nose. Some won’t even wear them at all when school staff is not around.

Biden’s message at the inauguration should be something like: I know the country hasn’t been the greatest this past year. I know we have had a lot of racial issues, but we can persevere. A lot of people are struggling financially with job losses, and some are struggling mentally. We can’t just break away and say, we hate this person or that person. We have to come together to fix these issues. They are not going to be resolved by violence or fighting with our neighbor. I believe we need to pray more.

Sharona Nagamuthu, 17, Queens, New York

Junior, Scholars Academy in Queens

When the election was called for Biden and Harris, I was sleeping because [since Election Day] I was staying up until ridiculous hours of the night, glued to my TV. I checked my phone at about 11 a.m., and all of my friends were texting me: “Oh my God. They won.” It was an instant sense of relief. It had been this whole week; it was this whole long process. I’d be in my classes online, and I’d have another tab with the news open just so I could keep myself updated. After I heard, I actually went back to sleep — that’s how relieved I was, that I could finally sleep.

Sharona Nagamuthu said the new administration comes as “a relief.”

It was a relief because it showed me that this state that we’re in right now hopefully won’t always continue to exist, and we can ultimately improve on our lives and — especially, as a person of color — that new policies can be enacted that will help me and many others.

I’m an immigrant from Guyana. My family immigrated to the U.S. when I was 2. [Through YVote], I’ve done a lot of research on immigration policies, and we know the Trump administration has enacted a lot of policies that have impacted immigrants negatively — the travel ban from some Middle Eastern countries and countries in Africa and also the construction of the southern border wall. I know the border wall has done a lot of environmental damage. To add onto that, I’d also like to see policies that combat climate change. I think it’s kind of ridiculous that you have people who don’t recognize that climate change is real when scientists are literally proving it, and you can see the impacts in our life.

Megan Davis, Memphis, Tennessee

Fourth grade, Power Center Academy Elementary School in Memphis

A Little Girl's Dream
Roses are red and violets are blue
The next Vice President is Black and she's a woman, too!
2020 has been hard, but also great.

I can't believe a woman is part of the Head of State.
This changes everything, history too.
Madam Kamala Harris, I want to be just like you.
The path you've set out for me and others means we can do anything,
if we help one another.

I'm proud to be Black and a young girl, too, so I can grow up and be just like you.

Melanie Gonzalez Castillo, 19, Newark, New Jersey

Freshman, Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania

As a feminist, I am happy a woman is becoming vice president in the U.S. for the first time. This inspires me. Kamala Harris’ parents were immigrants to this country. I moved to New Jersey from Mexico when I was 14 years old. This gives me hope for me and for my future children.

Melanie Gonzalez Castillo says Kamala Harris’ rise gives her hope.

I have been watching old interviews with Kamala, and she said that DACA recipients — undocumented young people, brought to the U.S. as children — come here believing in the democracy of the United States, and it’s beautiful to see them trust in this democracy.

A lot of people don’t trust in this country right now.

With everything that happened in the Capitol this month, I’ve been thinking more about what it means to believe in democracy. Throughout history, a lot of negative things have happened in this country, but it is my second home and has given me much. Yet people from this nation are the ones tearing it apart.

It’s so disturbing to see what this has come to, but I do have a lot of hope for the future. I have hope because of my dad, who came to this country and works hard every day. He taught me how important the work ethic is when paired with honesty and positivity. I have hope when I think about my sister, who is about to graduate college with a psychology degree.

Even though there’s still a lot to be done, and many things we must change, I have hope when I think about the generations that will come after me. They won’t think of it as revolutionary to have a woman in the White House. I hope the new generation grows up in a world where they can see equality and opportunity as something normal — not something they have to tirelessly fight for. It is up to each of us to create that change.

Ama Russell, 17, Detroit

Senior, Cass Technical High School

When I heard Biden and Harris had won, I was with my 92-year-old grandma, so it was a really big deal. She didn’t think we’d have Barack Obama [in her lifetime], so it was special to share the moment with her.

Later that day, organizers in Detroit held a Count Every Vote action, celebrating that we got Trump out and gearing up to hold the Biden-Harris administration accountable. We were very excited because Detroit, and most importantly its Black voters, carried Michigan [for Biden].

Ama Russell says representation is important, but it’s not enough.

Holding the Biden-Harris administration accountable means they are centering Black people in their policy, making sure that people don’t think that just because we got Trump out that injustices are solved. We will put pressure on them to do more for environmental issues and more for social justice, that we are pushing them to defund the police and to push the envelope to liberate Black people. Representation is important, but it’s not enough.

Before Biden chose Kamala Harris, there was talk that he was going to pick a Black woman as his running mate. When my father announced it was Kamala, I was like, “Oh, yay,” even though I really wanted it to be my girl Stacey Abrams. It was Stacey Abrams who ultimately made it possible for Democrats to win back the Senate. I think it’s important to honor her and all of the Black organizers who made space for Kamala.

For young girls, like myself, Kamala will make them see themselves in American politics. It will make them feel like they belong, in some sense, and see that they can do this. This isn’t a “when pigs fly” kind of thing. This is something achievable, it’s attainable, and it’s not something that has to happen in the next century. This is something I can do now.

‘Reinvesting in the brilliance in our backyard’: Young Denver alumni push for change

2021-01-08T17:26:21+00:00

When TeRay Esquibel was 16, he found the power of his voice. It’s part of what inspired him a decade later to co-found Ednium: The Alumni Collective, a new group of young Denver Public Schools alumni advocating for policy changes in the district.

Esquibel was a student at Denver’s Abraham Lincoln High School when he became a father. His son was born three months premature, weighing less than 2 pounds. Esquibel had dreams of being the first in his family to graduate from college, but he also faced doubters.

Through an internship aimed at reframing young parenthood, Esquibel told his story and interviewed other teen fathers. He won awards and spoke to hospital staff about the microaggressions he’d experienced, such as his son’s doctors turning their backs to him.

“When I found my voice, things got really clear,” Esquibel said. “At a point in time when it didn’t feel like people saw me, finding a way to utilize my voice gave me power.”

That lesson stuck with Esquibel when he went to the University of Denver, and after he graduated. And it was on his mind the first time he gathered a group of recent Denver Public Schools alumni to meet with district officials, an effort that eventually became Ednium.

Most alumni involved with Ednium are people of color, and all are between 17 and 30. The group has two purposes: To empower young graduates by providing leadership training, and to advocate for things they wish they had when they were students. Ednium is seeking to become a nonprofit organization, and it has received funding from local philanthropies and support from education advocacy organization RootED, for which Esquibel works.

“This is reinvesting in the brilliance in our backyard,” said Esquibel, 27. “This is mobilizing the brilliance to be the powerful force for change that we claim we want them to be.”

Ednium’s first two requests to the district, where a majority of students are Black and Hispanic, are to make courses in ethnic studies and financial literacy requirements to graduate.

“A lot of the people around me, when they get to college, they’re being offered these credit cards and offered all this debt, not knowing what that is,” said Kai Suematsu, a 2018 graduate of George Washington High who is now a student at the University of Colorado Boulder.

As a high school freshman, Suematsu took a one-semester financial literacy course where he learned practical skills like the difference between savings and checking accounts and how to do his taxes. They’re skills he still uses today. But most Denver students aren’t learning the same things in school. Last year, the financial literacy class was offered at just four Denver high schools. Only 157 students in the 92,000-student district took it, according to Ednium.

“Why am I the exception?” Suematsu asked the Denver school board last month. “Why couldn’t my friends who are now in credit card debt have the opportunity to take those classes?”

Ednium alumni also spoke about the need for more ethnic studies classes. Former Denver Superintendent Susana Cordova, who resigned last month, had made increasing the number of students taking courses like African American history and Chicano studies one of her priorities. In 2019, only 8% of Denver high school students took an ethnic studies course. The number of courses offered at each high school ranged from several to none at all.

“In the fourth grade, I learned about our state bird,” said Richard Maez, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School who now works for the district. “Seventh grade, I learned about the pharaoh Tutankhamun. Tenth grade, we explored the Roman Empire. And in 12th grade, we spent one week discussing the Mexican Revolution. It wasn’t until college that I was able to take a course exploring race and ethnicity and its impact on the United States.”

East High graduate Stephanie Lopez said it’s important for students to see themselves in the curriculum. “A cultural and ethnic studies curriculum can provide the space for students to see themselves, as well as the space to have real conversations about race,” she said.

Ednium’s advocacy dovetails with a push from current Denver high school students to diversify the curriculum. The school board has been receptive, passing a resolution this fall to add the “comprehensive historical and contemporary contributions of Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities” to the curriculum from kindergarten to 12th grade.

But the resolution doesn’t make ethnic studies a graduation requirement. Esquibel said he believes the district can both diversify the curriculum and prioritize ethnic studies. Thus far, Ednium has gotten a positive response from district leaders, starting with former superintendent Cordova and her senior staff, who have met with the alumni regularly.

“What I’ve been telling the alumni is we got their attention,” Esquibel said. “But now we’re at the hard part. There’s going to be resistance somewhere. How do we deal with it?”

Witnessing history: Teachers and students left reeling, looking for lessons in an insurrection

2021-01-08T01:34:56+00:00

Graham Kwiatkowski, a social studies teacher at Curie High School on Chicago’s Southwest Side, stayed up past midnight to watch coverage of the U.S. Capitol takeover and its aftermath. Then, he woke up at 4 a.m. to prepare for his virtual first-period psychology class.

After asking students how they were feeling, Kwiatkowski showed six news photos without captions: three from unchecked rioting on Capitol Hill Wednesday and three of tense standoffs between Black Lives Matter protesters and police officers last summer.

Students knew right away what Kwiatkowski was getting at — and readily launched into a discussion about the difference in law enforcement response.

“Students are so in tune with what’s going on in their city and around the country,” he said. “They knew if this had been a group of 5,000 or 10,000 people of color at the Capitol, the response would not have been the same.”

Teachers once again found themselves Thursday trying to explain a tumultuous turning point in our nation’s history, just as they did following the initial uncertainty of November’s election, the unrest after George Floyd’s killing, and at the start of the pandemic. Many accepted the challenge, viewing this as a moment to interrogate what the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol Wednesday at President Trump’s urging says about race, violence, and the future of democracy.

Educators turned to news articles and artwork, social media posts and Zoom chats to help their conversations. Scrapping lesson plans, they saw themselves as both facilitators and sources for correcting misinformation. All the while, they were mindful of the confusion, the trauma, and the emotional fatigue many children have already endured.

As an art teacher at a West Tennessee elementary school, Kathryn Vaughn says current events often “find their way” into her classroom. That was true Wednesday, when fifth graders trickling into her class saw Vaughn watching live video coverage of the Capitol siege and asked what was going on.

“I told them history was happening today,” she said.

Vaughn showed her students art from the American Revolution and the War of 1812. The students talked about the Capitol going into a lockdown, a concept familiar to them because of active shooter drills at school. “My students were very curious,” she said. “We should as educators share these teachable historical moments with our students.”

‘They are so young and have already seen so much’

Young students may not completely understand what happened Wednesday. But after 16 years teaching 5- and 6-year-olds, Meredith Schechter of CW Henry Elementary School in Philadelphia knows that “even first graders feel the stress around them. Many may not know why everyone is stressed, and that only increases their anxiety.”

So how do you explain such violence to youngsters? Schechter, whose school is diverse, gave her students some basic facts and let them ask questions. She worked to relate the moment in history back to the children’s lives, discussing “big feelings” and “the need to make good choices.”

“We talked about what are healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with disappointment,” she said. “If you are disappointed and don’t get your way, there are healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with it.”

For some teachers, Thursday’s lessons were part of an ongoing conversation. Taelor Garrett’s fifth graders at KIPP Indy Unite Elementary in Indianapolis have discussed the national unrest as well as turmoil closer to home, such as the May killing by police of Dreasjon Reed, a 21-year-old Black man.

“They are so young and have already seen so much,” Garrett said of her students, who are mostly Black and brown.

For other teachers, there was uneasiness. Social studies teacher Mariah Pol knew she would need to talk about the siege in her eighth grade U.S. history class, which began studying the Constitution this week. As a teacher in the racially, economically, and politically diverse northwest Indiana community of Michigan City, Pol worried about some parents thinking she was brainwashing students. But she didn’t want to present multiple perspectives.

“Yesterday was just wrong and disgraceful. And I can’t stay silent in this matter,” she said.

Pol, who is in her sixth year teaching, started Thursday’s classes by showing students a PBS Newshour video about the riot, then she asked questions to gauge how students felt. Most students were shocked by the violence. Even those who had vocally supported President Trump in the past said it was unacceptable. When one student said the assault seemed fun, others were quick to disagree.

Ismael Jimenez led a similar discussion during his 11th grade history class at Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School in Philadelphia. One student suggested Trump was being a sore loser: “He needs to learn to take an L.” Another was surprised at the lack of security and law enforcement response to the insurgents storming the Capitol, saying it was “treated like a small attack.”

Student Joseph Calloway pointed to an internet meme that gets at the way the media, law enforcement, and society treats unrest differently depending on the race of who is involved.

“Hey Mr. Jimenez, it kind of reminds me of this thing I saw on the Internet,” Calloway said. “It says ‘protest’ for Caucasian or lighter, and says ‘riot’ for Black or darker.”

‘Teachers, don’t shy away from talking about today’s events!’

Not all students had time at school for those discussions, though. Nashville high school senior Ommay Farah consumed Wednesday’s news over the radio and on TikTok. In a group chat with friends, she noted the hypocrisy of the mob’s defenders criticizing Black Lives Matter protests at the Capitol, yet finding justification in storming the building.

But on Thursday during her online classes at Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School, it was more or less business as usual, with no discussion of what had transpired in D.C.

Farah would have welcomed one — “like maybe as a bell ringer” — but has found that freewheeling talks about current events are a casualty of virtual learning.

“I feel like being virtual puts another screen people have to go through before saying something, so less people say what they would have said in person,” she said. “If we were in person, I feel like it would be one of the only things we would be talking about all day.”

Some district leaders signaled to educators that it was important to lean into this historic moment. “Teachers, don’t shy away from talking about today’s events! Our students know what is going on—let them talk,” Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti tweeted early Thursday morning, recalling his own time as a teacher following the 9/11 attacks.

Sharon Contreras, the superintendent of Guilford County schools in North Carolina, said her district’s leaders spent much of Wednesday evening and Thursday putting together resources to help teachers create safe spaces for students to share how they were feeling.

“So often when there are difficult conversations to be had, what we do is we run,” Contreras said. “We’re telling teachers that schools are appropriate places to have these conversations.”

For Contreras, it was also important that educators were prepared to help students process the racism that was on display at the U.S. Capitol building, and to understand “the difference between an armed insurrection and the right to protest.”

“We made sure that we shared with principals and teachers that we have to acknowledge the differences in the response when Black Lives Matter protested the death of George Floyd and so many others, and the difference to the response with what seems to be encouragement and license given to the insurgents yesterday,” she said. “The difference is stunning, and it’s not lost on our students, staff, and community.”

In the Aldine Independent School District just north of Houston, superintendent LaTonya Goffney was able to call on the district’s team of social and emotional learning specialists to lead restorative circles on Thursday morning. That group has expanded as students’ needs have grown during the pandemic.

But Goffney said their work felt different this week. Teaching students about the protests over the murder of George Floyd, who grew up in Houston, “was something close to home,” Goffney said, because “we’ve grown accustomed to seeing Black unarmed men killed in the street.”

“Being raised in the South, in a rural area, I’m very familiar with the Confederate flag, but I never imagined it at our U.S. Capitol. It triggered all kinds of emotions,” she said. “While I would like to say that all the craziness of 2020 prepared us for this crazy in 2021 … I think it’s unreal. I’m still pretty shocked.”

Some educators tapped outside resources to help teach the week’s events. Ira Abrams, an English teacher at Williams Preparatory School of Medicine-DuSable Campus on Chicago’s South side, relied on an emergency lesson plan from Mikva Challenge — a youth civic engagement organization in Chicago — to help guide classroom discussion.

In one exercise, Abrams placed two quotes on a Google chalkboard and asked his juniors to place sticky notes on a continuum of agreement. One quote from President-Elect Joe Biden said, “The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are.” The other quote from activists on Twitter said, “This is exactly what America is and has always been.” Students aligned themselves with the activists.

‘My mind was on their emotional fatigue’

Sabrina Anfossi Kareem, an 11th grade English teacher at Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, was conscious of the difficulty of this moment for students.

She started her virtual classes Thursday with a question: How do you feel about what happened at the Capitol? But she also offered an alternative: to list a goal they want to achieve over the weekend. About a third in each class chose that question.

“We had a student from our school killed earlier in the year, our students have had house fires, family members die [in the pandemic], some families are at the intersection of immigration issues and COVID — my mind was on their emotional fatigue,” Kareem said.

Kareem’s plans evolved as many students showed a particular interest in talking about the way that uniformed officers responded and how that response differed from what they’d witnessed during Black Lives Matter protests — the rubber bullets, tear gas, and arrests. By her second class of the day, a follow-up question had emerged: How would you handle this situation if you were in charge of officers on the ground? And what if the protesters support something you don’t?

“It was more of a seed planting question,” said Anfossi Kareem, who plans to follow up with a discussion of the book “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas — that is, if she can source enough copies quickly.

The scenes of a mostly white mob ransacking the Capitol building then leaving freely did not shock Bashir Muhammad Akinyele’s students at Weequahic High School in Newark. He had taught them about America’s racist legacy, from slavery to the destruction of “Black Wall Street” in 1921 to last year’s police killing of George Floyd. Yet, with help from essays in the 1619 Project, he had also taught his students about Black Americans’ long struggle for full citizenship.

“Throughout the history of this country, we’ve been fighting to make America live up to its democratic ideals,” he said.

When his students on Thursday discussed this latest attack on democracy, they were angry — but also worried about the country’s future, Akinyele said. “They asked, ‘Will we ever really practice democracy?” he said. “I said, ‘If we don’t destroy white supremacy and systematic racism, we will never get to true democracy.’”

Like many teachers, Hayley Breden put lessons for her Advanced Placement U.S. History classes on hold and instead used Thursday to make sure her students had accurate information. She provided links to five news stories, including an Associated Press report chronicling Wednesday’s events and an explainer on the 25th Amendment governing the removal of the president.

She gave her students at Denver’s South High School 15 minutes to read them and then share what they’d learned with each other.

“That way, they’re seeing information on their own,” she said. “I want them to feel that sense of empowerment to inform themselves rather than relying on me to tell them everything.”

But when a student in one of her classes began typing in the Google Meet chat box that the presidential election had been stolen, that Wednesday’s events were peaceful, and that racism wasn’t playing a role in any of it, Breden stepped in.

“As the adult, it’s my job to be like, ‘You’re making inaccurate statements,’” she said. “I reiterated that the election results are the results. Being upset about results is totally different than denying reality. For the other students, it’s important for them to see that difference.”

This story was reported by Melanie Asmar, Caroline Bauman, Kalyn Belsha, Johann Calhoun, Mila Koumpilova, Dylan Peers McCoy, Dale Mezzacappa, Samantha Smylie, Cassie Walker Burke, Patrick Wall, and Aaricka Washington.

‘Safer in school’: How students led the overhaul of sexual harassment protections in Shelby County Schools

2020-12-21T20:32:02+00:00

Shelby County Schools leaders recently revised how the Memphis district handles sexual harassment complaints after pressure from former and current students who championed the change starting four years ago.

The district hired a full-time coordinator last year to investigate complaints under federal Title IX requirements instead of adding those responsibilities to another position. More recently, the district’s policy added clear definitions of sexual harassment, consent, and discrimination.

“This is a topic that people aren’t talking about,” said Caitlin Lloyd, who was a part of the initial student group during the 2015-16 school year and is now in college.

Sexual harassment and sexual violence at K-12 schools is a growing concern nationally and can severely affect student learning. The trauma can hinder students’ ability to concentrate in school, especially if they still have to interact with an aggressor who has not suffered any consequences.

For students living in poverty who already struggle to receive the academic support they need, like most Memphis students do, this trauma can set them back further. And federal crime data shows children and people with low incomes are much more likely to be victims of sexual assault.

Becca Folkes-Lallo is now a student at Rhodes College in Memphis.

The Memphis student group’s effort began in 2016, after several of Becca Folkes-Lallo’s classmates confided in her that they had been sexually harassed at school. She picked up the phone to figure out who was responsible for investigating the incidents. Folks-Lallo, then a junior at White Station High, recalled being transferred several times and hanging up the phone more frustrated than when she started. The district’s website now includes who to contact when reporting an incident.

“I remember the helplessness I felt. I was like, ‘I don’t know how to help you,’” Folkes-Lallo said of conversations with friends who experienced sexual harassment. “I don’t even know what to call what happened to you. I know that it’s wrong and it hurts me and seeing you hurt, hurts me. But I didn’t know.”

Folks-Lallo then got together with peers from student advocacy organization Bridges to talk about what to do next. After hosting workshops defining sexual harassment, the students surveyed about 200 peers across Shelby County Schools. They found more than half said they had been harassed at least once and 19% said they were harassed often or very often.

Tennessee’s rate of sexual assault allegations was the 10th highest in the nation during the 2015-16 school year, the U.S. Department of Education reported. The total number of sexual harassment complaints K-12 students reported to the federal department last year was nearly 15 times higher than a decade ago.

When Kamren Henderson joined the group during the 2018-19 school year, students slowly began meeting with the district’s highest officials to present their ideas.

“We kind of pushed ourselves in the door,” he recalled. They quickly found out that systemic change would take careful planning.

“It was complex. It was hard. It was weighty,” he said.

In 2019, the district hired Mary Tucker as the Title IX coordinator for Shelby County Schools, as students began meeting more often with district leaders after raising awareness among students.

“When students are faced with discrimination, their social emotional health and well-being are at risk as well as their ability to learn,” Tucker said in a joint statement with Bridges. “These efforts help ensure the district supports the whole child as they work toward academic success.”

As the new policy started to form, the group began holding periodic “Survivor Power Hour” sessions where students could share with each other their own stories of sexual harassment and violence, and learn more about ways to get involved in the campaign. They also networked with other students across the nation who have pushed for similar policy reforms.

When the group found out about the new policy approved by the school board this summer, some students cried, while others cheered. Still, they said there’s much to do to make sure students and teachers understand the policy.

“It’s clear how this policy protects students,” said Folkes-Lallo. She’s grateful for the accomplishment, but can’t help wishing it would have happened sooner. “I would have felt safer in school.”

‘Brave spaces’ needed: How schools can foster meaningful conversations after the 2020 election

2020-12-15T17:20:38+00:00

While all 50 states require some form of instruction about civics and government, the nation’s public schools generally make little time for students to discuss issues at the heart of American democracy.

“It isn’t talked about enough at our school,” said Ommay Farah, a high school senior in Nashville, on the topic of citizenship and its rights and responsibilities.

Ommay joined educators and other students Monday to brainstorm how schools can foster meaningful classroom conversations in the wake of the most divisive presidential election in modern U.S. history. The online event was hosted by Chalkbeat and The Education Trust in Tennessee.

The panelists agreed that understanding the political and practical issues that divided America in 2020 is too critical to a functioning democracy to limit to a single high school civics course. Civics instruction, media literacy, and discussions about history and current events should be embedded across K-12 curriculum and instruction, they said.

But how exactly to do that can be almost as controversial as the political issues being debated across America.

Kat McRitchie, who teaches humanities at Crosstown High School in Memphis, said the goal should be to create a “brave space” to help students turn honest talk into constructive action. She cited numerous national resources to help.

“It’s happening in other states and places. There’s a movement for action civics,” McRitchie said.

Watch the discussion for ideas and resources on how to help students respectfully learn and grow together — and help educators feel equipped and empowered to lead those conversations. (Having trouble viewing the video on mobile? Go here).

