Blog
Boston Lockdown: Still Stunned From MondayPublished 04-20-2013
Originally published on the Huffington Post on 04/19/13
I never thought an entire city of 600,000 people could be locked down. Here in my Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, all is quiet today. Way too quiet. I can count on my fingers how many cars have driven down my normally busy street all day. Not a sound drifts from the subway station one block away, even as I open my door to take in the warm spring weather, against the orders of my governor. I am not hearing the helicopters and siren...New Territory: How two CDCs added school reform to their agendasPublished 02-12-2013
Originally published on Shelterforce.org
Beyond Housing and Community HousingWorks may both be community organizations with the word “housing” in their names, but they view their charge as community development corporations through a very wide lens. And that’s how they both ended up taking on school reform.
In 2008, at a meeting about the foreclosure crisis, Beyond Housing’s Chris Krehmeyer got to talking with public officials about what was really needed to stabilize the inner-...In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, issued Jan. 1 1863Published 01-01-2013
For a reflective walk through our nation's racial history, check out these wonderful letters.NeighborWorks Training on Community OrganizingPublished 12-12-2012
I just got home last night from teaching a 2-day course at the NeighborWorks Training Institute in Washington DC. The course, Community Organizing: Values and Conflicts, brought together experienced organizers, leaders and program staff of community-based organizations, and AmeriCorps members from across the U.S. for some thoughtful and deep sharing. We must know our core values ...How Do You Measure ExpectationsPublished 11-28-2012
Click here to check out Susan's newest blog on the Huffington Post10 Things I Wish I Had Known When My Kids Started in the Boston Public SchoolsPublished 11-07-2012
They say that hindsight is 20/20. I developed the following advice after more than two decades of experience as a white Boston Public School parent, parent organizer, and school board member. I fumbled a lot trying to figure out how to build community among a very diverse group of adults, and how to work together towards schools working well for all kids. This advice is geared towards white parents specifically. I would venture to say that it is applicable to how we all interact in community, no...Radio interview in Northampton, MA on 10/2/12Published 10-17-2012
Naimark blog in the Huffington PostPublished 09-10-2012
Education Reform: We're Having the Wrong Conversation
Something we could learn from the FrenchPublished 09-02-2012
"To the memory of the students of this school deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were born Jewish, innocent victims of the barbaric Nazis with the active complicity of the Vichy government. They were exterminated in the death camps. We will never forget them."
What if we posted such plaques across the U.S. recognizing our own government's role in slavery?More resources for racial equity in schools: Learn more, take action!Published 07-15-2012
Click on the heading of this post to download my latest list of local Boston + national organizations-websites-books-films for anybody interested in learning more and doing more about racial inequities in schools. This is an updated version of the resource listing in the back of the book, the same one I handed out at the Jamaica Plain Forum on July 12.
Teaching tool - students organizing for racial equityPublished 07-09-2012
From the Community to the Classroom is the inspiring story of how students at Davis (CA) High School organized to address racial inequities at their school. It's a bit long (1 hour:10 minutes) but otherwise is a very informative example of making institutional change happen. Thanks to Ron Dwyer-Voss in Sacramento for sharing this great resource!Check it out!Published 07-03-2012
THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENT is now available at the Boston Public Library. If you have a library card, you can have it delivered to a branch near you from the BPL website.Another round of the blame game at English High SchoolPublished 07-01-2012
I started out thinking I would comment on the opinion piece in today's Boston Globe about English High School, the lowest performing high school in Boston. I was going to comment on how the new headmaster should SEEK INPUT FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS before making more changes. This was clearly one of the missing pieces when the last headmaster came in from out of town and made a whole lot of changes without consulting those most impacted. I was going to comment about how this simple s...Why do we white parents need to be educated?Published 06-26-2012
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
Originally published on Shelterforce.org Beyond Housing and Community HousingWorks may both be community organizations with the word “housing” in their names, but they view their charge as community development corporations through a very wide lens. And that’s how they both ended up taking on school reform. In 2008, at a meeting about the foreclosure crisis, Beyond Housing’s Chris Krehmeyer got to talking with public officials about what was really needed to stabilize the inner-...