The 2020 Election is a pivotal moment. How can educators and students foster meaningful conversation?
For many of Tennessee’s students, the 2020 election was the first memorable election that they voted in, volunteered for, or talked about with their peers and teachers. In the midst of such chaotic times – the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the tumultuous election, and the contention over the results – we want to hear directly from students and educators. There’s no set curriculum for how to talk about current events, especially in such a divisive political season – and some Tennessee students have had robust discussions in their classrooms while others have had little space for such conversations. How can educators and students foster meaningful dialogue right now? Join Chalkbeat and the Education Trust in Tennessee to hear directly from students and educators.
Posted by Chalkbeat Tennessee on Monday, December 14, 2020

Panel members are:

Trey Cunningham, senior at Haywood High School, Brownsville, Tenn.
Ommay Farah, senior at Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School, Nashville
Khadesha Gordon, student at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (co-moderator with Chalkbeat reporter Laura Faith Kebede)
Diarese George, founder and executive director of the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance
Joey Hassell, superintendent of Haywood County Schools
Kat McRitchie, humanities teacher, Crosstown High School, Memphis

‘We’re speaking up for the unheard’: Dozens of students at Kensington CAPA protest screen time

2020-12-15T15:28:02+00:00

Some students at Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School did not log into school Monday in a protest over screen time.

For nearly a month, some students at the school have argued for less daily screen time, saying their remote-learning schedule is excessive and unhealthy. Students spend about six hours a day on screens, and many have homework afterward.

“The students are finally putting our foot down because every time we bring this up nothing happens and we are sick and tired of it,” Jayden Morales, a 10th grader at the school, said. “Our mental health is not really there.”

Students involved in Monday’s “logout” estimated 50 students didn’t attend virtual classes, out of more than 500 at the school. Students told Chalkbeat they think that number could grow if school administrators don’t address their concerns. Principal Patricia M. McDermott-Fair has not responded to requests for comment.

“The logout that took place was to grab people’s attention,” said Dena Stiles-Lawson, a 10th grader at KCAPA. “So what we are going to do now is if you don’t fix the problem then who is to say that we will keep logging in and subjecting ourselves to this schedule?”

The students’ proposed schedule would start at 9 a.m. and end at 2:25 p.m., with a longer lunch and homeroom and five-minute breaks between each class. They would like no screens on Fridays. Right now, students attend class between 8 a.m. and 3:04 p.m., nearly six hours a day, even with small breaks and lunch.

Samantha Ayala, a senior, said she believes the school could look at other high schools’ schedules for comparison. “There are other schools starting later in the day and work closer with their students,” she said.

Royal Hues, a 10th grader at KCAPA, echoed the sentiments of her classmates. “This logout was important because it speaks up for those who are scared to speak up. This logout states that we are a team and we can work together and we can get this schedule changed. We’re speaking up for the unheard.”

During his last press briefing, school Superintendent William Hite said the district provided guidance for school leaders on the structure of a virtual day. The district is currently collecting results from teacher and student surveys.

Hite said the district’s guidelines “took into account the screen time” for all grades. He said if students are concerned about screen time they should first talk to their teachers and then their school principal.

According to Chief of Academic Supports Malika Savoy-Brooks, the district implemented schedules and incorporated brain breaks when it had to transition to digital learning due to COVID-19

“In no way, do we expect students or staff to be engaged in on-screen activities for extended periods of time and we will continue to work with students, staff and school communities to see how we can best support them while we remain engaged in digital learning,” Savoy-Brooks said.

Education and medical experts say that too much screen time can cause poor sleeping habits, anxiety, and obesity.

“School makes situations for kids like me hard,” said Christian Dominguez, an 11th grader at KCAPA. “I’m also in foster care so I have to deal with court dates and therapy and deal with workers always on my back for little things that happen during the day.”

McDermott-Fair on Friday sent two separate letters to families and faculty that the school had “received communication” some students and staff might stage a “logout” protest on Monday.

“I understand that frustrations might be heightened because of the very unusual circumstances that we’re all living in these days,” McDermott-Fair wrote.

Students who didn’t log in to class on Monday received an unexcused absence. In the letter to Kensington CAPA staff, McDermott-Fair said she expected staff members to follow their schedule Monday.

Students at Kensington CAPA started an online petition almost a month ago to demand an alternate schedule, which would reduce class times to 50 minutes instead of 90 minutes. A growing number of teachers at KCAPA are supporting the students’ concerns.

Love Speech another KCAPA sophomore, stated other demands include creating a student council, and getting students help on issues at home, and more honors classes.

“We are putting on them to be live from 8 a.m to 3 p.m. and then be on their computers afterward with more work and continued practice with other assignments they need to complete,” said Ivan Juarez, who teaches ninth-grade Algebra at Kensington CAPA. “They express fatigue with being online for so long and not getting one-on-one communication with teachers.”

With their protest, the students wanted to show school leaders how serious they were about the screen time. They aren’t sure how long their protest will continue.

“We’re going to get this schedule changed and we are going to get through this,” said Audim Brokenbough, a 10th grader. “If we don’t, then we are still going down with a fight.”

Student reps don’t want a vote on Philadelphia’s school board

2020-12-11T22:01:50+00:00

For weeks, student leaders have called for their representatives on Philadelphia’s school board to have the right to vote on policies affecting them. But on Thursday, the student reps made it clear they don’t want to be full voting members of the board.

The two student representatives, Keylisha Diaz, a junior at Philadelphia Military Academy, and Toluwanimi Olaleye, a junior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science, said they would prefer to focus on their goal of getting resources for mental health services for students during the pandemic.

“When Tolu and I stepped into this role we came with very specific focuses and goals to highlight the importance of student support around mental health services and trauma,”Diaz said.

Diaz said virtual learning has been an adjustment for students, which has created mental health challenges for some.

Some students involved in the push to get voting rights for the board’s student representatives were disappointed by the current reps’ stance.

Youma Diabira, a senior at Central High School and a member of the Philly Black Student Alliance and UrbEd advocates, addressed the board at Thursday’s meeting after the student representatives.

“We don’t want a high chair at the table, we want a vote,” Diabira said. “It’s frustrating that the adults on the board are using the student representatives as mouth pieces. When students come together and call out board members that hold our fate of schooling and education in their hands and critique politics, policies and protest on the steps of 440 [district headquarters] in June weather, they deserve a vote.”

In addition to voting privileges, the student leaders want to create a 15-member student committee from diverse schools across the district to support and inform the two student representatives. They also are concerned about getting information about action items in advance of board meetings and ensuring a smooth transition when student representatives change each school year.

But in order to vote, students would need a ballot initiative to change the city charter, which states students are non-voting representatives. They would also need a change to the Pa. school code that requires board members to be at least 18 years old. That would require legislative approval.

Becoming fully members of the school board also could open up student representatives to legal action in lawsuits against the board.

Tamir Harper, executive director of the student organization UrbEd, said he and student leaders look forward to speaking to the student reps about their reservations.

“We understand this is something new and will take time for people to support and understand,” Harper said. “While - they do not support the pro-vote effort, we believe that we must think about the future representatives of the board. We also want to make it clear, voting power isn’t our only demand and we push the board to become knowledgeable on what we are asking for.”

According to a spokesperson from his office, Mayor Jim Kenney wants to hear from students directly before determining if changes are warranted, because of the legal and technical considerations that exist.

Diaz, one of the current student reps, also said she appreciated the school board’s new five-year plan, called “goals and guardrails,” which is intended to put the board’s focus on student achievement.

“We look forward to the new year to monitor the work being done to support all students to reach these goals and guardrails,” Diaz said. “The changes that the board have made are an exciting effort to ensure that you are putting us, the students, first.”

Students fight for right to vote on Philadelphia’s school board

2020-12-10T13:04:11+00:00

A growing chorus of student leaders are calling for their representatives on the city’s school board to have the right to vote on policies affecting them.

They argue students are denied a voice in the decision-making process despite being the ones most affected by the board’s choices.

“As a former student representative, I noticed the majority of the tasks, action items, are targeting us as students,” said Doha Ibrahim, a former student board representative, who is now a freshman at Temple University and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School last year.

“It made me question why we couldn’t vote on them even though they are for us?” she said. “This is why it’s important to change that for the next student representatives.”

It’s not a simple change. The students would need a ballot initiative to change the city charter, which states students are non-voting representatives. They would also need a change to the Pa. school code that requires board members to be at least 18 years old. That would require legislative approval.

If students become full voting members of the school board they also could be named in lawsuits against the board.

The students also want to create a 15-member student committee from diverse schools across the district to support and inform the two student representatives. They also are concerned about getting information about action items in advance of board meetings and ensuring a smooth transition when student representatives change each school year.

Tamir Harper, executive director of the student organization UrbEd, said all of the demands are not about getting the vote for the student reps, but getting the support and the knowledge they need to be effective in their roles.

“The mayor can really become a champion of this work and say this is what the students need,” Harper said. “This is about the well being and rights of students.”

Mayor Jim Kenney wants to hear from students directly before determining if changes are warranted, because of the legal and technical considerations that exist, according to a spokesperson from his office.

The school board has not always included student representatives. When the school district was under state control and governed by the School Reform Commission, it did not have student reps. The current nine-member school board has two non-voting students in Keylisha J. Diaz, a junior at Philadelphia Military Academy, and Toluwanimi Olaleye, a junior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science.

“It is crucial that students be given the power to help decide the fate of their own education. We demand strong influence on the school board, which is supposed to serve us,” said Sheyla Street, a senior at Central High School and a member of The Philly Black Students Alliance.

The students have received a groundswell of support from teachers, community organizers, and local politicians.

“Their voices are important,” said Tamara Anderson, a local educator with the Racial Justice Organizing Committee and Melanated Educators. “And much of what the board decides affects them first. But I also believe if the charter is changed it should also include protections for the students when the school board faces legal action. Especially since there are a percentage of our high school students who are over the age of 18.”

Councilmember Kendra Brooks said the issue is not just about fair representation.

“It’s also about encouraging our young people to be civically engaged today so that they are empowered to become tomorrow’s leaders,” she said. “I believe that by giving real power to the student voices on the Board of Education, the board’s decisions will better reflect what Philly students, teachers, and families need and deserve.”

Christopher Paslay, who teaches English at Swenson Arts and Technology High School, disagrees.

Paslay said the two student representatives should be able to advocate and lobby school board members on student issues, but they should not have a direct vote. He said students are still too young and lack the “overall experience and depth of knowledge of the issues.”

“Any stakeholder — parents, teachers, community members, education advocates — could argue the same thing: that they should have a direct voice on the vote, since the school board decisions directly impact them and their children/students/community,” Paslay said.

Deborah Gordon Klehr, executive director of the Education Law Center, sides with the student leaders and feels their voice should be centered.

“I am all for the student voice being amplified, supported, heard, and listened to,” Klehr said. “This means students should have a real voice in decision-making. Figuring out a way to allow students to vote on matters affecting students would be a positive change.”

Youma Diabira, a senior at Central High School, stressed the opinion of the students is most important.

“You can’t keep telling students they have a voice, but not giving them a vote, because it almost makes their voice null and void,” Diabira said. “We should be given a vote in a place that’s serving us, and we are not.”

‘It’s hurting us’: Students at one Philadelphia school demand less screen time

2020-12-01T19:53:44+00:00

Royal Hues couldn’t bear it anymore.

The sophomore at Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School and her friends decided to sound the alarm over the high amount of screen time during remote learning. Students start the school day at 8 a.m. and end at 3:04 p.m., spending nearly six hours a day in front of screens even with small breaks and lunch.

“It’s hard for me to keep up,” Hues said. “I’m stressing a lot and it has this effect where my eyes hurt and get watery.”

The students started an online petition two weeks ago, demanding an alternate schedule, which would reduce class times to 50 minutes instead of 90 minutes. They argue the long hours in front of the screens are excessive and unhealthy. So far, more than 400 students have signed.

The proposed schedule would start at 9 a.m. and end at 2:25 p.m. with a longer lunch and homeroom and five-minute breaks between each class. They would like no screens on Fridays.

Angelica Speech, a sophomore at Kensington CAPA, said the idea to create the petition came after addressing the matter with a teacher.

“It [the petition] started with a simple conversation with how everyone is stressed over the schedule and teachers being like, ‘Yeah it’s a lot,’” Speech said. “We created a group chat on Instagram, and people in the group chat were like, ‘Let’s present this to our town hall on Thursdays.’ So we came in and other students were like, Yeah, this schedule sucks.’”

The students said they reached out to their principal about changing the schedule, but were told the process was not that easy. It’s unclear who has the power or if there is a process to amend each district school’s schedule. Kensington CAPA Principal Patricia McDermott-Fair did not return phone or email requests on the matter.

The students said they are considering a one day strike of not logging into class if their concerns are not addressed by school and district officials.

Earlier this school year, district officials reduced screen time for kindergarten students. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson, the district’s executive director for the office of curriculum and instruction said during a discussion in October, “I’m not sure where we are at the district in terms of expanding [the reduction] beyond kindergarten.”
“The other piece is trying to ensure our students have an adequate level of support, balancing screen time vs. non screen time is really something that we’re considering, but we don’t want to reduce supports to students,” Francis-Thompson said. “It is something we are constantly thinking about but I can’t say what is happening right now.”

Kensington CAPA history teacher Ismael Jimenez said he and other teachers have been discussing the concern about screen time and schedules with the students since September.

“I want to say these guys [students] did this on their own,” Jimenez said. “Some think the students are getting help putting this together, that’s not the case. These are honor roll students who are doing the work.”

Kensington’s current school schedule exceeds what many educators and health experts suggest for students. And students say the screen time doesn’t end with the school day.

“After 3:04 the work really doesn’t stop there,” said Dena Stileslawson, a sophomore at Kensington CAPA. “There’s homework and studying. It’s difficult when students have outside responsibilities like taking care of their children and siblings.”

Screen time is defined as activities done in front of a screen, such as watching television and using computers. Education and medical experts say that too much screen time can cause poor sleeping habits, anxiety, and obesity.

Tamara Anderson, a local educator with the Racial Justice Organizing Committee and Melanated Educators said students shouldn’t be on screens more than two hours a day.

“This should also include at least 15 minutes of physical activity for each hour,” Anderson said. “None of that is happening as schools continue to be online.”

In a report for PennMedicine, Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, chair of the department of pediatrics at Penn Medicine Princeton Health said “screens are no longer simple devices, but often mobile computers and parents now have to manage not just the quantity of time, but the content.”

Hues, one of the students at Kensington, thinks it’s possible to balance screen time and instruction during remote learning.

“I understand that school needs to continue,” Hues said. “But they need to make it a way in which school is manageable and possible for everyone without it hurting anyone.”

‘It’s a battle with yourself’: Michigan students struggle to manage mental health in troubling times

2020-11-30T21:28:47+00:00

Elizabeth Okunawo finds herself descending into a spiral of self-doubt and negativity while learning at home.

Classmates and teachers at school were once healthy distractions for the Cass Technical High School senior. Now that she’s learning remotely, Okunawo said she’s having a harder time escaping her thoughts.

“It’s a battle with yourself,” said Okunawo, 17, who has been struggling with anxiety and depression for several years. “When you daydream, there’s nothing happy about it.”

School counselors and educators said they’re seeing more students like Okunawo who are struggling with mental health issues related to online learning and the pandemic. Students are experiencing more stress, anxiety, and depression — challenges that can lead to poor grades, higher chronic absenteeism, and dropping out of school.

The impact of these difficult times is felt by teenagers across the country. In a national survey of 3,300 young people ages 13-19, about 30% felt unhappy or depressed, and about 25% felt disconnected from schools, adults, and classmates.

Nationwide, districts worked to help students process trauma and grief once they returned to classrooms. In New York, schools offered mental health training for teachers and curriculums focused on coping skills. In Fairfax County, Virginia, schools provided online therapy to all middle and high school students and their parents even if they weren’t previously considered at risk for mental health problems.

To combat the growing problem in Michigan, schools are ramping up efforts to support student mental health.

“This is an unprecedented time, where no one has ever seen anything like this,” said Mark Winston, a social worker in Southfield Public Schools.

‘There’s so much pressure on me and my classmates’

Jeremiah Campbell, a senior at East English Village Preparatory Academy in the Detroit district, said increasing pressure learning virtually made him stressed and frustrated.

Jeremiah Campbell, a senior at East English Village Preparatory Academy, couldn’t afford to fail this school year. So after experiencing a rocky start, he sought advice from his principal.

The charger for his district tablet broke, and it was frustrating to get it replaced. He missed several assignments. It was hard for him to muster the motivation needed to sit for long hours in front of the screen. In some classes, other students rarely spoke, dampening his once-held enthusiasm for learning.

“Some days I don’t even want to go to school,” he said. “There’s so much pressure on me and my classmates.”

Because the Detroit school district moved to full-scale remote learning until at least January due to a growing number of COVID-19 cases across the city, officials worry students like Campbell will grow frustrated and drop out.

“What is even more concerning is the instances we are unaware of because students are not engaging,” said district spokesperson Chrystal Wilson. The Detroit school district also fears chronic absenteeism will increase this year. Students are considered chronically absent if they miss 18 or more days of school.

In Southwest Detroit, Elizabeth Jaramillo also feels frustrated while learning at home instead of at school.

Elizabeth Jaramillo, a senior at Western International High School, felt worried over the outcome of a hostile presidential race. She struggled to stay motivated in class.

Procrastinating on schoolwork became a habit for Jaramillo, a senior at Western International High School. She found herself glued to her phone instead.

She paid close attention to the outcome of a polarizing presidential election. She felt agitated over the fate of the country’s undocumented immigrants, some of whom live in her neighborhood.

“It made school feel irrelevant at one point,” she said. “People could take action on the stuff going on outside of school. We’re sitting in front of a screen and hearing teachers talk. And we don’t have a say in anything.” It’s been difficult to deal with these challenges because Jaramillo has less opportunity to engage with peers and teachers while confined at home due to COVID-19.

School counselors, who cannot easily interact with students through a computer screen, may look for signs that students feel powerless to help solve the nation’s problems. In Grand Rapids Public Schools, the district is offering virtual therapy sessions to help students handle stress and take care of themselves. The district serves nearly 15,000 students, who will continue learning remotely through 2020.

District social worker Jamal Fisher said he and other school staff now closely monitor students virtually because they can’t interact with them immediately as they might in a brick and mortar setting.

‘I don’t reach out’

Jaramillo said she’s coping because she relies on her peers for support — they all rely on each other.

But for some, it’s hard to be vulnerable with their peers and adults about their problems.

“I don’t reach out. I don’t want to talk about something that makes me cry,” Okunawo said. She doesn’t feel comfortable sharing her emotions and being perceived as a burden to others, including school staff.

Elizabeth Okunawo is a senior at Cass Technical High School. She said some of her classmates don’t ask for help with their struggles because of the negative stigma associated with mental health. Okunawo has battled anxiety and depression for several years.

Campbell knows many people who feel they can handle their own struggles without help.

“They feel like they don’t have anybody to talk to,” he said.

Mental health experts said students will not confide in adults if they don’t trust them. As they mature, some students become more distant because they often want independence and privacy.

And Jaramillo is afraid her classmates may risk their health to curb their loneliness.

“I think they’re struggling to stay home and social distance,” she said. “Some might be really risky and see their friends because they’re lonely. That might cause them to get sick” from the virus.

Okunawo said some students also fear their struggles will be dismissed or peers will alienate them because of the stigma often associated with mental health.

The reasons some students don’t ask for help rang true for Elizabeth Koschmann, the director of the University of Michigan’s TRAILS program, which provides mental health training and resources to educators. The program worked with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to launch a community mental health initiative this year.

“There’s sort of a lack of trust that asking for help is going to be productive,” she said, adding that students are mostly taught ways to combat physical illnesses, but often not how to manage stress and anxiety.

Beyond online learning and the election, mental health experts warn that students also are coping with concerns about police brutality against Black people and parents struggling in a depressed economy.

“If you don’t have faith in your school, or in your home, or in society, or you’re out on the street and don’t feel safe, those issues supersede any need to talk about problems because you don’t think of problems, you think of surviving,” said Jim Blundo, executive director of the Michigan Mental Health Counselors Association. He is working with a state lawmaker on a bill that would provide mental health training for teachers.

‘I feel less alone’

Campbell recognized that students’ fears about asking for help were once his own.

“I was that student who never spoke up about anything until now,” he said. He realized he couldn’t bottle up his emotions anymore. As he built up his confidence, he became more aware of how his frustrations were hurting him. He hopes his peers can do the same for themselves and get support.

Campbell’s principal told him to talk to his teachers about making up assignments and to focus on his goals. With his counselor’s encouragement, he’s applying to colleges, which he wasn’t planning to do.

School officials hope students recognize districts’ efforts to support them. They’re conducting wellness checks, at-home visits, classes on coping and resilience skills, and more mental health training for teachers.

Blundo said students also need to learn how to interact with adults and peers. He believes students need spaces to debate and solve problems, to help them in school and in life. Parents may also play a role in promoting these activities at home.

“Socialization is highly underestimated in terms of the learning process. You can’t just throw information on kids without them understanding the life that goes with it,” he said.

Some Detroit district schools provide virtual student hangouts, but attendance is low, Wilson said, adding that students are less likely to engage in online activities when they are not required.

Okunawo jots down her thoughts and feelings in a private journal to help manage her anxiety. She learned early on these challenges are part of her life, and for her, that’s okay.

“I just realized it’s not a bullet you have to dodge. That’s why you shouldn’t be ashamed of it,” she said. “Tough times don’t always last.”

Promising to listen and lead, Newark teenager joins school board as student rep

2020-11-24T20:19:25+00:00

While all eyes are on the cabinet being assembled by President-elect Joe Biden, a 16-year-old student in Newark is ready to build her own group of close advisors.

Kimberly Gonzalez, of Technology High School, was elected student representative to the Newark Board of Education earlier this month. She will be sworn in for her two-year term on Tuesday.

“I wanted to serve my community in a larger platform,” Gonzalez said. “And I saw this as an opportunity to put myself out there, and also to really be that student voice of perspective for all the schools in the district, and bring the concerns or ideas they may have.”

To that end, Gonzalez intends to form a cabinet of students from each school “to know for sure that I am listening to everyone’s voices,” she said. “It is one of the first things I will do.”

The board’s previous student representative also created a cabinet, which consisted of 15 students chosen by each high school principal. They brought suggestions to the student representative, who conveyed their ideas to the full board.

Gonzalez approached the position — an advisory role that doesn’t have voting authority — without a set agenda, but she has thought about how and why she intends to work. Not yet knowing how much influence a teenager could have on the board, Gonzalez plans to start by listening.

During the candidate forum featuring Gonzalez and the three other young women who also ran for the seat, Gonzalez realized, “why not set up a cabinet since everybody seemed to think we can do a lot of things if we work together?”

Sitting in her room under school photo portraits and chatting over Zoom, with the district’s public information officer on the line, Gonzalez comes off as poised and ready. Those are among the qualities that Noemi Ballester, parent liaison and student council advisor, noticed when Gonzalez was a freshman. And it was why she served as Gonzalez’s campaign manager.

“Kimberly is a good listener,” Ballester said. “She is always willing to help others and is goal-oriented. She is authentic and always sees a light. She has a positive mindset; she believes there is a solution to everything. She is just awesome.”

For example, Ballester noted that Newark high school students are required to do 20 hours of community service a year. In her freshman year, Gonzalez did 50. Ballester had not managed a student’s campaign before but was so impressed by Gonzalez’s attitude that she wanted to help her.

“She is positive and knows there has to be a solution,” Ballester said. “She is open to seeing different views, which would be very beneficial for all of the students and bring their voice to the table.”

The two-year term will see Gonzalez, a junior, through graduation. This year, when she has a heavy course load, including two AP classes, Gonzalez’s favorite subject is graphic print design. Like many juniors, she has college on her mind, considering the possibility of attending Rutgers University or Cornell School of Hotel Administration.

“The idea I had since seventh grade is I want to be in the hotel chain business,” said Gonzalez, who hasn’t stayed in a hotel yet during her young life. “It came to me because I feel like working in a hotel would be a very interesting job. And dream big: Why not own a hotel chain?”

She already has mastered a skill many adults struggle with — time management. Gonzalez referred to it while reflecting on learning remotely.

“In the beginning, it was a bit of an adjustment to do it,” she said of school during the time of COVID-19. “It was a lot of time management to actually get things done, and I feel I have adapted pretty well, and I want to help others.

“During these times, where there is a lot of virtual learning,” she continued, “I want to see us more focused on the students’ well-being, be it academically, especially mentally, and emotionally because these are trying times for both the teachers and the students. I feel like there needs to be a better support system where the students can feel comfortable enough to bring their concerns forward, and it could actually be addressed.”

Gonzalez stressed that initial suggestions coming from students “can be something as simple as an idea where they want to clean the city, completely. It starts with the idea, and then it is with the persistence of brainstorming some possible ways of doing that, and then with some outside help of the adults, I feel we could execute that plan.”

Her excitement about the position is tempered with a dose of self-awareness.

“Although I am in this position, I would like people to know I am still a student,” Gonzalez said. “I am going to need people’s help. Help me and come to me, and I may come to them for help. I am not going to pretend I can do everything. It is going to have to be a very big team effort.”

Reporting on a pandemic while living through it? Student journalists and Chalkbeat Philly weigh in.

2020-11-18T21:36:43+00:00

Ace Orion and Jordyn Williams, two high schoolers, are chronicling how fellow classmates are navigating the virtual learning world.

As student journalists, they have spent their free time in Discord chats and Zoom calls to listen and tell the stories of how students are navigating going to school with teachers and peers they have never met in person. And while it’s been a very difficult year, they want the public to know it hasn’t been all bad.

“I recently did a story about a freshman and asked her: ‘In a virtual space, how are you finding friends?’” said Williams, a senior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science. “She was open and honest that she is making some friends – and she is even talking to people online she normally wouldn’t think to walk up to. There is a brighter side of things.”

Orion, a sophomore at the Franklin Learning Center High School, agreed and said students are also using social media to keep each other current on assignments and to keep “morale up between everyone.”

Orion and Williams joined two veteran education journalists on Tuesday for a panel discussion hosted by Chalkbeat about reporting and learning during the coronavirus pandemic. Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s Johann Calhoun and Dale Mezzacappa also weighed in on the big questions surrounding school reopening in Philadelphia, which was recently postponed again, and talked about their big stories.

Listen here to their in-depth discussion on journalism in the time of COVID-19, what could be done to improve virtual learning, and the storylines you should be following this year.

Having trouble viewing the video on mobile? Go here.

Lessons learned from Detroit district Muslim students’ fight to recognize the Eid al-Fitr holiday

2020-11-10T16:49:35+00:00

Mohammad Muntakim spent most of his high school career fighting for the recognition of Eid al-Fitr so Muslim students could spend time with their families during a sacred holiday.

He and other Muslim students rallied dozens of community members, organized virtual town halls, and collected thousands of signatures to garner support for it.

“These days are focused on yourself, your community, and your family,” said Muntakim, a senior and president of the Cass Technical High School Muslim Students Association, which has about 200 members. “Having school on these days takes that away from you.”

Eid al-Fitr is a Muslim holiday commemorating the end of Ramadan, a month of communal fasting and prayer. Muslims come together to celebrate the end of fasting, sharing in meals, participating in community events and charitable giving.

The push to get Eid on the Detroit district calendar took two years. Efforts paid off last month when the district and the Detroit Federation of Teachers agreed to observe Eid al-Fitr for three days, from May 2-4 during the 2021-22 academic school year. It will be the first time the state’s largest school district will honor the holiday, which is already observed in Dearborn Public Schools and other schools and districts with large Muslim student populations.

Students spent the early days of the campaign talking with district leaders, and conducting widespread community outreach at mosques and other venues. The students said support from Muslim and non-Muslim students, parents, and teachers also made a difference. In addition, educating non-Muslims on the significance of the holiday was crucial in building a coalition of support.

“It was the advocacy of students that first put the issue on my radar to address,” said superintendent Nikolai Vitti.

DFT president Terrence Martin said the union agreement benefits both Muslim students and teachers.

“This is really about being a progressive school district,” he said.

Cass Tech student Mohammad Muntakim hopes the students’ efforts show other students that they can change policy at their schools.

The students, some who will be graduates by the time the district honors the holiday, said they hope their efforts will show other students that they can change policy at their schools.

A small group of Cass Tech Muslim students led by Muntakim launched the DPSCDOff4Eid campaign in 2018. Senior Syeda Ara joined because she wanted to foster more cultural competency and awareness amongst teachers.

Ara recalled that during her freshman year, she told a teacher she wouldn’t be in school to take her finals because they conflicted with Eid. Ara’s teacher didn’t understand why the holiday was important to her.

“If she was more aware of the holiday and its significance, she would have been more accepting of me making up for my finals,” she said. “Because of her unawareness, I was shocked.”

Cass Tech student Syeda Ara hopes the recognition of Eid will improve cultural competency across schools.

That lack of understanding among school staff was also a shock for student Hemyar Al-Jamali, a Cass Tech junior who previously attended charter schools with large Muslim student populations.

“We have a little bit less of a presence,” he said, referring to the smaller number of Muslim students at his school compared with schools he previously attended. Al-Jamali said he would sometimes take more than one day off leading up to the celebration of Eid to help his family and friends prepare. He found that juggling school and his faith obligations was difficult.

It took education advocacy group 482Forward to help the students develop a strategy, thanks to a recommendation from community organizer America Ali Yahya.

“It turned out the students were struggling more than I imagined, in regards to holidays and getting their voices heard,” Yahya said.

Tapping local expertise helped the students reach out to non-Muslims.

“We have to celebrate the cultures that aren’t just dominant. This is a perfect example of how our community of parents and students across the city are going to continue to fight to make sure our schools are culturally competent,” 482Forward organizing director Molly Sweeney said.

Last year, the Detroit district had planned to observe Eid during the 2019-20 school year by creating a training day for teachers.

The union opposed the calendar approval process and argued that it was designed to prioritize standardized testing. The district then revoked the proposed calendar, which included Eid’s observance. The district approved the 2020-21 school calendar in April without the observance of Eid, despite arguments from Muntakim and Al-Jamali to postpone the vote.

The students organized a virtual town hall convened in May, which included Martin, state lawmaker Abdullah Hammoud, public health expert Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, local educators, and faith leaders.

With the help of organizers, students launched a social media video campaign that featured students, teachers, parents, and advocates pledging their support. That help came at the right time, as Muntakim was starting to become frustrated but kept the campaign’s momentum going for the change.

“At first, I think I was doing a lot of this out of raw passion. And when things went south, I was like, ‘You know what, I gotta quit this, maybe focus on my studies.’”

But now Muntakim and other students hope their efforts will lead to more cultural competency in schools.

“It’s one thing to say you accept equality, and you’re diverse, and all those good things. But it’s another thing to actually put your words into action, and actually accept people for their differences and make accommodations for them,” Muntakim said.

Detroit students ask school board candidates: ‘What would you do to take action?’ amid the pandemic

2020-10-05T22:37:40+00:00

Detroit School of Arts student Unique Pierce told a school board candidate just how tough it’s been to weather the stresses of virtual learning during this unusual school year.

She feels the heavy load of assignments piling on her plate. She had to get a stronger prescription for her glasses because too much screen time strained her eyes.

“The pandemic has been economically, emotionally, and physically draining,” she said.

“What can you do to help students’ emotional needs?”

Pierce, along with other Detroit district students, grilled school board candidates on how, if elected, they’ll better support student success during a virtual candidate forum held last week. The students asked about navigating the academic challenges of online learning, policing in schools, and updated learning resources and technology — all areas the school board has the authority to change.

Fourteen candidates are vying for three spots on the Detroit school board in the Nov. 3 election.

Eleven candidates participated in the event, hosted by CitizenDetroit, Bridge Detroit, and Chalkbeat Detroit. Participants pitched their vision to students, parents, teachers, and other school community members. The event had a “speed-dating” format. Pairs of candidates were moved to different breakout rooms using Zoom, a video conferencing application. Candidates answered questions from some of the 120 people who were watching and listening in the breakout rooms.

Renaissance High School student Yamah Bah-Deh told school board president Iris Taylor that she is frustrated with the online school schedule. Bah-Deh said she spends too much time looking at a screen.

Bah-Deh also wants better communication between the district and students. Taylor explained that when considering issues like screen time and the school schedule, school officials have to weigh student learning needs and also the state’s attendance requirements. The district is holding focus groups, including students, to address these complaints. “It’s creating that balance that’s necessary,” Taylor, a former healthcare executive, said.

As candidates moved from breakout room to breakout room, Pierce asked all the candidates how they would address students’ emotional health. Candidates supported more funding, more behavioral support staff at schools, and more peer mediation.

“I would call for more investment and appropriation to address the mental health needs” of students and parents candidate Sherry Gay-Dagnogo said. Gay-Dagnogo is a state legislator and a former teacher. She also called for more counselors in schools.

Jermain Jones, a school board candidate, DPS alumnus and community activist, lobbied for safe, in-person activities between students and staff to help foster relationships.

“You can’t get emotional needs through a screen,” he said.

Candidate Zsa Zsa Hubbard is a community advocate and DPS alumnus. She told Pierce that she would recommend using software designed to help students signal to teachers if they’re struggling or feeling out of sorts during online school.

“This is your education,” Hubbard said. “One of the things that teachers, staff, and administrators have to understand is that you all have an opinion too. You all have things you have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. Teachers and staff need adequate training when it comes to emotions.”

Another DSA student, Samuel Pickens, was frustrated with a lack of updated textbooks and technology, comparing his experience as a district student with those in more affluent schools.

“There’s a big gap between who’s excelling and who’s not,” Pickens said. “I’ve looked in textbooks and information was out of date...what would you do to take action?” The district updated its curriculum last year.

Current board treasurer Sonya Mays, who has a background in real estate and finance, stressed the need for funding equity for schools.

“There is not a clear solution to it. It is gonna take a lot of problem solving. A lot of state level resourcing,” she said.

Students also asked questions about investing more resources in the district’s neighborhood schools, noting that the city’s application schools such as Cass Technical High School seem to be better supported than other schools in the district.

Former school board member and current candidate Ida Short would push for the district to install special academic programs at neighborhood schools to attract more students to attend. The district is already building some special programs at open enrollment schools, including one in aviation.

“It’s important that all of our schools have what they need,” she said.

Cass Tech senior Lamont Satchel Jr. asked current school board member and candidate Misha Stallworth what the board can do to address the negative effects of COVID on families. Stallworth has a master’s degree in social work.

Stallworth highlighted the current board’s work in providing meals to students during the shutdown and the importance of offering both virtual and face-to-face options to families with limited options.

Stallworth said she’d continue trying to secure more money and resources for the district’s schools.

“Communities rely on our schools to do things but we don’t get the dollars to do those things in the same way. That advocacy is really important,” she said.

After the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis, activists called for the removal of police in district schools. This summer, the board established two public safety panels working to improve officer-student relations. Not all candidates agreed police should be eliminated from schools.

“I don’t believe police belong in schools,” said candidate and longtime activist Elena Herrada. Both Herrada and Short served on the school board when the district was under state-appointed emergency managers. At the time, the board held limited power. Herrada believes over-policing could lead to the criminalization of more students of color.

Hubbard disagreed. Some schools need police, but students and staff should feel safe and protected.

“They need to know that the police officers have their back not have a bullet in their back,” she said. “Certain situations don’t have to escalate if communication is in place.”

Here is the full list of school board candidates.

Richard Carl Clement, a technology consultant and DPS alumnus
Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, a state legislator and former district teacher
Bessie Lee Harris, a retired district teacher and principal
Elena Herrada, a former district school board member, an activist, and community college instructor
Zsa Zsa Chantel Hubbard, a community advocate and district alumnus
Jermain Jones, a community advocate and district alumnus
LaMar Lemmons, a former Detroit school board president and current chief of staff for state legislator Betty Alexander
Terrance Lemmons, a DPS alumnus
Sonya Mays, a current school board member and president of a housing and development firm
Ida Short, a former district school board member, former teacher and community college instructor
Chico Frank Sorrell, a retired district teacher
Misha Stallworth, a current district school board member and social worker
Iris Taylor, a current district school board president and former healthcare executive
John Telford, a former interim district superintendent

LaMar Lemmons, Terrance Lemmons, and Richard Carl Clement did not participate in last week’s’ virtual candidate forum. Vijay Virupannavar has dropped out of the race.

How one Bronx student is weathering the pandemic and middle school online in NYC

2020-09-22T01:00:36+00:00

Transitioning to middle school is often rough, with new responsibilities, social pressures, and higher academic stakes. Starting sixth grade entirely online, during the coronavirus pandemic, in a city that was once the world’s epicenter of that virus, further complicates matters.

For 11-year-old Rilan Zahir, it has meant meeting his teachers via video chat, not at an open house, and checking his email, not a whiteboard, for his latest assignments. By the end of his first day of classes, he had yet to meet any of his sixth grade classmates at Soundview Academy in the Bronx.

The school year finally kicked off in New York City on Monday. Students in pre-K and those with significant disabilities headed back to classrooms for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic triggered a lockdown six months ago. The rest of the city’s 1 million students, including Rilan, began learning online as school leaders and teachers continue to prepare for a staggered reopening.

On Monday, Rilan logged in to class from his iPad hoping to meet over video with his teachers. His mother set up a table in their library area, with a wooden bookcase serving as the backdrop for calls. But the only one-on-one interaction he had with any instructor was a note from his science teacher asking about Rilan’s older brother, Amden, who had been in her class last year.

Assignments began to ding in his inbox by 9 a.m., and he sneaked in an afternoon nap without his mother noticing. Overall, he was upbeat about the first day of middle school.

“I hope I get to have meetings tomorrow,” Rilan said. “I had a really good day in school today.”

Students who choose to head back to school buildings will do so in phases based on their grade level, with everyone returning by October. To account for social distancing, most students will alternate days learning in classrooms and days learning virtually.

But Rilan and his brother will be learning online only this year, an option that more New York City families have chosen over a chaotic summer. The city has pushed back its start date twice for in-person instruction, walked back its promises of live remote instruction, and been criticized for its handling of positive coronavirus cases that crept up when teachers returned to their buildings to prepare for the new year.

On Monday, the number of students choosing remote-only instruction climbed to 46%, a sign of sagging trust in the city’s frequently changing reopening plans.

In District 8, serving a diverse corner of the eastern Bronx, where Rilan’s school is located, almost half of the students have chosen remote-only learning. Most children enrolled in the district are Hispanic or Black, with 83% coming from low-income families — groups that have been disproportionately hard hit by the pandemic and its economic fallout.

While Mayor Bill de Blasio has forged ahead with reopening, the Community Education Council in District 8 has advocated for keeping buildings closed. The council, a body of parent volunteers who advise on local school decisions, includes Rilan and Amden’s mom, Farah Despeignes.

Along with other parent leaders, they are planning a march on Friday to protest the city’s reopening plans, and to demand more engaging online instruction, devices for everyone who needs one, and increased transparency around positive coronavirus cases in schools.

Council member Lourdes Jibodh said she lost faith that the education department could keep people safe, after the mayor initially resisted calls to shut down in the spring and a custodian at her son’s school died from the virus. Another member, Eduardo Hernandez, is skeptical that buildings will be kept as clean as promised, given what he sees as a long history of neglecting school building maintenance.

For Despeignes, remaining closed is simply a matter of life and death, with the virus still on the loose in a traumatized community.

“I believe in education,” said Despeignes, who was a high school teacher in the city for about 15 years and now is an adjunct humanities professor. “But I also know that staying alive is a whole lot more important.”

Already, there has been at least one positive case among staff members in the building where her sons’ school is located, according to the most recent data released Thursday by the education department. Despeignes said she has since been told of two more cases, and the building has been shuttered to investigate whether there is an outbreak, though the education department did not respond to a Chalkbeat request for confirmation. She said the inevitable closures that follow positive cases provide neither a stable learning environment for children, nor reliable child care for their families.

Not that remote school has gone smoothly.

The city has not put improving virtual learning front and center in its messaging as it sprints towards reopening buildings, and principals have contended with many last-minute changes. Staffing citywide has been a challenge for many schools, with the city scrambling to fill thousands of needed positions.

By the end of the first day back, Amden still doesn’t know who his English teacher will be. On Monday, the seventh-grader struggled to navigate an app to submit a science assignment that constantly erased his answers. His only other work was an essay for physical education, but nothing that required him to get active.

“That’s not how gym class is supposed to work,” said Amden, 12. “It didn’t go the way I thought it was going to go,” he said of his first day of classes.

Remote learning has sometimes been challenging for Rilan, too, who said he often felt overloaded with too many assignments last spring. It became overwhelming after the pandemic struck his own home as Rilan wrapped up the fifth grade.

A family member died in April of the virus, one of the lives lost in the peak of the crisis. It was the latest in a string of family tragedies suffered over the previous 18 months, during which his grandmother and uncle also died of other causes.

Rilan pulled away from his classwork. His mother says his elementary school called often, offering support and understanding over the phone. Despeignes decided the best thing to do was give Rilan time to grieve.

“The school was really good in terms of getting him back on track because they did worry about him. They did call. They tried to counsel him,” she said. “I didn’t try to push him too hard because, as a family, we suffered.”

“I was not trying to over-burden him because his mental health, at the end of the day, was more important,” she added. “You can always catch up on school work.”

Rilan has to be coaxed to talk about that time. His mother pressed him gently and told him it’s OK to share. With sixth grade now underway, he prefers to look ahead.

“I think I’m going to do better this year,” he says. “It was because of people dying that I fell into depression. But now that I feel a lot better, I think I will be on top of my work.”

Rilan isn’t optimistic when it comes to making new friends in his remote classrooms, noting: “It’s not something I want to try.”

He hopes the pandemic is over by next year, when he’ll be in seventh grade. Science is one of his favorite subjects, and his older brother told him seventh graders get to dissect frogs.

“Actually now that I think about it, I don’t want to dissect a frog,” he said. “I’m more into space science.”

‘No one really knows how this is going to go’: A Memphis student starts high school from behind a computer screen

2020-09-17T21:08:20+00:00

A vinyl chair made to rock back for hours of video games seemed like a fitting choice for 14-year-old Jalan Clemmons as he crafted his work space for online classes. No one really knows how long all-virtual learning will last in Tennessee’s largest district in Memphis, so might as well get comfortable.

He grabbed a mat to go under the chair and a few pillows, and he plopped down in the corner of the apartment that his mom, Anna Nuby, usually uses for meditation.

Above him were photos of him with his mom and 2-year-old brother, Kobi, who didn’t understand why Jalan “going” to school meant he was still at home. Nearby, his mom had painted the word “resilience” on a frame, a project inspired by both pandemic-induced boredom and the theft of the family’s car in the spring.

After preparing his work space, Jalan powered up his district-issued laptop around 8 a.m. to join a video conference for his homeroom. But he chose to leave his camera off. He had attended a KIPP charter middle school with an entirely different set of classmates and didn’t know anyone at his new school.

Jalan Clemmons wanted to create a comfortable work space for his first day of virtual school.

In living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and daycare centers across Memphis, tens of thousands of students joined online classes for the first time in late August in a large-scale educational experiment district leaders said was necessitated by the continuing spread of the coronavirus.

This was a big shift for Shelby County Schools, which provided students with paper packets and televised lessons instead of the interactive virtual instruction seen in many large U.S. school districts when COVID-19 shuttered school buildings in the spring.

In making that decision, district leaders pointed to the city’s low share of households with internet access and said starting online classes without a comprehensive solution would exacerbate disadvantages for students in poor families. In many Memphis neighborhoods, fewer than 55% of households have the internet, according to U.S. Census data.

Over the summer, Shelby County Schools spent most of its federal coronavirus relief money on new laptops, tablets, and internet hotspots to make sure each of the district’s 95,000 students could attend online classes. So far, attendance rates districtwide have hovered around 90%, which is higher than districts in Denver, Chicago, and Detroit. Still, almost 3,000 Memphis students have yet to log on to a class or pick up a laptop three weeks into the academic year.

For Jalan, that day settling into his cozy work space was his first day of ninth grade at Hamilton High School, named after the first principal of one of the city’s first schools for Black students and backed by an active and proud alumni base.

Before the pandemic, he had hoped to join Hamilton’s dance team to get to know other students and work toward his dream of becoming a dance instructor. But the district is holding off on extracurricular activities that warrant in-person meetings. Joining the first class with only his initials showing on the screen took the edge off.

The trouble started when he tried to get into his second period class and got an error message.

He remembered from the virtual student orientation there was a one-stop shop for live technical help through a group video chat.

When he got there, he counted about 50 other students waiting for help — with no adult for nearly an hour. An administrator helped him locate his missing history class the next day. Chalkbeat contacted Shelby County Schools and the principal for comment, but did not receive any.

It was the latest in a string of confusing events for Jalan and his mom as they tried to gear up for the school year.

Before school started, Nuby had lots of questions she wanted to ask: Is there a hotline for technical help if they need it? How long will students have to do all-virtual classes? Do parents need to be in attendance for the online classes too? Are they really going to sit in front of a computer for seven hours every day?

She knew of two main opportunities to get answers before school started: the district’s laptop distribution and a virtual orientation.

Since she didn’t have a car to get the laptop, Nuby called up a distant cousin for a ride, the only relative she has in Memphis. She doesn’t know him well, but he often helps out if she needs something for the kids. She runs a T-shirt and graphics business from her living room and also has a video blog on health, beauty, and Black love.

Anna Nuby keeps her 2-year-old son, Kobi, entertained while Jalan is in class so that the toddler doesn’t show up on class videos.

The process for picking up the laptop lasted about an hour and a half. She briefly met Jalan’s principal. He gave her two sheets of paper before they had to drive off to keep the line moving: a general startup guide for the laptop, with the technical support hotline, and information about how to access the virtual parent orientation and other announcements.

“There was no way they were going to let you stop and get answers,” Nuby said. “I feel like I’m still on the edge about it ... We’re in this gray area where this is new and no one really knows how this is going to go.”

She was hardly alone in her questions. During the first week of school, the district received about 21,000 calls from parents. The district reported an average wait time of about 17 minutes on the first day of school, though some parents said they waited more than an hour. Nuby also tried to ask questions during the parent orientation the week before school, but her questions weren’t covered in the presentation. Afterward, staff members said someone would reach out to her. They haven’t yet.

Nuby is willing to try out virtual school for the first grading period before looking for other options. But she’s worried that Jalan won’t thrive in this environment. She’s constantly wondering what else she could do as a parent to put him ahead. She’s also worried the constant screen time will undo her years of trying to limit it.

“He’s 14. All his life I’ve told him, ‘Get off the TV. Get off the computers. You’re spending too much time in front of a screen. It’s bad for your eyes.’ And now our schools are mandatorily telling them they have to sit there,” she said.

Back in the corner of the living room, Jalan started math class right after lunch. His co-teachers told the class of about 10 attendees three times to turn on their cameras while laying out the rules of virtual learning. About 20 students were missing.

“I need to see that there are people on the other side of the screen, otherwise I might just be talking to nobody,” the first teacher said. “It helps us know that you’re engaged, it helps us know that you’re working, and it lets us know that you’re present, which will be very important when it comes to grading.”

He then paused class for about 20 seconds to see who would follow the instruction. Jalan did, and he spotted one other student’s face.

“Please be aware that we will contact parents if you do not comply,” the co-teacher warned. “Please turn your cameras on because everything we do in [Microsoft] Teams is recorded, so your parents will know what’s going on with you not participating.”

“This should not become an issue,” the first teacher added before moving on to explain other video conferencing functions.

District rules say it’s up to each teacher to decide if they will require students to turn on their video cameras during class. It took a few hours, but Jalan, a self-described introvert, kept telling himself he didn’t need to be afraid.

“Don’t be shy. Be yourself. And don’t be shy to show yourself,” he said he wants other students to know. “There’s no one at school who is going to hurt you.”

By the end of the week, his classes were going more smoothly, he said.

“It was OK for being virtual,” he said. “It was exciting sometimes and exhausting other times.”

Jalan usually has a break between classes to stretch and look at something other than his screen, a pleasant surprise considering how full his schedule looked on paper. Near the end of his first day, his 2-year-old brother ran into the living room, checking again to see if Jalan was still in his corner on the laptop. His mother planned her day around making sure Kobi wouldn’t disturb Jalan during his classes. But this time, Jalan’s class was over and he had a 15-minute break.

“JJ’s class is done. You can give him a hug now,” his mother told Kobi as he ran over to his brother. Jalan wrestled and chased Kobi around the room for most of his break before returning to his screen, where he turned on the video for his next class.

Jalan and Kobi playing and wrestling during a break from class.

‘We’re just not prepared for this’: First weeks of online learning in Detroit bring unwanted disruptions, technical glitches

2020-09-16T16:04:19+00:00

The Detroit district is creating focus groups and expanding its technical support hotline to address a number of complaints that have poured in since the first day of school about too much screen time for students and many technology glitches.

The complaints have come in online and filled the public comment period of the district’s school board meeting Tuesday, where dozens of teachers, community organizers, students, and parents shared their frustrations and anger.

These comments reflect complaints that also have come from some of Detroit’s charter schools — and schools across the nation — as districts launch an unusual year while adjusting to the effects of the pandemic on learning. Over the last few days, Chalkbeat spoke with both district and charter students, parents, and teachers. In the district, 75% of the students are learning online.