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, issued Jan. 1 1863Published 01-01-2013
For a reflective walk through our nation's racial history, check out these wonderful letters.NeighborWorks Training on Community OrganizingPublished 12-12-2012
I just got home last night from teaching a 2-day course at the NeighborWorks Training Institute in Washington DC. The course, Community Organizing: Values and Conflicts, brought together experienced organizers, leaders and program staff of community-based organizations, and AmeriCorps members from across the U.S. for some thoughtful and deep sharing. We must know our core values ...How Do You Measure ExpectationsPublished 11-28-2012
Click here to check out Susan's newest blog on the Huffington Post10 Things I Wish I Had Known When My Kids Started in the Boston Public SchoolsPublished 11-07-2012
They say that hindsight is 20/20. I developed the following advice after more than two decades of experience as a white Boston Public School parent, parent organizer, and school board member. I fumbled a lot trying to figure out how to build community among a very diverse group of adults, and how to work together towards schools working well for all kids. This advice is geared towards white parents specifically. I would venture to say that it is applicable to how we all interact in community, no...Radio interview in Northampton, MA on 10/2/12Published 10-17-2012
Naimark blog in the Huffington PostPublished 09-10-2012
Education Reform: We're Having the Wrong Conversation
Something we could learn from the FrenchPublished 09-02-2012
"To the memory of the students of this school deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were born Jewish, innocent victims of the barbaric Nazis with the active complicity of the Vichy government. They were exterminated in the death camps. We will never forget them."
What if we posted such plaques across the U.S. recognizing our own government's role in slavery?More resources for racial equity in schools: Learn more, take action!Published 07-15-2012
Click on the heading of this post to download my latest list of local Boston + national organizations-websites-books-films for anybody interested in learning more and doing more about racial inequities in schools. This is an updated version of the resource listing in the back of the book, the same one I handed out at the Jamaica Plain Forum on July 12.
Teaching tool - students organizing for racial equityPublished 07-09-2012
From the Community to the Classroom is the inspiring story of how students at Davis (CA) High School organized to address racial inequities at their school. It's a bit long (1 hour:10 minutes) but otherwise is a very informative example of making institutional change happen. Thanks to Ron Dwyer-Voss in Sacramento for sharing this great resource!Check it out!Published 07-03-2012
THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENT is now available at the Boston Public Library. If you have a library card, you can have it delivered to a branch near you from the BPL website.Another round of the blame game at English High SchoolPublished 07-01-2012
I started out thinking I would comment on the opinion piece in today's Boston Globe about English High School, the lowest performing high school in Boston. I was going to comment on how the new headmaster should SEEK INPUT FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS before making more changes. This was clearly one of the missing pieces when the last headmaster came in from out of town and made a whole lot of changes without consulting those most impacted. I was going to comment about how this simple s...Why do we white parents need to be educated?Published 06-26-2012
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
I just got home last night from teaching a 2-day course at the NeighborWorks Training Institute in Washington DC. The course, Community Organizing: Values and Conflicts, brought together experienced organizers, leaders and program staff of community-based organizations, and AmeriCorps members from across the U.S. for some thoughtful and deep sharing. We must know our core values ...
How Do You Measure ExpectationsPublished 11-28-2012
Click here to check out Susan's newest blog on the Huffington Post10 Things I Wish I Had Known When My Kids Started in the Boston Public SchoolsPublished 11-07-2012
They say that hindsight is 20/20. I developed the following advice after more than two decades of experience as a white Boston Public School parent, parent organizer, and school board member. I fumbled a lot trying to figure out how to build community among a very diverse group of adults, and how to work together towards schools working well for all kids. This advice is geared towards white parents specifically. I would venture to say that it is applicable to how we all interact in community, no...Radio interview in Northampton, MA on 10/2/12Published 10-17-2012
Naimark blog in the Huffington PostPublished 09-10-2012
Education Reform: We're Having the Wrong Conversation
Something we could learn from the FrenchPublished 09-02-2012
"To the memory of the students of this school deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were born Jewish, innocent victims of the barbaric Nazis with the active complicity of the Vichy government. They were exterminated in the death camps. We will never forget them."
What if we posted such plaques across the U.S. recognizing our own government's role in slavery?More resources for racial equity in schools: Learn more, take action!Published 07-15-2012
Click on the heading of this post to download my latest list of local Boston + national organizations-websites-books-films for anybody interested in learning more and doing more about racial inequities in schools. This is an updated version of the resource listing in the back of the book, the same one I handed out at the Jamaica Plain Forum on July 12.
Teaching tool - students organizing for racial equityPublished 07-09-2012
From the Community to the Classroom is the inspiring story of how students at Davis (CA) High School organized to address racial inequities at their school. It's a bit long (1 hour:10 minutes) but otherwise is a very informative example of making institutional change happen. Thanks to Ron Dwyer-Voss in Sacramento for sharing this great resource!Check it out!Published 07-03-2012
THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENT is now available at the Boston Public Library. If you have a library card, you can have it delivered to a branch near you from the BPL website.Another round of the blame game at English High SchoolPublished 07-01-2012
I started out thinking I would comment on the opinion piece in today's Boston Globe about English High School, the lowest performing high school in Boston. I was going to comment on how the new headmaster should SEEK INPUT FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS before making more changes. This was clearly one of the missing pieces when the last headmaster came in from out of town and made a whole lot of changes without consulting those most impacted. I was going to comment about how this simple s...Why do we white parents need to be educated?Published 06-26-2012
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
They say that hindsight is 20/20. I developed the following advice after more than two decades of experience as a white Boston Public School parent, parent organizer, and school board member. I fumbled a lot trying to figure out how to build community among a very diverse group of adults, and how to work together towards schools working well for all kids. This advice is geared towards white parents specifically. I would venture to say that it is applicable to how we all interact in community, no...