Among those who spoke at the district board meeting was Ama Russell, a Cass Technical High School senior, who complained of sitting in front of a computer screen for eight hours a day. On Friday, she said, her eyes started burning after class.

“This is absolutely horrible...our mental health is deteriorating,” said Russell, who demanded an immediate change to the way the district is scheduling online classes.

Michigan state senator Stephanie Chang, whose daughter is a kindergartner in the district, told board members she’s disappointed with the “inflexibility” of the current virtual schedule.

“It’s not realistic for a 5-year-old,” said Chang, who nonetheless noted she’s encouraged the district is open to modifying schedules.

District officials addressed the complaints earlier in the meeting, with Superintendent Nikolai Vitti announcing plans to look into screen time, schedules, and other issues.

“I hear students. I hear parents. I recognize modifications are needed,” Vitti said. “We will make changes and we will listen.”

Detroit eighth-grader Anaya Thomas (center) logs into a virtual class with the help of her father Jamal (left). Her ninth-grade sister Karima (right) stands over her shoulder. Anaya said she’s encountered technical glitches during the first weeks of online learning.

Across Michigan, 86% of schools provide some form of in-person learning, but it’s unclear exactly how many students statewide are learning online and how many are learning in schools. In Detroit, concerns about online learning are being expressed across the city.

A parent in a Detroit charter school, Donyetta Hill, has cut back her work hours to be at home for her daughter, a fifth-grader at the Cornerstone Jefferson-Douglass Academy. Hill said she had to choose between “Am I going to work? Or am I gonna sit here and teach my daughter because she can’t do this by herself?” she said. Her daughter’s education won. But Hill, a community organizer, said she wishes parents had more resources to help their children with online learning.

“There needs to be some type of training or some type of online workshop. Or even some type of class to help parents learn how to interact with their children,” she said. “The teachers, the staff. They can’t do this on their own. We all have to work on this together.”

The first two weeks of online learning have indeed been rocky for eighth-grader Anaya Thomas, who attends University Prep Science and Math Middle School, a charter school. On the second day of virtual learning, Anaya’s morning algebra class had an unwelcome visitor: an apparent teenager who entered the virtual room and started “screaming, cussing and playing music” during the teacher’s lecture. Her teacher’s video feed also kept freezing.

“I’m a little bit afraid of what two months, three months, or six months of this is gonna do,” said her mother Angela Lugo-Thomas. “The novelty is starting to wear off already.”

Merarys Popa, a senior at Cass Tech, is worried that too much time will be spent on fixing technical errors, leaving less time for actual learning. She’s worried students will have a harder time meeting academic expectations and may fall behind.

“I feel like we’re just not prepared,” she said during a Monday interview.

But too much screen time is exhausting, said Merarys and senior Lamont Satchel.

“I’ve never been so emotionally drained out of school,” Lamont said. “When you’re online everything moves slow.”

Virtual classroom sizes are also a big issue. Lamont said his financial literacy class has 43 students, and Merarys said her math class has about 30 students. They both said that such huge classes put a strain on the Wi-Fi connection.

“I had an issue for three of my classes getting on. [The software] said ‘We know you’re trying to get in but please be patient’” Lamont said. “I couldn’t hear one of my teachers for 35 minutes of the whole class.” Merarys said she kept getting kicked out of classes.

District teacher Julie Hughes was frustrated because she didn’t believe she had enough training focused on online learning. She was also among several who accused the district of sabotaging online learning.

“You wanted to sink virtual in order to have your face-to-face succeed,” Hughes said to Vitti during the board meeting.

Another district teacher Marnina Falk said that the school district should provide guidance on how teachers can provide live instruction, and how students can use the various software the district needed for online learning.

“Our students and community deserve better than this,” she said, referring to the first week of virtual school.

Virtual class schedules are structured identically to the in-person learning schedule. Lamont said he has a 55-minute first-hour class, a lunch, and the rest of the classes last for 50 minutes. Each student has five-minute passing times to transition to each virtual class.

Vitti stressed that the virtual schedule was made to mirror the in-person schedule for two reasons.

The district wanted to provide rigorous instruction and consistent access to a teacher. He said parents complained during distance learning this spring that students were working independently and had trouble getting help from teachers.

Also, Vitti said the district could receive more scrutiny from the state if it tried to rely on assignments — rather than live instruction — to fulfill legislative requirements for virtual attendance.

“That would create a heavy burden on teachers and students,” he said. If schools can’t provide documented proof of assignments to state auditors, it could also result in a loss of funding.

For Anaya, Lamont, and Merarys there were some bright spots in remote learning. Anaya liked creating a virtual locker for one of her teachers, which she filled with an image of a toolkit to show her interest in engineering. She also liked having conversations with her science teacher and classmates about empathy and social justice.

Lamont enjoyed how his biology teacher began each class with morning stretches. During each stretch, the teacher would give an anatomy lesson, describing the functions of each body part.

During the first week of online classes, district teacher Heidi West is so far optimistic about her sixth-grade students’ virtual attendance. Only a few students didn’t log in to each of her Spanish and English language arts classes.

Even though student interactions were positive, West described the week of technical errors as “a nightmare.”

West couldn’t upload assignments to Schoology, the district’s online learning management system. So she ended up calling a technology support helpline.

“I was on an IT call for an hour before they told me I had to go somewhere to get a Microsoft Office upgrade,” she said. “Then it turns out it wasn’t even my computer. It was another glitch.”

For those still experiencing technical issues, the Detroit district is expanding its hotline services to offer technical support. The hotline number is 1-888-466-3978 and will be available Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Back in school, Tennessee students wish for more counseling and hope to move toward normalcy

2020-09-14T18:28:37+00:00

When Benjamin Concha’s rural East Tennessee school shut down last spring, it felt like the world suddenly stopped.

“My mom didn’t let me go to what ended up being the last day of school,” said Concha, now a ninth-grader in Hamblen County. “Everything just stopped and communication also stopped and I didn’t know what to do… Now, we’re back in person and things are going again.”

Concha was one of five high school students from across the state to join Chalkbeat and The Education Trust in Tennessee this month for a virtual conversation about students’ hopes, fears, and lessons learned as school resumes this fall (go here to read about the Education Trust’s work with these students). This continued a dialogue started in May, when schools across the nation were shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This group of students and their peers are embarking on yet another uncertain time of schooling – as their state is one of the first in the nation to begin reopening campuses. While some students in rural counties are back in a school building, others in Memphis and Nashville — Tennessee’s largest school districts — are settling into another season of online learning.

Students talked about their optimism for this semester — especially for remote learning — their concerns about student mental health, and the desire for more support for students preparing for life after high school.

“Students have a crucial role to play in helping educators and policymakers understand the short- and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on their learning and development,” said Gini Pupo-Walker, state director for The Education Trust in Tennessee. “These panels are an important opportunity to hear firsthand how well teachers and schools are supporting students during this critical time.”

Ommay Farah, a senior at Hume Fogg Academic Magnet High School in Nashville, said she watched more than 50 hours of College Board videos on YouTube last semester trying to prepare for her Advanced Placement classes.

“A lot of it was me working harder and not smarter if that makes sense,” Ommay said. “I now have a schedule and know what I’m supposed to do when, and I really like that.”

Concha was one of two students in the group going back in-person, and while his school was just in its first week of classes, he said it’s going really well so far. Everyone is required to wear masks and the school is trying to keep students spread out.

“It mostly felt happy… it was really hard finding my classes,” said Concha, who is new to his high school building. “But every teacher is saying, ‘If we go to virtual, we’ll do this and that.’ They’re preparing us in case we have to switch.”

Kaleb Sy, a sophomore at T-STEM Academy at East High School in Memphis, said regardless of whether or not students are back in person or fully online, they need emotional support and empathy from their teachers.

His district started this semester fully remote with a massive plan in place to give every student a device and internet. Instruction is off to a better start, Sy said, but educators can’t forget about what students have faced this year emotionally.

“We’ve had a pandemic and racial trauma,” Sy said, referencing the protests this summer following the police shooting of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “It’s about having to think about the other side and have empathy for others.”

Kez Echols II, a freshman at Martin Luther King, Jr. Magnet High School in Nashville, said students who need emotional support don’t always get noticed or nudged to get help from counselors, especially in a remote world.

“If guidance counselors step up and out more,” students will be more likely to seek help, said Echols. He said that teachers hold hourlong office hours each week allowing students to pop in and talk.

Chinaya Mason, a senior at Austin East Magnet High School in Knoxville, also said that students need time with counselors more than ever to prepare for college and life after high school.

“Just figuring out when and where to take the ACT is difficult right now,” Mason said. “We need to be more flexible with students who are trying to apply to places… We’re back in school and that’s going better, and that’s great, but life is still really complicated.”

Reporter Laura Faith Kebede contributed to this report.

Detroit district students worry about learning loss, isolation, and staying motivated while learning remotely

2020-08-27T20:11:54+00:00

Eva Oleita is terrified of getting COVID-19.

Oleita, a senior at Cass Technical High School, is more vulnerable to the harmful effects of COVID because she has asthma. During severe attacks, she needs a machine to help her breathe.

To stay safe, Oleita will be learning remotely this fall.

“I don’t myself feel comfortable even entering the building,” said Oleita, whose mom battled the virus this spring and recovered.

As school leaders, parents, and teachers clash over school reopening plans, students also have strong opinions about the decisions the adults are making. About 80% of students in the Detroit school district will begin the school year online Sept. 8. But while some say they or their parents made that decision for safety reasons, they’re consumed with anxiety: Will they get a quality education online? Will they be able to connect with their classmates outside of the virtual world?

“I really didn’t want to do online. My dad wanted me to because he didn’t want to risk me catching the virus,” said Tya Vasser, a senior at Communication and Media Arts High School. “I completely understand his decision because he wants to keep us safe.”

Alexis Harris, a senior at Renaissance High School, initially signed up for the face-to-face option, because she said it’s a better learning environment for her. At the time, she assumed the public health crisis would have improved by now. But she recently started wavering.

“A lot of students I talked to want to stay home because they are afraid,” Harris said Monday.

By Thursday, the decision had been made for her. Harris said she received a message indicating the entire school will be online only. The district, which has been trying to provide both an in-person and online option for parents, is now allowing entire schools to go online only if too few teachers sign up for face-to-face instruction. Harris is OK with that.

“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” she said.

If schools do go back in person, other students worry that safety protocols won’t be enforced, or that their classmates wouldn’t follow safety guidelines.

“I know all the kids are not going to pay attention to the rules. ‘Keep on a mask. Take this serious. If you’re sick, don’t come,’ ” said Niyla Stitt, a junior at CMA. “If I see that they’ll be more serious, then I’ll come.”

“[The teachers] already have a difficult time implementing dress code. How are you going to say, ‘Hey, you need to wear a mask?’ ” Oleita said.

Oleita said she understands that some students need the in-person option. She knows students who rely on school meals, may come from unstable households, or just can’t sit in front of a computer screen for hours each day.

“This is why it’s not only the district’s responsibility, but also the state’s responsibility to make sure they are providing resources for their children who are disadvantaged.”

Students say they’re unsure what would make them feel safe to return to school buildings. Vasser said her dad would consider letting her return to in-person learning in January, if rates of positive coronavirus cases are close to zero.

Stitt fears another outbreak of COVID could ruin every student’s chance of going back to campuses. While she’s committed to online learning for now, it’s still unsettling.

“I never thought I would experience this,” she said.

‘In over my head’

Students say they’re hoping online learning will be better in the fall than it was in the spring, when school districts across the state made an abrupt shift to remote instruction in order to curb the spread of the virus.

Educators are expecting most students to begin the school year with some learning losses related to the pandemic.

Stitt said she is not a good online learner. This past spring had her feeling overwhelmed.

“I feel like I didn’t learn enough, especially in math. I was in over my head,” she said.

Stitt said she was never nervous about raising her hand and asking a question in physical classrooms. But during online classes in the spring, it was tough to get a word in when other students talked.

“It would be hard to get her attention,” she said, referring to her teacher.

Harris said it was challenging to adjust to online learning this spring, and it affected her work ethic. Learning at home was too comfortable.

“It was hard because I would wake up and work five feet away from my bed. I was like, “Do I want to get up?” she said.

To overcome this, Harris is planning a stricter daily routine, getting up early and starting schoolwork. Although she does well in English, she tries to visualize story passages to keep the material interesting and fight off boredom.

“If I imagine it, it makes it better,” she said.

Oleita and her friends have been talking about ways to be more self-sufficient and learn independently.

If she needs help with schoolwork, she said she’ll be in constant communication with her teacher through texts or reach out to her peers.

Stitt said she hopes learning strategies like small group discussions will continue virtually. It’s helped her before. She still hopes she’ll get the extra attention she needs because she is worried about falling behind.

“I don’t catch on as fast as everybody else. I do need one-on-one help with math. It’s really my struggle area,” she said. “What if I don’t understand the whole time while online? What if my teacher doesn’t notice?”

‘I hope we can get past this’

With the school year quickly approaching, Harris is hoping she can continue participating in choir. She’s president of her school choir and has developed many close relationships with other choir students and teachers.

But she said it’s unclear whether it will continue this school year, as concerns rise about the potential for indoor choir activities to spread the virus.

“I would be really hurt. While I understand it’s a huge risk to have everyone together, it would be really sad to not have anywhere to go after school or not have those people around anymore,” she said.

The prospect of the next few weeks being isolated at home is making Stitt reflect.

“I never did a whole bunch of stuff that I wanted to do [before the pandemic], and I probably took it for granted,” she said.

She already misses being able to read a book in class, going to the board to work out a problem, or greeting her teachers in the hallways. As remote learning continues, she’s a little worried a sense of community will be lost.

“The classroom is way different. It’s just a better atmosphere,” she said. “I really want to go back to school. I know it will be a while. I hope we can get past this.”

After a fellow Black girl was detained for not doing her schoolwork, I fought for her freedom

2020-08-20T17:54:15+00:00

Black girlhood leaves me exhausted, as I take on adult battles. Because society doesn’t see Black girls as the children we are, I had to grow up a lot quicker than my white counterparts.

Ama Russell

I am the co-founder of Black Lives Matter In All Capacities, an organization formed amid the dual pandemics of coronavirus and racism. When my co-founder, Eva, and I realized that our voices and cries as Black girls — soon-to-be Black women — had been erased from this fight, we knew we had to step up.

First, we organized a #SayHerName protest, on June 20, for Black womxn and girls killed by the police. We have since planned several virtual and in-person actions, including Instagram takeovers, political education work, and our advocacy on behalf of Grace, a 15-year-old Black girl who was sentenced to juvenile detention for not completing her online schoolwork during the pandemic. (Grace’s story was first reported by the nonprofit news organization ProPublica.)

Even as I hold America accountable for its promise of liberty and justice for all, I have seen enough to know that this country doesn’t love me, and that it grants girls like me no mercy. We aren’t allowed to make mistakes.

I must rally for Grace because she lives, because her life and freedom are intertwined with my own. I refuse to fight for Black women and girls solely after they die. As we live together, we must fight for each other.

To that end, Black Lives Matter In All Capacities organized a July 22 sit-in at the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Michigan, where Grace was sentenced. We chanted and shared our outrage. We demanded Grace go free. As our sit-in ended, our fight was far from over.

Ama, right, with her Black Lives Matter in All Capacities co-founder, Eva.

The next week, we organized an overnight occupation for Grace. I live and attend school in Detroit, and had never gone to Pontiac, Michigan, before these actions. I drove an hour out and would drive 100 hours to fight for my people.

A letter Grace wrote to her mother, which was printed in ProPublica, spoke to her extreme isolation and trauma while in detention. With our overnight effort, we wanted to show Grace that we see her and love her. We wrote letters of encouragement to her and other youth at the facility, known as Children’s Village. Representatives from advocacy groups, such as Every Black Girl and Detroit Will Breathe, participated in the event. So, too, did state Sen. Rosemary Bayer and state Rep. Brenda Carter, who addressed the crowd. Grace’s mother blessed us with her presence and shared her remarks. The nonprofit When We All Vote, registered voters at the event. We all watched the documentary “Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools” until the sun rose for morning yoga.

Our purpose was for Black girls to stand with Grace and emphasize that this case is not an anomaly. Too often Black girls are criminalized and treated as adults.

At 17, fighting for human rights has taken a toll on my soul, but I find peace in working for justice and equity. The harsh reality is that I will continue to see my people abused and killed until we dismantle the systems that oppress us. This fight is daunting, but it’s worth it. Because when we organize, we win.

I am extraordinarily happy to know that Grace has been released, and her case has been terminated. I am honored to have fought for the liberation of another Black girl. But this was just one battle in a war against systemic racism. We will continue to stand up for Black girls across this nation. Readers: I ask you to join us in this fight. Because Black liberation doesn’t begin and end with an Instagram post meant to show support.

Ama Russell is a youth activist and organizer. She is 17 and a rising senior at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. She strives to liberate her people and co-founded Black Lives Matter in All Capacities in June of this year.

These Bronx students went looking for COVID cases in their community. Here’s what they found instead.

2020-08-18T22:30:56+00:00

A group of students from a South Bronx high school spent their summer as COVID-19 case workers.

Health, Education, and Research Occupations High School, or HERO — a six-year career and technical high school where students can earn an associate’s degree — created an internship program, training 20 of its students to help identify infections in the school community and connect people to health resources and other social services.

During the course of their coronavirus response work, students did not find a single virus case. Instead they found families who needed help paying for rent, groceries, dental work, finding mental health services — or even how to manage power outages after the storm Isaias tore through New York. At the same time, the internship helped the students themselves during a summer when options for teens to earn money were few, and the city slashed slots for its popular Summer Youth Employment Program.

“We were looking for ways to keep our community as safe as possible,” said HERO Principal Kristen Cahill, noting that her school is designed to put students on the path to careers in health care and partners with Hostos Community College and Montefiore Medical Center. “We needed to come up with some internships on our own.”

The six-week program included a two-week crash course on the history of epidemiology and social work, how to conduct contact tracing, protect parents’ privacy, and interact with families who might overshare or be reluctant to express their needs. The program reached over 200 families who agreed to receive daily texts and weekly phone calls to monitor if anyone in their immediate household was experiencing virus symptoms. Students earned a $750 stipend, supported by funding from the social service organizations Here to Here and the Family Independence Initiative.

Some students were initially nervous about calling and texting the parents of their classmates and trying to get them to open up about their family’s problems. (Student interns were only given the first names of those who participated, though the parents were informed that it might be possible for students to figure out their identities.)

“After speaking to them over time, we got more comfortable and so did they,” said rising junior Nyla Rivera. “They started to expect a call or a text from us.”

Nyla Rivera (foreground) is a HERO student who participated in the summer internship program.

Rising sophomore Maria Shahbain at first struggled to connect with one of her assigned families, a single parent of three whose husband had passed away. But Shahbain was able to build enough of a relationship that the parent ultimately asked for help finding fresh food and rental assistance.

Shahbain referred the parent to a program that could deliver fruits and vegetables. She then reached out to housing organizations on behalf of the family.

“Even though we’re only supposed to call once a week, I called her twice or three times that week,” Shahbain said.

But students also learned that determining what families need is only half the battle.

During his first call with one of his assigned families, student Justin Rosa quickly figured out that the participant’s mother needed dentures. She told Rosa her mother had limited mobility, was fearful of having the procedure conducted in a hospital, and that her medical coverage came through Medicare. Using an online database, he found three viable options.

There was just one problem: He couldn’t get in touch with the family again.

“I wasn’t able to present my referrals — I wish I could,” Rosa said. “There’s so many needs and so many things that go into one family’s life and you want to just help them in the best way you can.”

Many students ran up against similar roadblocks, but Principal Cahill urged them not to become discouraged, noting that lots of social service providers don’t immediately see the fruits of their labor.

“If you do the right thing and you follow through and you’re reliable and maintain a tone that’s professional,” Cahill said, “you’re setting them up to access services in the future. You might not witness that, but you’re still creating value.”

One of the key tools students used was a website called Bronx Impact, which acts as something of a search engine for agencies that provide everything from legal help to jobs programs. (The students also had close supervision from school staff who helped monitor their recommendations.)

Even so, students began to appreciate just how difficult it can be to find help. Tracking down the correct social service provider sometimes morphed into a labyrinthine process of internet sleuthing and making phone calls with lots of dead ends, leaving some students wondering how overwhelmed families were supposed to navigate the dizzying array of providers.

“You have to go through so much just to find help,” said 16-year-old Meadow Rodriguez, a rising junior at HERO who plans to become a surgeon. “Not everybody is tech smart.”

Rodriguez said some of the families she was assigned to wound up not needing much help. (School officials said the community’s needs this summer were not as dire as they predicted.)

Still, Cahill said she is considering ways of keeping the program going — and funded — as the school year starts up again. Some experts worry that infection rates could increase as the weather cools, flu season arrives, and school buildings reopen. The school, Cahill said, may wind up doing some of its own contact tracing — a task that could be made easier if those reaching out are familiar community members instead of strangers.

With the summer experience under their belts, some students are ready to hit the ground running this fall.

“It’s more significant work skills than you would normally be able to provide teenagers with during an internship,” Cahill said. “I think the kids were learning skills that could use more practice.”

The American Dream eluded my mother. I’m determined not to let it pass me by.

2020-08-17T23:29:38+00:00

My grandparents, my mother, and my four uncles moved to the United States in 1995. They left behind their home in the Dominican Republic with the dream that an American education could take you anywhere. My grandfather could only attend elementary school in the DR, and he wanted more for his children and their children.

Shelley Polanco

My mom was 16 when they arrived here. She knew little English, but her determination carried her to LaGuardia Community College in Queens. Her immigration status, however, made her ineligible for federal assistance, and my grandfather’s humble earnings as a taxi driver couldn’t cover the tuition. After one semester, she had to drop out.

Twelve years later, as a single mother, she returned to college full-time. Since she could not afford child care, she took me with her to evening classes at Lehman College in the Bronx. My mother and I would sit near the front of the classroom, and I’d do my homework. I was 12.

My favorite was her mathematics course that met on Thursdays. When we arrived, the professor greeted me warmly as his “youngest college student.”

My mother finished her bachelor’s degree, and then went on to get a master’s degree in Human Resources Management, also from Lehman, in 2017. As she walked across the stage with proud tears in her eyes, though, she was silently dragging over $100,000 in student debt. Much of that was used to cover our living expenses as well as tuition.

After she graduated, when I was a freshman in high school, my mom introduced me to our household finances. Together, we sat and pondered what subscriptions were necessary and what we could do without. That’s when I learned just how much my mother owed. My mother’s college journey made me wonder early on about my own.

In eighth grade, I began to dream about going to an excellent high school with lots of options and resources; I wanted to make sure I heard about all the programs that my mother could have benefited from.

I made a powerful connection with my guidance counselor, Ms. Delma, and she became my mentor. She pushed me to take the high school application process seriously. During lunch, I sat in her cubicle and pored over a big book of New York City high schools. When I got to The Beacon School, I fell in love with the pictures of colorful hallways and the fine art studios and math classes. I couldn’t believe that I could explore photography, dance, and music while taking core academic classes.

Beacon’s application process was complex, but with the help of Ms. Delma at school and my mother at home, I got in. But I quickly realized that Beacon provided scarce support for first-generation and low-income students; their majority white student population did not demand it.

I began to search within my own small community of other low-income freshmen, and eventually I earned a spot in a college readiness program called Minds Matter. Throughout high school, I spent every Saturday taking SAT prep courses, writing workshops, and bonding with my two mentors. Minds Matter plugged me into an extended community of 80 high school students from across the city and dozens of New York City professionals who volunteered to guide us.

Minds Matter had us read “Just Mercy” a book by Bryan Stevenson about inequities in the criminal justice system. As a group, we sat around a large wooden table and discussed the death penalty and the sad reality of how many people of color are incarcerated. I became fascinated by the mass incarceration crisis in this country and wanted to do something to solve it. I was especially disturbed by our societal need to punish.

WIth the help of my Minds Matter mentor, last year I was accepted to 13 colleges. I chose Brandeis University, partly because it has one of the best neuroscience programs in the country. Sparked by the discussions of “Just Mercy,” I want to make prisons a rehabilitative space. Neuroscience can help me scientifically explore why leaders and decision-makers believe prison must punish and hurt. I hope to combine political science with neuroscience to better understand the failings of our criminal justice system and help transform it.

Brandeis also provided the most financial aid. I still need to cover several thousand dollars every semester, but luckily Brandeis has flexible payment plans and many work-study opportunities. I won’t have to go too far into debt.

I’ve worked hard and gained a lot of success so far. I want to believe that hard work always leads to success, but my mother worked really hard, too, and she’s barely getting by with a lot of debt.

Lately my mom and I have been talking a lot about what classes I should take. As she looked at my list of potential courses recently, she smiled and got teary-eyed. “You’re not under the same pressure I was. Your life is different because you have so many things. You have me,” she said.

COVID-19 brings bigger worries. Partly to be safe and partly to save money, I’ll spend my first semester of college as a remote student, staying with my mom in our Bronx apartment, situated in a public housing complex, instead of a dorm in a Boston suburb. Even though I worry about fitting in, I’m sad to miss the social aspect of dorm life and the opportunity to be more independent.

Staying home also means less access to a community of advocates. College is the last safe place to soak up knowledge and explore before I’m thrust into the real world. From behind my laptop, how will I form connections with professors or plug into the career center?

Admission to Brandeis gives me access to a social ladder — the American Dream of mobility through education that brought my grandfather here 25 years ago. Still, I worry that starting college from home might hinder me from climbing further than my mother was able to, despite her very best efforts.

Shelley Polanco is an incoming freshman at Brandeis.

This essay originally appeared in YCteen, a publication by Youth Communication, and was adapted for Chalkbeat.

Watch Detroit teens speak about race and activism: ‘If you don’t advocate for yourself, no one will’

2020-07-31T19:11:56+00:00

Lamont Satchel Jr. isn’t interested in declarations of anti-racism by school districts and corporations. What matters to him goes much deeper.

“I don’t need an official statement from you. I want to see it,” said Satchel, a Detroit high school student who was part of Chalkbeat Detroit’s virtual student panel discussion on race Thursday afternoon.

What does he want to see? He wants to see corporations with Black people in positions of power and leadership. He wants to know that everyone, from the janitors to the CEO, have done self-reflection to see if they’re perpetuating stereotypes and if they’re treating Black and brown employees differently than they do others.

“Are they really saying that they’re anti-racist and having trainings and teaching their employees that?” asked Satchel. “Or are they saying they’re an anti-racist organization to keep their revenue flowing, to keep their workforce strong, to keep their public opinion strong? That’s the question we have to ask.”

During the hour-long conversation, Satchel and four other Detroit students tackled issues of racism, teaching Black history, police in schools, and activism. Well over 100 people, including a number of educators, tuned into the discussion that was moderated by Chalkbeat Detroit reporter Eleanore Catolico and former intern Imani Harris, a Northwestern University student from Detroit.

The panelists were:

Ama Russell, a rising senior at Cass Tech
Makiah Shipp, a rising freshman at the University of Michigan and a recent graduate of Detroit Edison Public School Academy
Abimifoluwa (Abimi) Onifade, a rising freshman at the University of Michigan and a recent graduate of Renaissance High School
Liz Okunawo, a rising senior at Cass Tech
Satchel, a rising senior at Cass Tech

Here’s a recap of what they had to say. See the video below to listen to the full conversation.

What it means to be an activist:

The students agreed that there is more to activism than marching, chanting, and holding signs. Some of them have not attended any of the ongoing protests since George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis.

Activism, they said, is also about educating themselves and others.

“To me, activism is any positive action you take to support the movement,” said Onifade.

As part of her volunteer work with a political campaign, Shipp is helping young people get registered to vote.

“At the end of the day, not everybody’s parents vote, not everybody understands the voting process so that can often discourage people to vote at all,” Shipp said.

Russell, through a group she cofounded called Black Lives Matter in All Capacity, has planned and attended protests. The group’s most recent efforts have involved pushing for the release of a Black teen from Beverly Hills who was sent to juvenile detention during the pandemic for not completing her schoolwork. Hours before the panel discussion began, Russell had just finished an overnight occupation outside the detention center.

“I strive to empower Black people … through education,” she said.

What they wish their history classes taught about Black history:

The students say school curriculums need to delve deeper into black history.

“The only common figures we all learn about is Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks. It kind of stops there,” Satchel said. “We kind of forget the whole other side of Black history, that we had businesses, we had Black power. We had Black wealth. And even though it was destroyed, it still — it helps to know where you come from to move forward.”

“In schools we’re taught the history of slavery and how slavery is abolished,” Onifade said. “It’s not really explained that modern-day slavery still exists in the justice system. That’s what needs to be talked about.”

What school leaders should consider when discussing police and security guards in school:

Of the five students, Russell is the only one who strongly supports the elimination of police from schools. She said police are more prevalent in schools with large Black and brown student populations, and that leads to the assumption “that our children need some type of reinforcement … they make sure that Black and brown students from K-12 know that you are trained to be an inmate.”

Russell believes money for police officers can be better used to hire more social workers and counselors, and to provide better mental health services to students.

Others, though, said it’s important to provide school police officers with training so they can better connect with students.

“It’s important that leadership, when considering this topic, think more about protecting the students rather than policing the students,” Shipp said.

How white teachers who want to be allies can make the classroom a more empowering and equitable space:

Satchel said the biggest things white teachers can do is to create an environment in their classrooms where students feel free “to express how they feel.”

“The biggest things with my white teachers is authenticity. Just because you’re a white teacher and you say ‘I’m with you,’ it doesn’t mean I trust you. Understand that. Everyone has to build a certain level of trust. We have to move past just words. We have to see action,” Satchel said.

“Kids pick up on BS. We know when people are being authentic. And we know when people are having this little political show of ‘I’m just this amazing and giving teacher and I hear all my students.’”

Community leaders should elevate the voices of young people:

Russell said leaders need to seek out young people and invite them to the table to have conversations. Then, they need to listen.

“You should invite teens to the conversation with the same respect you would any other public official or adult. Make sure you’re honoring the youth in the space and making sure their voice is heard and not minimize them because they’re younger.”

What they want people to know:

The biggest lesson adults can learn is to understand the impact of living with the inequities between Detroit schools and suburban schools.

“You don’t go through the things I go through,” Okunawo said.

‘We have to evolve towards a better future for ourselves’: Detroit area teens demand racial equality

2020-07-29T22:17:36+00:00

As the nation faces a reckoning over racial injustice and police violence, many metro Detroit students are speaking out and taking action.

Many have attended protests. Some have organized marches and others have become politically involved. As Chalkbeat Detroit spoke with more than a dozen students over the last few weeks, we heard outrage, frustration, and exhaustion. But we also heard this: They feel empowered and inspired.

One of those students — Makiah Shipp — is part of a virtual student panel discussion on race that Chalkbeat Detroit will moderate from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday. If you’d like to hear what school leaders and teachers can do to better support young people in this moment, sign up here.

‘Give us our justice’

Layla Allen is a 16-year-old activist and poet.

Layla Allen is a 16-year-old activist and poet. So when protesters hit the streets in Detroit to denounce the killing of George Floyd and racism in general, she couldn’t just join in. She had to get permission from her mother.

“What she said at first was, ‘no, you can’t do this, it’s too dangerous; they’re tear gassing people. I don’t want you to go to jail because no one has money to pay your bail.’ ”

Allen, who attends Davis Aerospace Technical High School, expressed herself through online petitions and Instagram posts, but she didn’t stop trying to convince her mom to let her protest in person.

“I was emotional and enraged all in the same breath,” she said. “After I explained how I felt about the situation she kind of started to look at it with a new perspective.”

Last month, Allen helped lead a small protest with some of her high school classmates outside of the Detroit police headquarters.

“We’re tired of the justification — just give us our justice,” she said. “When people ask me if anything is occurring now takes me by surprise, it’s like, no. It’s more so disheartening and infuriating than it comes by surprise.”

‘Everybody deserves equality’

King Bethel, 14, hopes to inspire change with his music.

Being an aspiring rapper and singer has given King Bethel, 14, an outlet for dealing with a chaotic 2020. It began when his mother was diagnosed with COVID-19 (she’s since recovered) and has continued with protests over police violence.

At a recent protest organized by Detroit’s charter schools, Bethel recited a poem by Haywood Glenn that reflected on the nation’s history of racial oppression and the Black community’s resilience. Glenn is a staff member at Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences, where Bethel attended school last year.

“We make broken streets whole,” Bethel recited, delivering each verse with rhythm. “The key is the children. Tomorrow is promised because we intend to build it. We are a community of beauty and passion … as the elders imagined.”

Days after the event, Bethel said he hoped his performance compelled people in the crowd to take action.

“I wanted to inspire and encourage the youth about the racial inequality and the racial injustice that is happening at this very moment — and keep fighting,” Bethel said.

“No matter if you’re young, Black, white, brown, no matter what color you are, everybody deserves equality,” he said.

‘Being Black is not a crime’

Ridgeley Hudson, 18, wants to elevate the stories of Black people.

Ridgeley Hudson, 18, sees both sides of the debate on police brutality.

His two brothers and a cousin are Detroit police officers. They taught him his rights as a citizen, and he’s seen them forge positive relationships with the community. But he’s also had his own negative encounters with police and believes he’s been a target of racial profiling.

George Floyd’s death left him angry.

“I’m frustrated, outraged,” he said. “George Floyd deserves justice … and being Black is not a crime.”

Hudson is a student of Black history, and believes education can be a great influence. He recently graduated from Martin Luther King High School and will be starting college soon, but he hopes to return to the Detroit district one day and uplift the stories of Black people.

“When people know their history, they know how to be active in the community and know how to speak up for all people, for equity, equality, and justice,” he said.

‘My life should be equal to anyone else’

For Joy James, 17, her fight for racial justice is about recognizing the worth of every Black life.

Joy James, 17, fears a tragedy like George Floyd’s will one day crush her family. She’s watched too many deaths during arrests on TV and social media.

“I don’t want to be judged based on the color of my skin. My life should be equal to anyone else. My life shouldn’t be less valuable. For the race I am. For the gender I am,” said James, a student at Cass Technical High School.

She believes it’s up to young people to fulfill the promise of racial equality. The protests, she said, have made her feel more empowered.

“I want to have a voice to change the world I live in,” she said.

‘We can’t stop’

Kyndall Bouldin, 13, said she won’t stop advocating for racial equality until meaningful changes come.

At 13, Kyndall Bouldin is already exhausted. She’s spent years learning about the long fight for civil rights for Black people, and she said it’s frustrating that the fight continues.

“It matters so much to us. Because we haven’t really gotten to a point where everything is equal and everyone is getting the same amount of respect,” said Bouldin, who attended Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences last year.

After Floyd’s death she became passionate about protesting for racial justice. She’s starting conversations with family members and inviting her friends to participate in peaceful demonstrations.

“If we keep protesting, these changes will soon come. We can’t stop,” she said.

‘I just want to walk outside, enjoy the day like everybody else’

Stefan Perez, 16, is fighting for the freedom to venture on the streets without fear.

Like so many other protestors, Stefan Perez is fighting for the freedom to venture on the streets without fear.

“I just want to walk outside, enjoy the day like everybody else. Be alive and come back home,” said Perez, who attended Communication and Media Arts High School last school year.

Perez has had his own run-ins with police. When he was 13 and in middle school, he and two friends were stopped by police officers because they fit the description of a robbery suspect. Now 16, Perez is active in fighting against police violence and oppression.

Last month, he was heralded as a hero for his role during the fourth night of demonstrations in Detroit, when he convinced the large crowd to abide by the city’s curfew.

Perez said it doesn’t matter how long it takes to achieve racial justice — days, weeks, months, or years. If he has children of his own, he doesn’t want them to be afraid of being outside.

“We have to evolve towards a better future for ourselves,” he said.

‘I always had to downplay my Blackness’

Taylor Martin, 17, become an activist in part because she didn’t want her younger sister to experience racism.

Taylor Martin, 17, attended predominantly white suburban elementary schools, and remembers being the little Black girl so many adults ignored.

She believes she was singled out several times for discipline because she is Black. When a white male classmate called her the n-word, she received flak from some peers for reporting the slur to school administrators. Those are just a couple of examples of incidents she said left her feeling lonely, isolated, and adrift.

The teachers “told me to get over it,” said Martin, who attends Carlson High School in Gibraltar. “I always had to downplay my Blackness for acceptance, and over time, I felt sadness in my heart.”

She became an activist in part because she didn’t want her younger sister to experience racism. Recently, Martin helped organize a peace march, drawing hundreds of youth and adults from across the region. She also launched @justiceinthemitten, an Instagram account where Taylor posts information on local protests and youth activism.

Her hope: No more deaths from police violence.

‘Get out of your comfort zone to learn’

Makiah Shipp, 17, is helping her community fight for racial justice by engaging them in the political process.

Makiah Shipp, an incoming college freshman, said there’s much work to be done when it comes to eradicating racism in the classroom.

Growing up, she remembers being frustrated that her textbooks taught about slavery, but didn’t focus enough on Black leaders, social movements, and indigenous history. These stories, Shipp said, need to be elevated to cultivate cultural understanding and help people connect across their differences.

Diverse cultural lessons are important for all schools, she said, including those that have a predominantly white student and teaching population.

“The white teachers need to take that step to be like, ‘OK, this space is not racially diverse, but you know what I’m going to do, I’m going to educate myself about Black history, and I’m going to take the steps to be able to teach my class, whether or not there are Black students in the class,’ ” she said. “They need to be aware of what this world looks like outside of the school.”

Social media can be another outlet for learning. It can help youth explore diverse perspectives and expand their world view.

“Get out of our comfort zone to learn … what’s right and what’s wrong,” she said.

Makiah is helping her community fight for racial justice by engaging them in the political process. To her, knowledge of and participation in the political system are ways for communities to force reforms.

At 17, the recent high school graduate is getting her feet wet as one of the youngest field organizers for Rashida Tlaib’s reelection campaign to represent Michigan in Congress. She spends her days canvassing for Tlaib, going door to door encouraging residents to vote in the upcoming local and presidential elections.

‘We’ve got to start with our kindergarteners’

Regina Murphy is a 15-year-old Black girl who dreads the stares she has learned to expect when she visits cousins in a majority white Detroit suburb. She thinks of it as ignorance: People don’t know anything about Black Americans and their history, so they don’t know how to relate.

That’s why Murphy, a sophomore at Davis Aerospace Technical Academy, thinks fighting racism in America starts at school.

“Coming together is more than just moving back to the city and building a downtown,” she said. “We’ve got to start with our kindergarteners. I think that the lack of history of America is what the white supremacists want. They raise their kids to believe that U.S. history is just U.S. history, and leave out the part that Black people built the entire thing up.”

Pandemic paychecks: Meet these Detroit-area teen essential workers

2020-06-26T23:41:04+00:00

When you’re an essential worker and a high school student learning online during a pandemic, life can be difficult to balance.

The shift to online learning that students across the nation had to deal with was a difficult one. It was even more so for students like Kamry Hill, a Detroit high school student and self-described workaholic who continued her job at a fast food restaurant, even as her school responsibilities intensified.

Teens like her have filled essential roles during the pandemic, keeping restaurants open for people who need it. Often, they’re also helping keep their families afloat, which is important when you consider how many jobs have been lost during the pandemic. In Michigan, the unemployment rate soared to 24% in April, up from 4.3% in March.

Marick Masters, a Wayne State University professor specializing in labor markets, said the money teens earn from after-school jobs is “money that they can contribute to the family, for the food bill, the transportation bill, and other incidentals that come into play and can relieve the parents from the obligation of doing that.”

In Hill’s case, earning a paycheck during the pandemic has helped her pay for car insurance for a vehicle her family recently purchased. She said she didn’t want to burden her single mother with that cost.

“It is an overlooked aspect, that they are contributors to the family, and that is something that households really depend upon,” Masters said.

For Hill, working meant having to juggle a new way of learning plus dealing with the anxiety of working such a public job during a pandemic.

“It is kind of harder,” she said of learning online during the final months of the school year that ended last week. “When I’m in school, I’m more focused. When I’m at home, I could get more easily distracted. It’s a challenge for me,” she said.

Some days she had to stop her school lessons early to get to work. Sometimes, she missed classes altogether. She constantly found herself texting teachers for worksheets and other students during her lunch break to keep up with schoolwork.

Hill said the restaurant where she works has taken precautions, so she feels safe. But she does have one concern.

“The only fear I have is somebody coming to work and not knowing they have COVID,” she said. “Or that they still come to work but don’t tell anybody that they’re sick because they have to pay bills.”

Desmond Bryson, who will be a senior at Communication and Media Arts High School in the fall, is also working a fast food job, where employees wear masks and gloves, wash their hands every 30 minutes, and have their temperatures checked.

When Bryson returns home from work, he follows his own safety routine. He’ll immediately dispose of his work gloves, throw his uniform in the washer, and take a shower.

It’s all worth it to Bryson, who wants to study business at a university out of state, using that degree to help promote his clothing line and one day open his own store. Working right now, even during a pandemic, is pivotal to realizing those aspirations.

“You never know what happens, and you might need extra money,” he said. “I would like to get a scholarship, but if that doesn’t end up being the case, I’ll use that money toward my college fund.”

NYC students want to return to in-person learning this fall, but with caveats

2020-06-25T20:49:17+00:00

This is part of an ongoing collaborative series between Chalkbeat and WNYC/Gothamist reporting the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on how New York students learn and on how educators teach.

Many students across New York City want to return to some version of in-person learning this fall but with significant changes to the ways schools operate, according to the results of a Chalkbeat survey.

Earlier this spring, Chalkbeat and WNYC/Gothamist asked New York students how they believe school leaders should work toward reopening buildings and reigniting in-person learning in the fall. Much still remains uncertain, with officials saying they are tracking what direction the coronavirus takes over the summer. In the meantime, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio have each convened task forces to advise them on school reopenings. We wanted to hear directly from students.

Of the more than 560 responses, the vast majority of students said they want to go back to in-person learning this fall, according to an analysis by NYU’s Metro Center of the survey results.

But students — who have spent nearly a third of the 2019-20 school year learning remotely — also described a very different type of in-person learning. Some envisioned a hybrid of remote and in-school classes, while others described flexible hours and staggered schedules.

“One of the major themes that came through in the survey responses is that students want to go back to in-person school. While some mentioned various restrictions they want in place, others just mentioned getting back into the classroom environment,” said Sneha Bolisetty, an NYU graduate research intern who helped with the analysis. “Some students called for long-term changes in schooling, including the removal of high-stakes testing, revising of school timings, and higher standards of cleanliness. These comments served as a powerful reminder that students have strong ideas about what they want to see from their schools, administrators, and teachers beyond the fall semester.”

The results

When students say they want in-person learning, they want it with significant changes.

New York City school officials have yet to release an official plan for the fall, but Mayor Bill de Blasio has hinted at staggered schedules, face coverings, and social distancing within classrooms.

The majority of students who wrote into Chalkbeat called for daily in-person learning to resume, and students preferred staggered class times throughout the day as opposed to a rotational schedule throughout the week.

Christian Velez, a rising high school senior in the Bronx, said he hoped to resume in-person learning but would feel safer if students and educators had temperature checks before the start of school, and if class times were staggered.

“In my school, lots of teachers just assign work and don’t elaborate on what to do or bother to explain concepts and ideas,” Christian, 17, said. “Imagine trying to teach yourself the nitrogen and phosphorous cycle for an AP exam without any clarification. … Things like Google Classroom are super helpful tools to have when you are in classrooms but can easily be exploited out of it.”

Kashif Scott, who is a rising seventh-grader, suggested students could attend class in person for the instruction part but complete assignments and certain tasks online.

Hope Gotfryd, a rising eighth-grader in Prospect Heights, said she hopes schools keep condensed schedules when they return to in-school learning, and not just as a way to stagger the number of students.

“My online classes end at 12:30 every day but I normally finish all of my assignments before that,” Hope said. “This makes me think that school could be so much shorter than it is when we are in the classroom, which would give students a lot more free time, and I believe that would significantly benefit students’ mental health.”

Other students said that a hybrid of remote and in-person learning is the best route, at least until the pandemic is over.

Students could attend class in person for the instruction part but complete assignments and certain tasks online, suggested Kashif Scott, who is a rising seventh-grader at P.S. 364 in Brooklyn.

“There could [be] staggered schedules for kids in higher grades, tutoring services via online, and some activities that would be ok for us to do,” Kashif added. “Because right now everything has come to a complete stop.”

Remote learning has been exceptionally difficult, but it could be improved in the fall.

Students described vastly different experiences with remote learning. Most agreed that there needed to be more personal contact and communication with teachers — and more live instruction or one-on-one contact with teachers.

Marlena Vega with her dog, Betty.

“The lack of communication is driving our grades down because if we have a question or problem, we message our teachers about the issue, and they never seem to reply,” said Emily Contarino, a rising ninth-grader in Staten Island. “I think if we had two days to complete an assignment and had a Zoom call the day after assigning the work, it would be so much better as we could address our questions and concerns directly on the call.”

Ryan Fong, 19, a graduating senior from Brooklyn, suggested that if remote learning was to continue, all teachers should move their deadlines for assignments to midnight “because some students are working in the food and drink industry, and need time to complete assignments.”

Meanwhile, Marlena Vega, 14, a rising 10th-grader at LaGuardia High School, said students working remotely need to be challenged. “I would suggest that the teachers push us a little more because most of the work I’ve gotten was for review, and if we continue this next fall there will be nothing to review,” she said. “They need to figure out how to actually teach us new information.”

If schools do resume in-person learning, staff must be better prepared and equipped to keep everyone safe.

Several students reflected on what it felt like to go to classes before in-person learning was canceled — and how they hope school buildings are better equipped now.

“The classrooms were still dirty for the most part, there was still no soap in the bathroom dispensers, and hand sanitizer more than ever became nonexistent because we were already halfway through the school year and the school no longer had those supplies,” said Christian, the Bronx high schooler. “So the teachers were the ones who had to buy disinfectants and provide sanitary amenities to their students.”

Jennifer Belo is graduating from the High School for Health Professions and Human Services.

Other students talked about mental health preparation, considering the toll of these past few months have had on students.

“I do worry about my other peers who may have experienced strong reactions to quarantine and online learning affecting them emotionally and mentally,” said Jennifer Belo, 18, who is graduating from the High School for Health Professions and Human Services.

“Students must receive attention, support, and, especially, time. School leaders must provide emotional and mental health, as well as guidelines for teachers to follow in order to help and support these students — giving them time to adjust.”

Black Lives Matter movement inspires students’ writing

2020-06-25T16:36:45+00:00

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

Writers Matter is a program started in 2005 by Robert Vogel, then a La Salle education professor, in which teachers are trained to help their middle and high school students write their own stories.

“It’s a motivational program to get kids to want to write,” said Vogel, who retired four years ago after more than four decades at La Salle. “It was developed to be integrated into the school day, taught by certified teachers, and sustained over the course of the whole year. Basically, we’re looking at ways of empowering these kids to use writing as a tool.”

Today in Philadelphia, the program involves more than 3,000 students and 70 teachers in 14 schools. Anywhere from three to eight teachers might use the curriculum in a given school.

“We begin to have them write about their lives and what they’re going through,” Vogel said. This year, as you can imagine, “there has been a drastic paradigm shift.”

First, students wrote about what it has been like learning in the COVID environment, with many sharing their fear and loneliness while schools were closed. Then came the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the protests against police violence.

One of the schools where the Writers Matter program thrives is the Feltonville School of Arts & Sciences, which serves grades 6-8. Aubrey Stewart is an 8th-grade English Language Arts teacher there.

“One thing I try to instill in all of them is that their voices are powerful,” said Stewart.

She witnessed the effects of the program on students during her first year of teaching at another Philadelphia school. Students were given the prompt to write a poem that starts: “I am from …”

The exercise, she said, “was incredible. It was a stepping-stone for students who had not been doing any work. I was watching how it built classroom community.”

In learning about their classmates through their writing, students “could empathize with the students sitting next to them,” she said. “I saw some of the biggest and baddest bullies cry.”

Stewart, who just completed her third year teaching 8th grade, writes along with her students. She shares her own story of growing up in Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, a town of 10,000 people near Scranton in the Poconos, where, as she put it, “houses are not next to each other, there are farm animals and dirt roads.”

From there, she went to West Chester University and, determined to broaden her horizons, she enrolled in the urban teaching program. Her parents, she said, were supportive, “but I’d be lying if I said they weren’t scared” for her to be living alone in Philadelphia.

She has no second thoughts. “I’m happy I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to teach in Philadelphia,” she said. “My students are phenomenal and inspirational.”

She said she learns from them as they learn from her. She shares her own story – not just what she now recognizes as her “privileged” upbringing, but her travails in middle and high school, including a bad relationship. “We have a lot of conversations, and sometimes they feel they are not capable of things and that they cannot be successful.” The writing helps them overcome that.

The program produces a book of student writing each year. She said one student had refused to do work or to read anything, but then devoured every poem in the Writers Matter book. “That student’s own writing flourished by the end of the year,” she said. “It is so meaningful for them to read what other students wrote and to see their work in a published book. It’s huge for them.”

As students see themselves as authentic writers, their confidence grows. Mostly they don’t like writing, because traditionally it has been “an essay … that the teacher returns marked for corrections in red pen.”

Now, she said, they have ownership and pride in the product “and want to constantly revisit their work and collaborate with others to improve their piece. … Writers Matter has been a huge resource in increasing the level of student engagement, building student confidence, and creating our strong classroom community.”

And, she added, “Once they learn to be confident in themselves, I can teach them anything.”

Following is a selection of her students’ writing about Black Lives Matter. Even before this year, she and her students researched victims of police violence, including Freddie Gray, reading about the uprising in Baltimore that followed his death and creating spoken word poetry around the events.

“So when the rioting and looting in Philadelphia began, my students wanted to take action,” Stewart said. “Feeling helpless while they watched Army men in tanks carrying automatic weapons surround their homes and community, they felt compelled to put pen to paper and begin to write. What they have produced here is truly eye-opening, inspirational, and will cause others to self-reflect.”

— Dale Mezzacappa

Some of the writers quoted here were in Stewart’s class in previous years, but they eagerly accepted her invitation to write about what is happening now.

A document with more of her students’ writing can be accessed here.

We Shall Stand

William Tejada- Castillo
Rising 9th grader at Central High School

“No Justice, No Peace.” The phrase that all Black lives have come to stand for and represent. A phrase that is as small as it is, but as clear as it has become. May 25th, of the year 2020, was the day of yet another police racial targeting towards Black men, and once again, has ended fatally. The death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man from the state of Minnesota who was murdered by a racist police officer. A man who came from living life as a feared Black man and constantly having a target on his back to becoming a headline story. A story that many Black men fear to become. One that will be told and shared for many years. A story that emphasizes what we live through and what we fight for. “Please, I can’t breathe” were the words that came out of the mouth of George Floyd while being forcibly sentenced to death. His crime: being Black in white America. Eight minutes and 46 seconds. Officers on the scene trying to convince innocent bystanders that the situation was under control, when in reality, it was just another setup in the system for another Black man to fail and become the victim of a murder led by the racism of an officer. Therefore, the USA is witnessing the unmuted rage of not only Americans, but of many people from around the world. Specifically speaking of the city of Philadelphia, that you may know as “The City of Brotherly Love.” A city with so much anger and pain from the years of endless oppression, to systematic injustice, to police brutality, all coming to life in our city streets. Anger that led to protests forming, infuriated protests becoming riots and riots leading to looting. Hundreds of people all over the city looting small and big-name brand businesses. The country needs a leader in these hard times, someone to take action and stand for what’s right and wrong under all the chaos. What do we get – a president that showed the world that he wasn’t strong enough to stand up and give this country faith that we will ALL fight for change? A president that would rather head to an underground bunker and hide instead of showing his face. A president who sent military tanks and officers with AR-15s to gun us down – in front of our own homes. We love all. We are better united. While all lives will always matter, this moment we recognize the injustices within the Black community and we stand strong with and for Black men, women, and children. #BLACKLIVESMATTER

Together, We Say…

Khamani D.
Rising 9th grader at Philadelphia High School for Creative & Performing Arts (CAPA)

I say” BlackLivesMatter!”

You say “BlackLivesMatter!”

Together we say “BlackLivesMatter!”

“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”

Seeing a grown man scream for his mother, beg and plead for his life… How can you silently stand by and stare?

I say “BlackLivesMatter!”

“When the color of your skin is seen as a weapon you will never be seen in this country as unarmed.”

We have been silent for too long and it’s time we make a stand with peace and harmony – not destruction and chaos. Our weapon of choice, is our voice!

I say “BlackLivesMatter!”

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

Every day an innocent Black child walks outside their home wondering “Am I next?”

I say “BlackLivesMatter!”

“Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Every civil rights activist who witnessed this cold world before us walked so we could run. What will the story we write say?

I say “BlackLivesMatter!”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

We are letting them tear us apart and that’s showing the enemy that they will always dominate.

We need to get through this storm in unison and show them we are strong, we are powerful, and we are a united family!

I say “BlackLivesMatter!”

You say “BlackLivesMatter!”

Together we say “BlackLivesMatter!”

To Those Who Remain Silent

Yariza C.M.
Rising 10th grader at Central High School

“You have the right

to remain silent.”

Yet the color of your skin

gives me the right to use violence.

To those who remain silent,

but no longer quiet

when speaking about the riots.

You’re tired of hearing about systematic racism?

Tired of all the activism?

They’re tired of fighting for the right to be alive.

To those who remain silent,

There are children younger than five

being taught how to deal with the police.

Now tell me why can’t we even protest in peace?

Soldiers going against their own people,

trust me, it’s getting brutal.

There should be no such thing as staying neutral.

To those who remain silent,

why are my brothers and sisters a target?

We’re all human and bleed the same regardless.

Wait, you don’t like being called out for your ignorance,

but you don’t do anything to make a difference.

Even after knowing the accused victims were innocent.

To those who remain silent,

Why is it that you have chosen

the side of the oppressor?

Hope you take a step back for a moment,

so you can educate yourself, and we can come together.

Instead of fighting with us,

use your privilege and your voice to fight for us.

To those who remain silent,

I don’t understand how you’re not ashamed

when you decide to not fight for what’s right

because I’m young, yet heartbroken and enraged.

Let me ask you this:

How many more lives does it have to take?

How many more signs do we have to make?

So you can wake up and realize we need a change.

To those who remain silent,

this shouldn’t be Black vs. White in your eyes,

It should be everyone educating those who are racist.

Learn about what makes you uncomfortable and grow from it,

from these issues we must promise to no longer run.

Face both the good and bad in life because we don’t get another one.

Stop acting like the precincts don’t need improvement

and support the Black Lives Matter Movement.

I Must Ask…

Joshua R.P.
Rising 10th grader at Science Leadership Academy

Do you murder us because of our fear?

Or your fear?

Do you murder us because of our color?

Or your color?

Do you murder us for our protection?

Or your protection?

Do you murder us for our freedom?

Or your freedom?

A country that is named United

Finding it impossible to be as such.

We are from a place of disparity.

Where we lose sleep worrying that our mothers and fathers will be sent to the graveyard.

We see you posting on social media that you are disgusted

But you’re too timid to take action.

We riot because human beings are murdered, on camera, in cold blood.

By men sent to protect.

We riot because our pleas have been silenced

We riot because we don’t know where to place our built up anger.

Yet you riot over sports teams and it is accepted blindly

Your feelings matter less than our lives.

How many black deaths do we need to witness in order for change to happen?

In order for my brothers and sisters to walk down a street peacefully?

In order for my brothers and sisters to drive legally in their car?

In order for my brothers and sisters to live like every other white American?

I will not shut up. I will not sit down.

I’ll stand in front of my brothers and sisters who want change in this town.

The issue will no longer remain hidden.

You need to change the system or we will change your privileged lives.

Our color is beautiful –

Triumphant, powerful, undefeated.

We protest peacefully, yet we still see no change.

Crazy how you’d rather see our nation burn down

Then open your eyes and put your pride to the side

We scream ¨I CAN’T BREATHE”

You hear our cries, you see our pain,

And even our own president hides out and doesn’t want to take any blame.

It’s time America stands up and makes the change!

I must ask, “Will you stand with us?”

My Daddy

Lalany L.
Rising 10th grader at Community Academy of Philadelphia

July 6 was the day my daddy died.

I had to watch him take his last breath while those bullets took his life.

By the time he got to the hospital I knew daddy’s soul followed God’s light.

But the cop knew what he was doing. He didn’t even hesitate twice.

I watched him die from the backseat.

I knew I was scared for my life.

Do you know what it feels like to stay awake at night because you feel someone is plotting to take your life?

They put me in this crazy place I don’t know if I can make it out alive.

Why did you take my daddy’s life and had to ruin mine.

I know you can feel the pain in my eyes when we watched him die

These visions repeat. I can´t get it out of my mind.

I´m going crazy, daddy please, give me a sign.

Because I don’t think I can make it through this America alive.

We are the change generation

2020-06-25T04:00:00+00:00

This personal essay is part of the Chalkbeat Student Takeover: a weeklong project meant to elevate the voices of students at this pivotal moment in America. Read more from the takeover here.

The death of George Floyd in Minnesota has felt like the final straw for my community.

The number of cases of police brutality against African Americans is overwhelming. As a young Black man, it sickens me and makes me think my life doesn’t matter in this country. That thought process is dehumanizing, and trains you to lower the value of your existence and presence.

Now, Black youth in Detroit are taking a stand for our community and our existence. These protests represent our anger and frustration with a system that continues to fail Black and brown people.

We no longer want to live in fear of the individuals who take an oath to protect and serve us, but instead treat us like wild animals and kill us without punishment. Growing up as a young Black man, I have had to educate myself about how to respond “properly” to police misconduct during a traffic stop or arrest. Why should Black youth have to be taught how to respond to an unjust traffic stop or arrest so they don’t end up killed? Why should Black youth have to be taught the “proper” way to reach for an identification card?

I’ve seen school police officers handcuff students and use other harsh, physical tactics. My peers have told me similar stories of conflicts between students and police. That’s not the right way to handle these situations. We’re just kids. We’re still growing. Police shouldn’t respond to us with violence.

We are growing up in a society where we have to adapt to misconduct at the hand of a police officer, instead of being able to trust law enforcement to handle situations appropriately. This country lacks accountability for police officers who escalate neutral situations. This is the problem.

As I watch my community protest and plead respect for our existence, it motivates me. Black Detroit youth are doing everything in our power to support this movement. The majority of us don’t want to risk leaving the house and infecting our parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, so we are taking our thoughts to social media.

I share stories on my Instagram and Twitter accounts to highlight the fight against racism. I’ve seen so many youth write online posts offering protestors care packages.

When we see a company that doesn’t support our movement, I encourage my friends to stop supporting them. That’s how we show our power to influence change. If your company doesn’t stand with Black and brown communities, we, as youth, don’t stand with you.

We will no longer stand on the sidelines and watch our people be abused and mistreated. It’s emotionally crippling for Black teenagers like myself to feel that our lives are not valued, respected, or cherished. I want to grow up in a society and environment that can accept me for who I am without ridicule, fear, or a negative stereotype pinned to my back.

During school, we always used to hear adults tell us we are the generation of change. That statement holds more value now than ever before.

Lamont Satchel Jr., 17, is a rising senior at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan.

Emmett, Kalief, Josiah: More than just names

2020-06-24T04:00:00+00:00

This personal essay is part of the Chalkbeat Student Takeover: a weeklong project meant to elevate the voices of students at this pivotal moment in America. Read more from the takeover here.

“Hey Emmett!” a white kid yelled at me as we were playing dodgeball during my sixth grade gym class. I didn’t know what the insult meant, but some kids on the other side of the court started snickering and made jokes about my whistling. Our gym teacher didn’t hear what was going on, so it continued until the period ended.

Later that day when I arrived home, I looked up “whistling and Emmett’’ and learned about the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till, after he was alleged to have whistled at a white woman. I was obviously aware that black Americans faced a history of racism, but not entirely aware of how it affected people today. I live in a culturally diverse neighborhood in Queens and have gone to predominantly Black schools, and this was my first experience with racism. To think that kids thought it was OK to make fun of the lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till felt awful to me.

Following the incident at school, I looked up Black figures like Nanny of the Maroons, Marcus Garvey, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I learned about the civil rights movement, which then led me to learn more about America’s criminal justice system. I was shocked to read this statistic from the NAACP: Black men are incarcerated at a rate of five times that of white men.

I also read about the tragedy of Kalief Browder, a 16-year-old boy from the Bronx who was accused of stealing a backpack. He was jailed on Rikers Island for three years — mostly in solitary confinement — because he didn’t have enough money for bail. After his release, he died by suicide. Browder’s story hit too close to home. Men who have served time are known to often return home defeated, with an almost lifeless look in their eyes.

It’s tempting to look away. But Bryan Stevenson, an activist and lawyer who has become an inspiration to me, says to get proximate — close enough to those who are suffering — instead of seeing ourselves as separate and different.

Stevenson says that the opposite of poverty is justice, and the true measure of our character as a nation is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned. Kalief would not have spent so many years in prison — without ever being convicted of a crime — if he were from a wealthy family who could afford bail and had access to lawyers who saw him as someone worthy of representation.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has also been an inspiration. BLM has pushed people to acknowledge the systemic oppression of Black people by highlighting cases of police brutality and the unjust criminal justice system as a whole. Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and most notably George Floyd have become recent symbols of this oppression.

Although the death of George Floyd took place 65 years after the murder of Emmett Till, I see a similarity. Till was brutally mutilated and murdered, and his mother left her son’s coffin open to show what racism did to her son physically, and to offer a symbol of what other Black people in America experience. The same could be said about the video of George Floyd’s death. One difference is the national outrage happening today feels like America is awakening now to the extent of police brutality.

While racism and discrimination may not be solved overnight, I’m working on solutions. I am a chapter leader of My Brother’s Keeper, an organization dedicated to helping young men of color gain access to the resources and mentors necessary to thrive. I am also a mentor and student with Youth Justice Court, a program that allows teens to rule on petty cases and provide an alternative response to youth crime in their community.

By working for these organizations, I hope to assist other young people of color to dream big, meet those expectations, and even exceed them. That’s my goal, to encourage and nurture, in a way that fosters creativity and growth, one person at a time. By empowering myself and other young Black men, I want to help create a world where people like Emmett Till, Michael Brown, and George Floyd will never again be murdered with impunity.

Josiah Alexander, 16, is completing 11th grade this June at Francis Lewis High School in Queens, New York. This essay originally appeared in Youth Communication’s Inside Voices and was adapted for Chalkbeat.

When ‘do the right thing’ means taking to the streets

2020-06-22T04:00:00+00:00

This personal essay is part of the Chalkbeat Student Takeover: a weeklong project meant to elevate the voices of students at this pivotal moment in America. Read more from the takeover here.

The night of June 1, New York City sent a text message to residents. A curfew was starting at 11 p.m. We were on our phones at the time, so we were the first to see the message in our household of six: the two of us, our two sisters, and our mother and father. Honestly, we were scared. We knew protests had been going on all around the country and curfews were in place in other cities. But New York? We were shocked.

After curfew began, we were taking out the trash and noticed that no one was outside. It was as if the city was sleeping. We noticed several cop cars moving slowly down our Harlem street, as if they were looking for people outside. This made us nervous. We realized the trust between us and cops is so very thin.

The fact that a Black person has to die in order for people to hear our voices is disturbing. We are scared because we are Black males in a country where being a Black male and getting killed by cops isn’t rare. Or, if we are not getting shot by police, we are being brutalized in other ways — by racial slurs and by systems we have no control over.

This is America.

A week later, our dad asked if we wanted to go to a protest in our neighborhood, Harlem. We were anxious and thought, what if something goes wrong? What if a riot breaks out? What if our family gets hurt in the process? And then we remembered that we’re all here for the same reason, to have police and the general community acknowledge injustices and police brutality against Black people. It’s an issue we can change.

We decided to make a protest sign out of an old cardboard box and thought about what we should write. Then it came to us: FIGHT THE POWER in big black letters. It’s a Public Enemy song we heard last summer in Brooklyn at Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” block party. We thought of political injustice in America and the police systems that are set up against Black boys like us.

When we neared the protest, we were shocked because the crowd was massive. There was a speaker, and people were chanting What’s his name? George Floyd. What’s her name? Breonna Taylor. Honestly, we were a little nervous being in such a big crowd because of the risk of COVID-19 transmission and because of possible police violence. It took a while, but then we started chanting, too. We felt like we were part of something that was changing people’s perspectives.

We were so energized by the time we returned home. Our dad asked us what we want to see happen in the future. One of our sisters said she wanted to see a change in our laws so that cops can’t avoid being held accountable for their actions. To us and to all of the people protesting, this was our goal. And if we could tell our teachers, classmates, the community, and political leaders just one thing, it would be that Black lives matter.

Twin brothers Hunter and Hudson Russell-Horton, age 15, are ninth graders at West End Secondary School in New York City. They also serve as Teen Leaders with Read Alliance, tutoring first-grade students in reading. They thank their mother for inspiring them to write every day.

Announcing the Chalkbeat Student Takeover

2020-06-19T18:42:08+00:00

Dear readers,

Today, on Juneteenth, I am so proud to announce a new project to elevate the voices of young people: the Chalkbeat Student Takeover.

Since May 25, the day a police officer killed George Floyd, we’ve gathered several times as a team to reflect and share. One Black colleague talked about his fatigue at continuously seeing people like him unjustly killed. Another spoke about being the mother of a Black boy, and her accompanying emotions every time a George Floyd, or Trayvon Martin, or Michael Brown made headlines. Many of us agreed that our journalism’s focus on education and equity was more important than ever, but also not enough. One coworker made a powerful suggestion: What could we do to hear even more from students, and invite others to listen to them, too? Enthusiastic yeses filled our Zoom chat box.

Three weeks later, we are handing the mic over to young people, thanks to the 300 submissions we received in response to a callout asking how protests and conversations about racism are affecting them.

The students’ powerful stories express anger, convey skepticism, offer ideas for change, and demonstrate resilience.

We chose Juneteenth to announce this project to our readers after reading one historian’s description of the holiday: “a potent life-giving event … a joyful retort to messages of overt racism.” We can’t imagine a better description of the student voices we have the privilege of showcasing.

The project will launch on Monday with a 24-hour homepage takeover and continue with content throughout the week. I hope you’ll find the six-word stories, art pieces, social media commentary, and First Person essays as moving as we have. As always, we invite your feedback at community@chalkbeat.org.

Sincerely,
Bene Cipolla
Editor-in-chief

Detroit valedictorians speak: ‘There won’t be another senior class that goes through what we went through’

2020-06-17T21:08:17+00:00

The global pandemic may have spoiled prom and graduation plans for Detroit’s high school graduates. But it has given them this: the knowledge that if they can overcome the effects of the coronavirus, they can crush any obstacle.

That’s a message we heard over and over again from some of the city’s valedictorians, whose accomplishments over the last few years put them at the top of their classes.

“We will use this as motivation … to go and succeed in our postsecondary options,” said Von Elson, a graduate of Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. “We won’t just go out as any senior class. We will go out as the best senior class to ever leave high school.”

In this unusual year, which saw school buildings shut down and learning shift online to halt the spread of the virus, Chalkbeat Detroit and Detroit Public Television’s One Detroit teamed up to give valedictorians in the Detroit school district and charter schools a virtual outlet to share their messages with the community.

This project features the videotaped graduation speeches of nearly a dozen valedictorians who opted to participate. They’re a small fraction of the dozens of valedictorians named by city high schools this year, so to see a full list, scroll down.

Here are excerpts from the valedictorian messages, and their individual speeches.

Shyla Butler

Graduate, Denby High School. Plans to attend Benedict College, majoring in psychology and social work and minoring in business administration.

“To my fellow graduates, I want you all to know that we’re not just limited to the stigma and the statistics that we are labeled under. I hope that you all choose a path that makes you truly happy and brings you peace. The fact that we’re all decorated with accomplishments is just a testament to our perseverance and commitment to excellence. As we part ways, I wish you all love, strength, and happiness. You will lose some, but you will also win some. You will hurt, but you will heal. Cherish your high school experiences, friendships, teachers, and the knowledge that you have gained. One day, you will reflect on those exact memories with a smile.”

Von Elson

Graduate, Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. Plans to attend Eastern Michigan University, majoring in engineering.

“This is a moment we’ve been waiting for our whole lives, the moment to graduate. And now it’s finally here … There won’t be another senior class that goes through what we went through, which is why we will go on to bigger and better things which will prove how a virus won’t stop us from becoming great.”

Sarah Kabala

Graduate, Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine.

“Now we stand here at the end of the maze, facing an obstacle that nobody could have predicted or has ever faced before. But now, it’s our turn, Class of 2020. Soon, we’ll be out. Though some of our plans have been halted or changed, we have to remember to not let the COVID-19 steal any more of our time. We must claim back our lives and accomplish our dreams.”

Ellington King

Graduate, Renaissance High School. Plans to attend North Carolina A&T State University, majoring in finance and minoring in political science.

“None of us will ever forget how this pandemic caused an abrupt end to our senior year. Sadly, what has happened is beyond our control. However, what is within our control is our mindset and how we choose to react. While some may use this time and this summer to sulk and become lackadaisical, we must use this time as an opportunity for growth. It’s an amazing time to learn a skill, strengthen personal weaknesses, and prepare ourselves as we enter college.”

Therron Montgomery

Graduate, Cass Technical High School. Plans to attend the University of Michigan, studying computer science and music.

“I want to thank my mom for getting me this far and giving me the best life I could have asked for … I’ve had some wonderful people help guide me on my journey to this point. So, I would like to thank Principal (Lisa) Phillips, our vice principals, faculty, teachers, counselors, and of course my friends for always being there for me. Even though we can’t have a traditional graduation because of this pandemic, we are still very fortunate to have reached this milestone in our lives. With everything we’ve been through, it’ll only make us stronger.”

Davielle Randall

Graduate, Detroit College Preparatory @ Northwestern. Plans to attend Henry Ford College and pursue a career as a dentist.

“In whatever you desire to be, be productive citizens, desire to be great. Remember, you can do anything you conceive of. Believe it, do the work, you can achieve it. We’re all in this together. Educate ourselves and be the change that is needed in this world. We have shown that we are resilient, courageous, and capable of overcoming adversities, like with the coronavirus, aka COVID-19. Many of us know someone who has been afflicted with this or succumbed to it, yet we are still here.”

Stephanie Rodriguez-Vazquez

Graduate, Academy of the Americas. Plans to attend Wayne State University and study film.

“I’m sad to have to say bye to all of you and will hold every memory that I’ve made with you close to my heart. Most of us have known each other since we were little kids, and now we get to see each other graduate. When I’m older and have a house of my own, I’ll look at my high school years and will … smile. I know these last four years was stressful and scary at times, but now look at us. Now we get to go on to the next chapter of our lives.”

Alexander Smith

Graduate, Mumford High School. Plans to attend Wayne State University and major in construction management.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank God, my family, my friends, and the whole Mumford staff that supported me throughout my high school years. We have so much more to accomplish, so we can remember the lessons here at Mumford. No matter what you do and where you go, always remember this day. What feels like the end is often the beginning.”

Tahiat Tisha

Graduate, Cass Technical High School. Plans to attend University of Michigan, majoring in computer science and minoring in business.

“The word valedictorian came from a Latin word, valedicere, meaning to bid farewell. So I’m here to bid farewell to all my lovely peers to a brighter and better future. No, it wasn’t fair to us to not have a proper prom … or a full blown graduation. But we have made all these sacrifices to keep our community safe. And that’s what makes us the most unforgettable class of 2020.”

Aniyah Williams

Graduate, Renaissance High School. Plans to attend Michigan State University, studying pre-medicine.

“My next piece of advice is to not make it your goal in life to be absolutely perfect. I challenge you all to not strive for perfection, but the purpose you have in the world. My last piece of advice to you all will probably resonate with you the most during these times, and that is to not worry about your setbacks in life, but to focus on how you can come back even stronger. Yes, I know this is not the senior year you guys wanted, but let’s make the best of it. Keep setting higher goals for yourself. Come back and show everyone that you still prevailed and made something of yourself.”

Mya Wilson

Graduate, Early College of Excellence. Plans to attend Wayne State University, studying pre-medicine.

“We were born in the midst of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and now we are graduating during a pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement. It always seems as though we are being tested but through it all, we remain strong and persevere. And when you have made a bad choice, it is never too late to make a good one. Remember, you are the creator of your legacy. With that being said, let’s graduate knowing that we, the class of 2020, are stronger than we think.”

Class of 2020 Detroit Valedictorians

These are the top students who earned the valedictorian honor in the Detroit Public Schools Community District and many of the charter high schools. Is your school missing? Send us an email to detroit.tips@chalkbeat.org

Academy of the Americas

Stephanie Rodriguez-Vazquez

Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine

Nowrin Islam

Tafsia Tonmi

Sarah Kabala

Cass Technical High School

Emmanuel Hernandez

Therron Montgomery

Tahiat Tisa

Central High School

Savannah Hicks

Cody High School

Deatrianna Hawkins

Communication & Media Arts High School

Tiara Carey

Davis Aerospace Technical High School

Alisha Owens

Detroit Collegiate Preparatory High School @ Northwestern

Davielle Randall

Aliyah Arnold

Denby High School

Shyla Butler

Cheyanne Robinson

Detroit International Academy for Young Women

Fabiha Siddika

Detroit School of Arts

Jaden Seldon

East English Village Preparatory Academy

Leniah Allen

Nyra Miller

Early College of Excellence

Mya Wilson

Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men

Donivan Dion’Dre Peoples

Henry Ford High School

Danyelle McCann

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

Von Elson

Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School

Anthony Cotton

Carrington Stubblefield

Mumford High School

Alexander Smith

Osborn High School

Kenyetta Fagan

Pershing High School

Delann Pillivant

Renaissance High School

Caira Blevins

MaKayla Glenn

Ellington King

Sade’ Ried

Aniyah Williams

Autumn Williams

Elissa Willis

Southeastern High School

Kashon Sanders

Western International High School

Ahlam Rahimee

West Side Academy

Johnnie Hornsby

Voyageur Academy

Alyse Davis

Detroit Community Schools

Nykia Tate

Eriana Wilson

Bronx fifth-grader leads a Black Lives Matter march all her own

2020-06-13T00:12:15+00:00

With a megaphone and brightly colored signs in hand, and a parade of honking cars following along, Breanna Collazo, 11, marched around her South Bronx block on Friday shouting “Black Lives Matter!”

Like many Americans, Breanna has been watching the passionate demonstrations against racism and police violence on the news and wanting to do something. The encouragement of her teachers at P.S. 72 in Manhattan, where Breanna is in fifth grade, inspired her to plan her own protest.

On Friday, about 20 of her friends, family, and teachers joined her march, while about 40 of her classmates watched and offered their support on a livestream.

“When adults try to do this, the government doesn’t listen to them. So I feel like it’s time for the kids to speak up,” Breanna said.

The idea came from a class assignment. Since school buildings shut down and shifted to remote learning, drama teacher Fernando Alvarez has been asking his students to submit videos of themselves talking. His goal all year has been to help students find their own voices, he said. The assignments started out light-hearted, asking students to answer prompts like “would you rather?” and “two truths and a lie.”

Then the death of George Floyd after a white police officer kneeled on his neck prompted nationwide protests, and Alvarez asked his students to simply talk about what they were feeling.

“I said, ‘Hey, look, there’s a lot going on and I can’t imagine being your age. Do you have any thoughts?’” Alvarez said.

The video Breanna submitted was about racism.

“You can see the moment when she’s like, ‘And you know what? That’s why, this week, I’m going to make a protest. I’m going to invite all my friends, all my family,’” Alvarez said.

Her idea for a demonstration came together during class discussions with another P.S. 72 teacher, Jeff Zohn, who set aside time for his homeroom students to process all that they were hearing and seeing around them.

On Friday, both Alvarez and Zohn were there, along with other teachers from her school, waving signs that Breanna had drawn. They had messages such as “We’re all humans,” and “End racism.”

With a gaggle of adults looking on and surrounded by her cousins, Breanna became emotional while talking about police violence and racism.

“I’m not doing this just because I feel like I have to. I’m doing this because I’m scared,” she said. “My question is: Why can’t we all be equal? It hurts to know that there’s still no answer.”

Breanna’s mom, Leslie Collazo, said her daughter has been deeply affected by the death of Floyd and other black people killed by police. She began researching online the names of people who have died and asked her parents to take her to a protest.

“It’s been hard for her to express herself. Ever since this started happening, she started seeing all these things on TV, it affected her. The first thing she wanted to do is make signs,” Collazo said.

But after leading her family and friends in the demonstration, Breanna said she was feeling “so relieved.”

“All those feelings inside of me, they got let go,” she said. “I didn’t keep them bottled up,”

Some neighbors who came to the march after seeing an invitation Breanna had posted on her fence asked if she wanted to take to the streets with them again next weekend. They asked her to join other children and march to Gracie Mansion, the New York mayor’s official residence, after hearing what Breanna had to say.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, these people think I have a powerful voice.’ Nobody has ever told me that,” she said.

Indianapolis students rally for racial justice at Perry Township high schools

2020-06-12T22:30:49+00:00

About 75 high school students and supporters chanting for racial justice demonstrated at a Perry Township middle school and accused classmates and teachers of racist behavior.

As conversations on racism and police brutality once again sweep the nation, some Indianapolis high school students decided they needed to confront racism that they believe has permeated their classrooms.

“It’s my responsibility, along with everyone, to call them out,” said Megan Hurst, an 18-year-old Perry Meridian High School graduate and one of three students who organized the Thursday rally.

The students want their administration to hold teachers accountable for racist comments, implement diversity training for teachers, and address racial justice in curriculum. They want their peers to denounce racist incidents rather than stay silent or laugh for fear of fitting in.

The organizers circulated a flyer citing examples of racism they and others had witnessed at school. These included teachers calling students slurs and mocking immigrant students. The flyer connected two teachers to the allegations.

The teachers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Remote classes finished the week of May 18.

In a statement, Perry Township spokesperson Keesha Hughes said the district condemns offensive behaviors and has launched an investigation into the accusations raised on social media against specific teachers.

“Perry Township Schools is committed to building an anti-racist community where everyone feels safe, included, and valued,” the statement read.

Students spoke with pride about the diversity of their student body, among the more diverse districts in Indiana. More than 40% of students in Perry Township schools are white. About 30% are Asian, many of them Burmese refugees. About 15% of students are Hispanic and 8% are Black.

At the protest the students looped around the parking lot to Perry Meridian Middle School and back to the adjacent 6th Grade Academy, chanting “Say his name” and holding their signs. Then they regrouped, and students spoke about racism they’ve experienced or witnessed at school.

Displaying a mix of maturity and childhood, students talked about their complicity in injustices that they’ve seen happening in front of them.

They drank Capri Suns and munched on Welch’s fruit snacks. They spoke about making the future different for their own children as teachers watched near the back.

Standing in the parking lot as the crowd lined up to protest along the edge of the street, Jenny and Patrick Meredith, parents of an 11th grade protester, debated whether to join.

They decided that they didn’t want to intrude on the student-organized event.

“I think it is part of growing up,” Jenny Meredith said.

Perry High School junior Ruth Gakunga, who is Black, said she’s never experienced racism at school but earlier this year saw students accuse Asian and Hispanic students of spreading the coronavirus. She felt responsible for speaking up, conscious that similar racist ideas could affect her one day.

“I am part of this community, and I can’t be in a community without sharing my voice,” she said.

Students said they recognized that progress requires reforming the education system. They pointed out that almost all significant figures they study in history classes are white.

Some Perry Township teachers said that the curriculum leaves little space for conversations about current events and racial injustice.

English teacher Jacob Fritz, who is white, includes a unit on race and inequality in his sophomore class.

AP history teacher David Luers, who also is white, said he talks about politics and social issues in his classes and encourages students to look for connections between what they’re learning and what’s happening in the world.

“They have a lot to say, it just comes to giving them the space to say it,” he said.

Perry Township is reviewing curriculum to “confirm that materials represent diverse perspectives and that teachers are using culturally responsive techniques,” according to a district statement. “We will introduce anti-racist resources to empower students to stand up to racist conduct. Once district leaders have identified appropriate strategies, we will bring a thorough plan to our students, families, and staff.”

Ellie Brown, an incoming Southport junior who was one of the protest organizers, said she felt it was important for “us white people to hear those stories and understand better.” As class president, she realizes she has a platform to amplify others’ voices. She wore a white T-shirt that read “It’s cool to be kind.”

Co-organizer Hurst, speaking to the crowd, urged white people to remember, “We are not here for ourselves, and we are not here to put on a show for ourselves.”

Then she added, screaming: “For god’s sakes, white people, if your friend says the N-word, who is white, call them out!”

Kiara Moore, who graduated from Southport a few weeks ago and helped organize the protest, suggested students take history and government classes so they could “take this to the polls.”

“Educate yourself, ’cause knowledge is power,” she said.

At the rally’s end, Moore led the group through eight minutes of kneeling in silence in memory of George Floyd, the Black man killed by a white Minneapolis police officer. She urged the teenagers to forgo social media and reflect instead.

A timer rang, signaling people could stand. The Black Eyed Peas’ “Where is the Love” blasted through speakers. People started milling about like a school day had just finished.

Moore said she was proud of how the protest turned out. More people showed up than she had expected, including a handful of teachers.

“They always tell us we’re the future,” she said.

‘Tired of being tired’: Detroit charter students speak out against anti-Blackness

2020-06-12T20:25:21+00:00

Christian Jones, a student at Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, plans to move to Tennessee to attend college. His mother is proud — and terrified that he’ll get pulled over by police on the drive there.

Makiah Ship, a student at Early College of Excellence, has a 21-year-old Black brother who lives in another state.

“I fear for him every day,” she said, speaking about police violence against Black people. “We need safety. There’s nothing else to it.”

Their words pointed to problems that have long been familiar to Black families, but which took on even more urgency after a white police officer killed George Floyd, a Black man, in Minneapolis.

Jones and Ship spoke to their peers from charter schools across Detroit on Friday to protest anti-Black violence. It was the 15th straight day of protests in Detroit over Floyd’s death, police brutality, and systemic racism.

Holding signs that read “Let us breathe” and “Black lives matter,” students, parents and teachers from several Detroit charter schools marched almost two miles from Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences to Hart Plaza downtown, where 10 students gave speeches including Jones and Ship.

The march lasted roughly from noon to 2 p.m. Students joined the march from Detroit charter schools including Detroit Edison Public School Academy, University Prep schools, Escuela Avancemos, and Jalen Rose Academy.

The demonstration was organized by officials at the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was the second in two days held by schools in Detroit. The city’s traditional district, Detroit Public Schools Community District, held a rally Thursday afternoon that drew a link between racial injustice and inequitable school funding.

The theme of the Friday march — “One Nation” — was drawn from “One Nation Under a Groove,” a 1970s tune by Funkadelic, said Maurice Morton, CEO of Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences, a K-8 charter school that enrolls over 1,000 students. The DAAS choir covered the song in a video that has been viewed more than 1.1 million times.

“Of course [the theme is] anti-police brutality and anti-racism,” Morton said. “But the main theme is, ‘Let’s all unite as one nation.’ It’s so important that everyone come together.”

Dozens of demonstrators streamed into Hart Plaza to the sound of “Harvest for the World,” a 1970s tune by the Motown group The Isley Brothers. Most wore masks, though few stayed 6 feet from other people.

Heaven Bradley, a student in the University Prep charter network, told the crowd that racism in the U.S. goes far beyond police brutality against Black people.

“Police brutality barely scratches the surface,” she said. “The problem is white supremacy. Black people are tired of being tired. We are not just fighting for George Floyd.”

NYC student podcasters take top prize, shining a light on anti-Asian racism and on environmental injustice

2020-06-12T19:01:49+00:00

Students at two New York City public schools each won first place in National Public Radio’s Student Podcast Challenge for audio segments examining racism and inequality, beating about 2,200 other entries from across the country, NPR recently announced.

Sixth-graders from P.S. 126/Manhattan Academy of Technology won the middle school prize for their podcast episode about how Asian students were subjected to racist comments related to the coronavirus. Seniors from Brooklyn’s High School For Innovation in Advertising and Media took the top prize in the high school category for their episode about climate change and environmental racism.

Both teams had already created a podcast series at their respective schools. The sixth graders call theirs “The Dragon Kids” and typically feature lighthearted topics, such as food reviews of restaurants near the school in Chinatown or how families celebrate the Chinese new year. The high school students run the “The Flossy Podcast,” a name based on the school’s Canarsie neighborhood. They’ve aired episodes on immigration, what it means to be masculine, and video games.

For the NPR challenge, the P.S. 126 students had been set to work on a comedic episode about things adults do that make teenagers “cringe,” said Leo Yu, one of the middle schoolers behind the podcast. But then, the threat of the coronavirus descended on New York City, sparking racist behavior toward some Asian Americans.

“I knew there was lots of bullying going on,” Leo said in an interview with Chalkbeat. “Those people singled out were hurt, and their feelings were sad and not good.”

P.S. 126 students Nicole Zheng, left, and Becky Liu, right, record an episode of “The Dragon Kids” podcast.

The students started the episode explaining the coronavirus and dispelling rumors, while introducing listeners to words in Mandarin, such as “mask” and “sneeze.” Then they interview two students, including Amanda Chen, an Asian high school sophomore who had been helping the sixth graders put their episode together when she found herself in the middle of the story. While at school one day, a group of students told Chen and her Asian-American friends that they probably had the coronavirus because of their race, and that Asians “were trying to spread” the virus.

Chen, who later addressed the issue with her principal, said she hopes the podcast will allow people to “actually feel how we feel at the moment.”

So far, the episode has been played about 1,200 times.

About 8 miles away in Canarsie, when the high school students wondered what to cover in their next episode of the Flossy Podcast, they went to September’s climate march in Manhattan in search of material.

The episode opened with interviews with marchers. Pretty quickly, the students, all of whom are Black, noticed they did not see many people who look like them at the event. They were “deep in Manhattan,” as senior and podcaster Jamar Thompson put it, and a long journey for people in some majority black neighborhoods like Canarsie or East Flatbush, where Jamar lives.

“We felt like we should talk about what we’re seeing and what’s going on from our point of view,” Jamar told Chalkbeat.

The podcasters interview fellow student protestors at September’s Climate March.

Their experience at the march inspired them to ask which communities are most impacted by the very issues these marchers were raising. In the podcast, they read from a 2018 Quartz article about a federal study that found black communities, regardless of wealth, face higher levels of pollution than white people and are more likely to live near landfills and industrial plants.

“Bro, that’s like environmental racism,” one student says. Another exclaims, “Climate change is racial injustice!” Students shared their own experiences with natural disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged Canarsie. The episode ended with a call to action, advising listeners to voice their concerns and participate in protests if they feel passionate about the issue.

“Our hope,” Jamar said, “was to educate people and inform them and tell them, ‘This is a big deal and you should care about this.’”

Students, how are protests and conversations about racism affecting you?

2020-06-12T16:56:06+00:00

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis spurred protests against police brutality in cities across the U.S. and forced a national reckoning on racial injustice.

Students are part of the conversation, raising their voices and orchestrating marches in their own communities.

“We see what’s happening,” said Kanara Bramlett, 17, who just graduated from high school in Denver. “We really needed to demonstrate that we as young people have a voice in our community and we’re capable of creating the same amount of change as the adults.”

Chalkbeat wants to amplify young people’s voices even further.

Students, how are you feeling about the civil unrest around police brutality and marches to support Black Lives Matter? What are your hopes for the future? What do you want to tell your parents, teachers, community and political leaders, and fellow students?

Share your thoughts via a six-word story. Want some inspiration? Here are a few examples from Brain Pickings and Buzzfeed.

Please submit your thoughts by June 17. Select responses will be published on Chalkbeat’s website and social media channels. We can’t wait to hear from you.

‘Imagine if my brother was killed’: Detroit area youth call for police violence to end

2020-06-07T00:11:40+00:00

Taylor Martin stood in front of a homemade collage of black men and women who died during a police interaction, looked out at the crowd in front of her and told them she was exhausted.

Tired, she said, of the negative portrayals of protesters in the media. Tired, she said, of police violence against black people.

“We have been bombed with tear gas, shot with rubber bullets. Children have been maced,” she yelled into a microphone. “We live in a society where black women are robbed of the joys of motherhood, fearing they’re raising a shooting target for these racist cops. We can’t allow this anymore!” Her call for reform was met with a swell of cheers and applause from the protesters.

Taylor, 17, is a student attending Carlson High School in Gibraltar, Michigan, about 25 miles south of Detroit. The former Detroit high school student is one of several metro Detroit youth who organized a peace march Saturday that attracted hundreds of protesters across age, race, and gender. They descended on the entrance of the Dequindre Cut in Detroit and headed toward William G. Milliken State Park while braving the day’s hot air.

Youth from across the region came to participate in peaceful protest Saturday.

The march was one of several protests and marches held Saturday, and marks the ninth straight day of demonstrations in metro Detroit. The death of George Floyd, a black man, who died during an arrest made by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, sparked national outrage.

The youth gathered to deliver one powerful message: that police violence and racism must finally end.

The solidarity and the gravity of this historical moment wasn’t lost on many of the teens who participated. For Joy James, who will be a senior at Cass Technical High School in Detroit next year, it was her first protest. She said she fears another tragedy could hit close to home.

“This will encourage people our age to also realize it’s not just older people outside protesting. It’s young people too. It’s not just grown people getting killed on TV. It’s people my age. It feels like it’s hitting home. Imagine my brother getting killed outside,” she said.

Danita Tucker, left, with her daughter Danay, hold Black Lives Matter signs during Saturday’s protest.

The protesters, most donning face masks, many sporting black and white Black Lives Matter shirts, marched at a steady pace. They waved signs above their heads, or held them closely across their hearts, as thunderous chants of “No justice, no peace!” and “Black Lives Matter” billowed along the mile-long journey. Tall, lush green trees provided shade and relief from the blazing sun overhead.

There is palpable frustration and anger over these deaths. Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while jogging near his Georgia neighborhood, and Breonna Taylor was shot by police while she was in bed in her Louisville home. Many of the youth who came out Saturday feel it is their responsibility to finally force change.

“I fight for justice and racial equality,” said Noora Aabed, a student who attends Henry Ford High School in Detroit.

Hundreds of protestors march in Detroit Saturday. It marks the ninth consecutive day of demonstrations in the city.

“I am here to march for Black Lives Matter because we are being killed for no reason,” said sixth-grader Danay Tucker, who attends Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School in Detroit.

“My hope is that everybody can be peaceful and that everybody can change. Everybody’s coming here together to make peace because police did not make peace with us,” she said.

Her mother, Danita Tucker, fears for her daughter’s safety.

“I worry about my children every time they go out, especially now. It’s time to stop the police brutality that has plagued our community for so long,” she said.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib speaks to crowd during Saturday’s protest against police brutality.

Police officers watched as the marchers sat on the state park’s grassy lawn to hear speeches delivered by youth.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who represents Detroit’s 13th district, made a surprise appearance at Saturday’s protest. She has called for the dismantling of police departments, and believes that this generation of youth would lead the forces of change.

“If this isn’t proof that we are on the right side of history, I don’t know what is,” she said.

The protest ended peacefully, and the event culminated with a moment of silence for those who died, with hundreds of protesters kneeling, fists raised in the air, before they slowly dispersed.

Here’s how NYC students and teachers are making sense of George Floyd’s killing

2020-06-03T00:03:29+00:00

Remote learning has been tough on 16-year-old Tai Muñoz. The freshman at Brooklyn’s Sunset Park High School, who strongly prefers hands-on instruction and is struggling with depression, has been mostly out of contact with school staff.

But after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis police custody, Tai felt compelled to reach out to a trusted teacher.

“Hello, I know this is very out of the blue, but it needs to be said. If possible, can you please shed light on the recent death of George Floyd?” Tai wrote in an email to Abbey Kornhauser, their advisor and social studies teacher.

Many students and educators across the five boroughs were already dealing with the trauma of illness ravaging their communities and the isolation of being forced out of school buildings due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, while apart from their school communities, they’re trying to make sense of Floyd’s death and other recent police killings of black people that have sparked protests and an 8 p.m. curfew in New York City through June 7. New York City’s protests have largely been peaceful but have also resulted in some violent clashes between police and protestors, hundreds of arrests, and incidents of looting.

Students and educators alike are struggling with how to reckon with what’s happening and have important, but difficult conversations about race and violence.

Not only is it a challenge to have these conversations remotely, but it’s difficult to process what’s happening on the city streets as some students, as well as educators, are unable to participate in the protests because of fears of possible health risks. Others who are protesting remain isolated from support systems at their schools.

Here are stories from educators and students about how they’re trying to meet this moment.

‘Don’t give us just a worksheet’

Kornhauser was still processing the recent news and unrest when she received the request from Tai, which came as a surprise after a prolonged silence from the student. She had planned to create lessons about the recent unrest but Tai’s email sped things up, she said.

It was “kind of overwhelming” to find a way in, “especially as a white educator. You don’t want to be someone posting traumatizing videos of black and brown people being killed, so it’s a fine line,” she said.

Since last Thursday, Kornhauser has asked students in her advisory period to talk about what they’ve seen, what they’ve heard, and what questions they have. Some students said they’ve seen many images of looting, while others have talked about concerns about police harassing protesters.

Abbey Kornhauser, social studies teacher at Sunset Park High School

“What I want to do is [provide] the definition of what is looting, what is a riot [and] poke some holes in some of our mainstream understandings of protest,” Kornhauser said.

“I want to offer a counter-narrative to a lot of the images of the demonization of protestors, particularly black and brown protestors.”

Tai, who is Puerto Rican and uses they/their pronouns, said they are passionate about civil rights issues and the Black Lives Matter movement. Some of Tai’s awareness comes from stories their father told of growing up in New York City and being searched by police officers on the street. They wanted to attend protests, but their parents believe it’s too dangerous for safety and public health reasons amid the coronavirus. That’s why Tai turned to Kornhauser.

“I want people to see what is happening,” Tai said in an interview. “I want people to understand it. I want to be very much in the loop of what’s happening, and I feel like if a lot of young people start talking about it, then our new generation can help more than all the people before us.”

Sunset Park High School student Tai Muñoz

Kornhauser wants to share a list of resources her colleagues created giving students an overview of what’s happening and describes “actions they can take from home,” such as how to support student advocacy groups or advocacy campaigns, but is waiting for approval from her school administration.

Tai is craving even more, including more details about topics they believe teachers would think are too sensitive, such as unwarranted police violence toward protestors.

“I want to see actual talks, not just prompts or ‘How do you feel about this?’ Don’t give us just a worksheet,” Tai said. “I want to see everyone’s ideas, what they think of this. I just want to build a community since [for] a lot of us, our parents don’t let us out, but we can be an online presence.”

Activism as artistic expression

In the aftermath of Floyd’s killing, La’Toya Beecham’s South Bronx high school didn’t miss a beat. Officials at Health, Education, and Research Occupations High School immediately sent an email encouraging students to reach out if they needed to talk, encouraged smaller advisory groups to have discussions, and held a virtual town hall that was open to families.

“It was just everybody debriefing as a school,” the 16-year-old said about the town hall. “It was nice to have that place to talk; no one was really judging you.”

Some students asked about how to safely participate in protests or whether it is responsible to participate if a student’s parents are undocumented. Beecham shared a spoken word piece that touched on themes of police violence, race, and colonialism.

La’Toya Beecham

She noted some school staffers have encouraged artistic expression as a form of activism, especially among students who are undocumented or have relatives who are and might face more serious consequences of being tangled up with law enforcement. Beecham has not felt safe going to the protests given the police response, though she hopes to attend one later this month with her uncle and brother.

Beecham said schools should use this moment to place a greater emphasis on the history of oppression of black people, ranging from Jim Crow laws to Colin Kaepernick. And she is taking her own advice: When a school counselor recently asked if she wanted to read and discuss The New Jim Crow, a book about mass incarceration, Beecham jumped at the chance.

“I feel like if you’re educated there’s nothing that can stop you because there’s nothing more threatening than an educated black person,” she said.

Calls for more counselors instead of school safety agents

As Elisha Martin watched the video of a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck, the 15-year-old immediately began thinking about how anyone who looks like him is constantly under threat of police violence.

“It feels like I could die at any time for just walking in the street or looking suspicious because I’m young and I’m black,” said the sophomore at Transit Tech Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn where teachers and counselors have been offering to talk to students about everything that’s happening.

Under normal circumstances, Martin might have joined protests in New York City as he did last year to call for the firing of the New York police officer who choked Eric Garner to death. But fears over the coronavirus have left him more comfortable participating in activism on social media.

Elisha Martin (center) protests the police killing of Eric Garner in 2019.

Martin said he sees parallels between the concerns of protestors, who have called out racist policing in communities of color, with the way his own school is policed. In New York City, school security is operated by the police department, and school safety agents have the power to make arrests or issue summonses. Martin must pass through a metal detector every day when he arrives at school.

“We’ve been talking about putting a stop to putting more police presence in schools,” said Martin. “I have like 10 police officers in my school, and it’s a lot. And we don’t have as many guidance counselors, or as many therapists.”

Watching students find their voices

Teachers at Forsyth Satellite Academy, a transfer school serving overage and under credited students on the Lower East Side, have Instagram accounts for their advisory periods where they post questions or discussion prompts as another way to reach students during remote learning.

In the last week, as those accounts focused on recent protests, Floyd, and the Black Lives Matter movement, math teacher Kaitlin Ruggiero received a response from one student that was different from the others: “I think all lives matter,” the student wrote.

If they were in school together, that student’s classmates would probably have chimed in before Ruggiero, she said, to explain the “Black Lives Matter” movement. But confined to their homes, Ruggiero did what the student felt most comfortable with — she texted with him.

“It was a very tense 26 hours waiting for a response from him,” Ruggiero said. “He responded and said, ‘I understand your point. I think we don’t agree about this right now.’ So I offered to be there if he wanted to talk about it more with me.”

Kaitlin Ruggiero, math teacher at Forsyth Satellite Academy

That interaction underscores how difficult it can be to have conversations about race and police violence when students and teachers are not in the same room. In this case, Ruggiero said the student hasn’t lost interest — he is still viewing the Instagram account every day.

Another challenge for Ruggiero has been offering advice to students who are out protesting in the middle of a pandemic, most often to those who don’t feel comfortable talking to their parents. This weekend she received pictures from two students who attended protests. One described running home after things got “really scary.”

“They’re returning to spaces where I don’t think they always have a full chance to work through what their experience was,” Ruggiero said.

She tells students to be aware of their surroundings, leave when they feel unsafe, and to wear a mask.

“It’s kind of beautiful to watch some of these students find their voice and use their voice and that sort of thing, but it’s also scary because we’re in the middle of a pandemic,” she said. “So it’s like, ‘OK, I’m so proud of you. Please wear a mask.’”

Ideas to power next school year in NYC: How can we use and improve remote learning?

2020-05-26T03:39:46+00:00

As nearly 1 million New York City students complete about a third of this academic year from home, all eyes are on what school will look like this fall. Even if campuses can reopen by September, will tablets, apps, and video conferencing continue to play a central role in teaching and learning?

“Next school year will have to be the greatest academic school year New York City will ever have,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said recently, “because everyone is going to be playing catch up.”

To help figure out next steps for schools, de Blasio has created a 45-member task force. Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo tapped the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to “reimagine education” — with a likely focus on technology — alongside a 19-member task force that failed to include any current New York City education department officials. (The Gates Foundation is a funder of Chalkbeat.)

As part of an ongoing series, Chalkbeat is speaking with educators, parents, students, and other experts to understand what ideas they think should power the 2020-21 school year.

The first installment focuses on the lessons gleaned from remote learning in the COVID era, and how they should inform how teachers teach and students learn. Among themes that emerged: prioritize younger students and those with highest needs for in-school instruction, embrace what is working for some students when it comes to distance learning, and ensure academics don’t eclipse the emotional needs of the school community even when working virtually.

The responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Prioritize emerging readers for in-school instruction

Lynette Guastaferro — CEO, Teaching Matters

Social distancing will be near impossible with 30 children in a class. For students in grade 4 on, we should consider smaller class sizes and leverage blended in-person and online learning models that support project-based learning.

The good news: When it comes to technology adoption, teachers have come a long way in a short time. Even so, significant challenges remain for our learners in K-3. The remote learning environment is least effective for this age group, especially for those students who, for many reasons, may not have the close support of a caregiver or parent.

They risk falling behind academically and developmentally in their social-emotional and executive functioning skills. Research shows that students who fail to master reading skills by third grade won’t likely catch up, and the development of executive functioning skills at early ages are a key predictor of later success. We must prioritize this group of young students returning first and to a full week of school in smaller classes so we don’t lose this key window of opportunity.

Let academics take a backseat to social-emotional learning (at first)

Roony Vizcaino — Principal, Urban Assembly School for Global Commerce, Harlem

With thousands of coronavirus deaths in New York City, with unemployment rates skyrocketing, and with widespread mistrust of the political system and law enforcement, do we really think young adults want to learn about the Battle of Waterloo? Are our existing curricular expectations preparing them to be productive adults post-COVID?

I don’t even anticipate teaching the first month or so. I believe it will be all social-emotional, bonding activities, student interest-driven, and skill-based.

To make this a reality, there must be a redistribution of funds immediately to schools that need them the most. Priority for in-school learning should be given to these students.

For high school, we should alternate in-school and remote learning by weekday and stagger schedules. The composition of classes should also look different, with ninth and 10th grades learning together. Young teens require more socialization and a more hands-on approach. Upperclassmen have been in these structures and are more independent. That means “on track” 11th- and 12th-graders could combine remote learning and working; with more options for early college, especially for students of color; with evening and weekend options for those who need it; and with teachers having more options when it comes to their work schedule.

Be honest about how much time and training remote teaching demands

Jesse Pena — science teacher, West End Secondary School, Upper West Side

The first thing that surprised me about remote instruction was how time consuming it is. I initially thought that pre-recording lessons would mean I had more time for other aspects of the job, like giving individual feedback. Alas, to plan, shoot, and edit an instructional video can easily take 3-5 hours, and I’m producing one almost daily. If I was teaching multiple subjects, this would not be possible. It is barely manageable as it is, and I have had some near breakdowns on Sunday nights.

I am much funnier in my videos than I would ever be in my classroom. Remote instruction takes away any real concern for management. Where a joke, silly costume, or catchphrase would likely be disruptive in a classroom, stuck at home behind a computer, it is a bright spot in an otherwise dull day. I wore a toga in one video, while talking about Aristotle’s (wrong) ideas about gravity. I showed them how I make a cup of coffee in the morning and then talked about how I actually always make two cups, because small acts of kindness make living in close quarters with another person easier.

For me, the main struggle has been time. I feel like I’m working six days a week, leaving me with little to no extra capacity. We get several emails a day about resources, professional development, and platforms that are being made available, but honestly I just delete them. Learning how to use a new tool takes time and energy I don’t have right now. I think limiting the number of different courses teachers are responsible for would make things more manageable. Giving teachers dedicated time to focus on learning new tools would be nice, but that doesn’t mean 40 minutes one morning, it means a daylong or multi-day training, in lieu of regular teaching duties. I’m sure there are myriad legal and contract issues to consider with those suggestions, but flexibility is key when trying to adapt to a completely new paradigm.

Remember: Kids need to feel seen, even if it’s through a screen

Paola Chatziantoniou — parent of a first-grader at P.S. 85, Astoria

With no vaccine, I’m almost completely sure that I would not send my almost 7-year-old daughter back to school. At the same time this remote learning is far from perfect.

My daughter needs more personal attention from her teachers, more feedback, more video chats, more one-on-one, virtually. The children need to feel the teacher is there.

This is the second year my daughter is in school. It’s all about building social skills. She’s an only child, and she has one parent at home — me — and her other parent is working full-time. It’s very lonely for her. She needs my help the entire time.

I think schools need to be clear with what to expect from families. It’s a big commitment. My daughter is Greek and Uruguayan, but we speak English at home. A lot of the parents of children in her class don’t speak English at home and were left behind.

Teach new material in class, use distance learning for review

Michelle Bouw — eighth-grader at M.S. 51, Park Slope

While we’ve been home, one of my teachers host lunch Zooms, and while attendance isn’t required, they’re a fun way for us to get together and talk about whatever we feel like discussing. I think it’s a great idea for all teachers to do something like this.

My biggest concern for online learning isn’t the toll it’s taking on our education, but rather the toll it’s taking on the happiness of students all around the world. Lots of kids have family problems or no access to a support system during this time; school was their support system. This is a complicated issue to tackle while remaining safe, but daily talks such as my lunch Zoom can do wonders. I always find myself looking forward to them.

More parts of school should be online-based, but we can’t cut in-person learning for lots of reasons. The work environment at home is distracting, the social aspect that motivates many of us is cut off, and our understanding of the material is restricted. If we have staggered schedules, then we could base online assignments off of what we already learned in class. But we shouldn’t be learning new topics online, just reinforcing our knowledge of them.

Rethink what we want our children to know; do it with equity in mind

Tracy Fray-Oliver — Senior Associate Vice President, Bank Street Education Center

Whether helping students process their feelings and empathize with others, or working with them to develop executive functioning skills, there is no denying that this moment pushes us to get clear on what we want our children know, understand, and contribute to our society. That is not limited to content in a textbook or on a standardized exam. We’ve been reminded that there are learning opportunities all around us and context matters.

For distance learning that means considering the use of the physical body in the learning process, and incorporating tactile and creative experiences throughout the day. It includes real-time learning, where students connect with teachers and peers and have open-ended tasks that they can do from home, sometimes working with other students. It incorporates multiple ways for students to demonstrate their thinking and understanding. It also considers technology, scheduling, expectations, and supports that are responsive to each child and their circumstances. We must do this all with equity in mind.

To ensure that all kids have access, we would need to provide teachers with the support, training, and feedback they need to deepen their understanding of these practices and extend them into a virtual setting. Other supports include access to curated, high-quality instructional resources and learning experiences that show what good teaching looks like in a distance learning setting.

Additionally, as schools build out distance learning plans, it will be important for schools to spend the time examining and communicating the role of parents and families in the learning process and what it will take to ensure that they are set up for success.

Acknowledge that some students thrive when learning remotely

Cheri Fancsali — Deputy Director, Research Alliance for New York City Schools

In addition to understanding and addressing learning losses, particularly for the most vulnerable students, it will be important to consider potential silver linings of remote instruction. For instance, are there technology-based tools and strategies that educators have used to promote engagement and deeper exploration? Could staggered schedules for social distancing also provide opportunities for students to get more individualized attention and differentiated instruction? Could learning outside the classroom offer students the chance to pursue community-based projects that spark interest and passion?

Some students report benefitting from remote instruction because it allows them to “work at their own pace, set their own schedule, and be free from ‘the stressful environment of school.’” We can learn from this seemingly paradoxical outcome and what it suggests about changes to the school environment that could help more students thrive.

As schools implement new and different strategies, it will be important to measure a range of academic, social, and emotional effects. This information can help schools better support students’ needs and avoid deepening disparities that result from the pandemic.

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In response to coronavirus, this Harvard sophomore created a free tutoring service for low-income NYC students

2020-05-20T21:38:56+00:00

After Harvard sent students home due to the coronavirus, Ilana Cohen returned to her Park Slope home and turned her attention to her younger sister, whose Brooklyn public high school was now operating remotely as well.

The college sophomore noticed that her sister could easily access Google Classroom assignments, but had little live instruction, or the individual support and interaction that comes with it.

“It was very disheartening to see my sister’s limited access to online education compared to my own,” Cohen said. “It sort of dawned on me that it’s a very privileged position to have regular access to Zoom lectures.”

That sparked an idea: What if college students, who suddenly had more time on their hands, could help tutor city students? Starting with a Google Form posted on Facebook, Cohen and a group of organizers with roots in the city’s school system quickly began recruiting college volunteers who were willing to spend an hour a week tutoring.

Since March, that initial Google survey has gained steam as an all-volunteer organization called EduMate that has recruited about 850 college students who have signed up to provide free tutoring to over 700 students in grades K-12 across the city. The organization only serves city public school students and prioritizes those from low-income families or live in temporary housing.

The group’s organizers acknowledge that they can’t replace professional educators and only deliver one hour of training to their army of volunteer tutors. Still, they believe there is value in providing homework help in a range of subjects, test prep for college admission exams and the specialized high school test, and even advice on navigating the college admissions process.

“The college students who are volunteering right now have a lot to offer,” Cohen said. “That’s not a substitute for a professional service or any other expertise, but it is a really important resource.”

Ilana Cohen (top middle) on a Zoom call with a group of college students who helped organize a free tutoring service called EduMate.

EduMate is one of several resources available to students, including tutoring offered by the city’s public library. The city’s teachers union is also operating a homework help line called Dial-A-Teacher, which operates Monday through Thursday from 4-7 p.m. for students in grades K-5 (though it only serves students who speak English for now).

EduMate offers tutoring in a variety of languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Urdu, and Spanish. All sessions are conducted remotely, either by video chat or phone, and the group is planning to continue offering help over the summer. Tutors come from a range of colleges, including highly selective private schools as well as SUNY and CUNY campuses, Cohen said.

Aileen Vasquez, a sophomore at Beacon High School, said she jumped at the chance to sign up for SAT tutoring when her school’s student government posted about EduMate on its Instagram account.

Vasquez, who lives in Sunset Park and is the daughter of a home health aide and a building maintenance worker, said she would likely have not been able to afford tutoring on her own. Her tutoring sessions involve practice SAT problems, but also help with grammar and other school assignments.

“I actually look forward to it,” Vasquez said, adding that it has been helpful to have another person in her life she can relate to. “It’s not just strictly SAT prep; sometimes we talk about what’s going on in our own life.”

The city’s education department does not have a formal relationship with EduMate, said spokesperson Nathaniel Styer. The city is, however, “exploring options for virtual tutoring resources.”

Officials have concerns about the ability to fingerprint tutors and ensure student privacy amid the coronavirus pandemic. EduMate vets tutors primarily by confirming they have an email address connected to an education institution. They also require that tutors agree not to meet their student matches in person, record their sessions without permission, or share inappropriate material. (Cohen said she is not aware of any tutors violating these terms.)

Aaron Pallas, a professor at Teachers College, said organizations like EduMate could help students navigate a particularly disruptive moment emotionally by connecting them with young adult tutors who may identify with them. He also pointed to evidence that individual tutoring can boost student learning.

The program’s limited training and time spent with students, at just an hour a week, would likely mean that its effects are modest, Pallas suggested. But at zero cost, he added, there isn’t much of a harm in trying.

“It seems like a great thing to be doing right now,” he said, “as long as the families are receptive to it.”

For her part, Cohen said she doesn’t have broader ambitions for the platform beyond the summer, since students may be able to return to school. The goal, she says, is simply to match interested college students with families who think they might benefit from it.

“It’s a time of imminent need,” Cohen said, “and this is just one way people our age can step up.”

For some LGBTQ youth, school buildings were safer spaces than their homes. Now, they have nowhere to go.

2020-05-18T22:06:38+00:00

Months after coming out as a lesbian to her peers at her South Bronx high school, Tanya attended her first Youth Pride Parade last June in Central Park. A few days later, while watching the news, Tanya heard her grandmother say that parade goers were “going to hell.”

The sophomore, who is not out to her family, said she was raised in a conservative Jamaican and West African immigrant household, where she was taught to believe it was wrong to be anything but heterosexual. She found a “very welcoming” environment at her high school, meeting openly gay, lesbian and bisexual students. Within two months of attending the school, she came out. (Student names have been changed throughout this story to protect their privacy.)

Now, as the Bronx teen is stuck at home, where she shares a room with her father, she’s trying to hide her sexual orientation. Tanya does not have headphones, so she reminds classmates and others during virtual counseling or advisory sessions not to say anything that would tip off her father, who is home during the day.

“I’m mostly trying not to out myself,” she said.

While some LGBTQ students might be bullied at school, others have found acceptance from friends and educators at school and in afterschool programs. As the pandemic has forced the closure of school buildings, many students have lost their only safe space, and are potentially around families who don’t know or support their sexual orientations or gender identities.

LGBTQ advocates fear that isolation can lead to worsened mental health, depression, and even thoughts of suicide for a group that is already at high risk for these factors. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teens and young adults are twice as likely to have thoughts about suicide, compared to their peers who identify as heterosexual, often linked to discrimination they may face.

Even students who have supportive homes are missing an important part of their development: affirming their identities by spending time with their peers and creating new relationships, advocates worry.

“We know that, for the youth we work with, their peers are their biggest influencers,” said Olin Winn-Ritzenberg, education services coordinator for The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, which provides support for youth ages 13-23. “School is also their social setting. It’s also where they are learning how to be who they are and getting feedback from their peers. And now that may be cut off from them.”

His staff has been arranging virtual programming and calling students since schools closed, though he said it’s been tough to track down some who don’t have access to internet or technology or may be dealing with other crises related to the pandemic.

Before the coronavirus shut down New York City, Tanya would typically be out of the house from morning until 8 p.m., attending school and participating in several clubs and sports. Now she’s spending all day at home in an environment that, for a while, felt hostile.

She and her father had shared an apartment with a roommate, who called her gay slurs, based on what Tanya believes is her preference to dress traditionally masculine. Sometimes, the roommate blasted a 1992 Reggae song that gained notoriety for its anti-gay lyrics, Tanya said. Shortly after they caught the woman spitting in their groceries, Tanya and her father moved to another apartment upstairs, she said.

Though she’s still able to reach counselors and teachers, it’s not the same as having access to them in person without the risk of someone else listening in, she said.

“I was free to say what I wanted to say,” Tanya said. “I really just, like, vent to my guidance counselors and things like that. They’re always talking to me, and they help motivate me and tell me there’s nothing wrong with me.”

The Trevor Project, a group that provides crisis and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth under 25, says teachers should be offering virtual ways for students to connect with them and their classmates. That kind of support can be “protective against anxiety and depression, including among those who lack support from their family.”

Eric Vaughan, manager of LGBTQ programs at the Department of Education, said his office has been trying to “preserve a safe space” for LGBTQ students by setting up virtual programming, such as tours of the Stonewall Inn, or events, such as virtual discussions with authors of LGBTQ-focused books that his office sent to schools before the pandemic shuttered buildings. Right now, his office is planning virtual activities for Pride Month in June, Vaughan said.

“I’m a gay man who was, like, very closeted in high school, so it’s super close to home, and I think about students who are now living with their parents 24/7. I didn’t have the most affirming household,” Vaughan said. “When I’m thinking about resources and talking to advisors, and what would have helped me out in those times, I try to keep that in mind throughout this process.”

Some schools are hosting virtual Genders and Sexualities Alliances, which are student-run groups that exist at many schools. These are vital for students who need a “space where they feel affirmed, where they’re able to try out a name or pronoun to see if that fits,” and now may even be beneficial for students who felt uncomfortable participating in person, said Jared Fox, the former associate director of LGBTQ Equity with the city’s education department.

But there are obvious complications, such as the fear that someone else in your house can hear you — that is, if you have access to reliable internet or a computer.

“I know someone who shares a room with six people and has to use the chat feature,” Winn-Ritzenberg said, explaining that the student doesn’t feel safe to be overheard.

To address this, Vaughan’s office emails counselors and teachers with links to organizations or mental health resources that they can pass on to students who may need it and share that information on Facebook and Twitter. They’ve also encouraged GSA advisors to record meetings – which are held on a “what’s said here, stays here” basis — so members can watch when it makes sense for them. But even the idea of recording could make some students uncomfortable.

Jason, a junior at Tanya’s high school, is bisexual, but his mother doesn’t know that. He feels he can mostly be himself around her, but there are certain other things he must suppress, he said. For example, to pass time he’s recently been experimenting with make-up, but he hides the supplies because his mother would disapprove.

He finds some support by staying in touch with friends, including Tanya, but still misses being his full self around friends in school.

“It’s not just makeup, I need to get my ‘creativeness,’ in a way,” he said. “Instead, I have to stay home, so my energy, it’s not going outward to anybody.”

And while he’s comfortable with who he is, he’s worried about peers who aren’t and knows someone who was kicked out of their home because of their sexual orientation.

Roughly 44% of New York City’s homeless youth population identify as LGBTQ, according to Safe Horizon. The city recently halted plans for a new program that would have paired homeless LGBTQ youth with jobs, as the city looks to cut costs amid a budget crisis fueled by the pandemic, the Queens Eagle reported.

For Jason Cianciotto’s 13-year-old son, school was the one place he wasn’t accepted, until that dramatically changed when he switched schools.

Bobby lived in seven foster homes over the four years before Cianciotto and his husband adopted him. Their acceptance helped Bobby come out to a couple students, in confidence, at his then-middle school. But word spread, and students began bullying Bobby regularly about his sexual orientation and because he has gay parents, he said.

Bobby, right, and one of his fathers, left, attend the Pride Parade in 2018.

After nearly two years there, Bobby’s fathers moved him to another Queens middle school last May, which Bobby said he has grown to really like. Most students accept him, teachers have rushed to his defense a couple times, and he has noticed the little things, such as LGBTQ supportive flyers on the wall or the lack of reaction when he reveals he’s gay. He made a lot of friends and regularly attended the school’s GSA, which has more than 20 student members.

“I miss being with my friends in GSA,” Bobby said. “There are a lot of nice people there. A lot of the teachers are supportive.”

Though the group meets virtually, Bobby’s online schedule for extra services often conflicts, he explained.

Cianciotto and his husband have long wanted for Bobby to make new friends “and heal” from everything he’s been through. They’re sad he’s been cut off right when he began to feel more comfortable with his peers.

“School can be a place that is a refuge, a place where you can independently explore, where you can see outside of the confines of your home,” said Cianciotto, who co-wrote a book about LGBTQ youth in schools. “There is a whole world out there where there are people who will accept them.”.

Cianciotto himself struggled to come out as a young student years ago, and he understands the importance of having a supportive school environment for children who may grapple with depression, or even worse, suicidal thoughts. He is worried for the LGBTQ youth who don’t feel safe to be themselves around their families.

“I fear for their lives,” Cianciotto said.

Chalkbeat

Denver West High students call for a boundary change to boost enrollment and course offerings

Recent recommendations also suggest a look at boundaries

Students are also talking about transportation issues

Aspen Ideas fest for teens: Brooklyn students tackle mental health, immigration, rats

Rats, immigration, and discrimination

Teens talk parents and mental health

Students, tell us what you think about efforts to ban TikTok

High schoolers: How important is this year’s election? Tell us.

Student voices on Uvalde: Our leaders ‘are just not going to protect us’

Walking into a classroom, I think about hiding places

Pragnya Kaginele, 15

Freshman, Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas

It can’t get much worse

Jeremiah Griffith, 16

Junior, Noble Academy in Chicago

Kids are not pieces on a chessboard

Amaya Turner, 17

Junior, Abington High School in Abington, Massachusetts

Schools should focus on student mental health and teach self-care

Radiah Jamil, 18

Senior, Brooklyn Latin School in New York City

Since third grade, I’ve worried about being shot up at school

Meleena Salgado, 17

Junior, John Hancock College Preparatory High School in Chicago

I’m in that crisis state of mind

Anjali Darji, 17

Junior, Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, New Jersey

America is normalizing gun violence on every scale

Bryan Bastidas, 17

Senior, International High School for Health Sciences in New York City

Elected officials must stop fighting the wrong battles

Ajibola Junaid, 18

Senior, Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago

‘A place of joy’: Inside a safe haven for Black queer teens in Alabama

Facing the fire

Under attack

Joyful resistance

NYC students want to talk about Israel and Gaza. Schools are struggling to keep up.

Some schools and teachers wade into difficult conversations

Politics loom large

Youth-led workshops push school board candidates to address student needs

Mayor Johnson asked Chicago youth for budget feedback. Hundreds showed up.

Meet Chicago’s newest student school board member: Kenwood Academy’s Kate’Lynn Shaw

Tackling Michigan youth mental health crisis: Detroit teens say it takes self-love, inner peace

When depression takes control

Music as love and therapy

Families must practice and model self-love

‘Alarming’ data on youth depression

Seek help when you need it

A Detroit youth activist carries the torch for better student mental health services

​​What or who got you into organizing and activism?

Does it feel unique for you to be a student organizer or a youth advocate?

What do you think would encourage more youth to get involved in causes?

What made you decide to join the school board as a student representative?

What was that experience like on the school board?

What was it like when you spoke out at times during the school board meetings and received some criticism from community members?

What were some of the issues that you brought directly to board members?

Do you think students have enough of a voice in the district? What do you think would improve that?

The district is focused on issues like chronic absenteeism, enrollment, and academic achievement. What are students passionate about?

What do you think would better support students struggling right now?

Why do you think students in Detroit feel so drained?

You’ve got a lot on your plate. How do you take care of yourself when you’re not constantly studying or organizing?

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Athumuni (Arthur) Niyokwizigigwa, sophomore at Central High School and student leader with the Refugee Empowerment Program

Josh Czupryk, director of academic operations at University Schools

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What or who got you into organizing and activism?