Radio interview in Northampton, MA on 10/2/12Published 10-17-2012
Naimark blog in the Huffington PostPublished 09-10-2012
Education Reform: We're Having the Wrong Conversation
Something we could learn from the FrenchPublished 09-02-2012
"To the memory of the students of this school deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were born Jewish, innocent victims of the barbaric Nazis with the active complicity of the Vichy government. They were exterminated in the death camps. We will never forget them."
What if we posted such plaques across the U.S. recognizing our own government's role in slavery?More resources for racial equity in schools: Learn more, take action!Published 07-15-2012
Click on the heading of this post to download my latest list of local Boston + national organizations-websites-books-films for anybody interested in learning more and doing more about racial inequities in schools. This is an updated version of the resource listing in the back of the book, the same one I handed out at the Jamaica Plain Forum on July 12.
Teaching tool - students organizing for racial equityPublished 07-09-2012
From the Community to the Classroom is the inspiring story of how students at Davis (CA) High School organized to address racial inequities at their school. It's a bit long (1 hour:10 minutes) but otherwise is a very informative example of making institutional change happen. Thanks to Ron Dwyer-Voss in Sacramento for sharing this great resource!Check it out!Published 07-03-2012
THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENT is now available at the Boston Public Library. If you have a library card, you can have it delivered to a branch near you from the BPL website.Another round of the blame game at English High SchoolPublished 07-01-2012
I started out thinking I would comment on the opinion piece in today's Boston Globe about English High School, the lowest performing high school in Boston. I was going to comment on how the new headmaster should SEEK INPUT FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS before making more changes. This was clearly one of the missing pieces when the last headmaster came in from out of town and made a whole lot of changes without consulting those most impacted. I was going to comment about how this simple s...Why do we white parents need to be educated?Published 06-26-2012
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
Education Reform: We're Having the Wrong Conversation
Something we could learn from the FrenchPublished 09-02-2012
"To the memory of the students of this school deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were born Jewish, innocent victims of the barbaric Nazis with the active complicity of the Vichy government. They were exterminated in the death camps. We will never forget them."
What if we posted such plaques across the U.S. recognizing our own government's role in slavery?More resources for racial equity in schools: Learn more, take action!Published 07-15-2012
Click on the heading of this post to download my latest list of local Boston + national organizations-websites-books-films for anybody interested in learning more and doing more about racial inequities in schools. This is an updated version of the resource listing in the back of the book, the same one I handed out at the Jamaica Plain Forum on July 12.
Teaching tool - students organizing for racial equityPublished 07-09-2012
From the Community to the Classroom is the inspiring story of how students at Davis (CA) High School organized to address racial inequities at their school. It's a bit long (1 hour:10 minutes) but otherwise is a very informative example of making institutional change happen. Thanks to Ron Dwyer-Voss in Sacramento for sharing this great resource!Check it out!Published 07-03-2012
THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENT is now available at the Boston Public Library. If you have a library card, you can have it delivered to a branch near you from the BPL website.Another round of the blame game at English High SchoolPublished 07-01-2012
I started out thinking I would comment on the opinion piece in today's Boston Globe about English High School, the lowest performing high school in Boston. I was going to comment on how the new headmaster should SEEK INPUT FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS before making more changes. This was clearly one of the missing pieces when the last headmaster came in from out of town and made a whole lot of changes without consulting those most impacted. I was going to comment about how this simple s...Why do we white parents need to be educated?Published 06-26-2012
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
Click on the heading of this post to download my latest list of local Boston + national organizations-websites-books-films for anybody interested in learning more and doing more about racial inequities in schools. This is an updated version of the resource listing in the back of the book, the same one I handed out at the Jamaica Plain Forum on July 12.
Teaching tool - students organizing for racial equityPublished 07-09-2012
From the Community to the Classroom is the inspiring story of how students at Davis (CA) High School organized to address racial inequities at their school. It's a bit long (1 hour:10 minutes) but otherwise is a very informative example of making institutional change happen. Thanks to Ron Dwyer-Voss in Sacramento for sharing this great resource!Check it out!Published 07-03-2012
THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENT is now available at the Boston Public Library. If you have a library card, you can have it delivered to a branch near you from the BPL website.Another round of the blame game at English High SchoolPublished 07-01-2012
I started out thinking I would comment on the opinion piece in today's Boston Globe about English High School, the lowest performing high school in Boston. I was going to comment on how the new headmaster should SEEK INPUT FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS before making more changes. This was clearly one of the missing pieces when the last headmaster came in from out of town and made a whole lot of changes without consulting those most impacted. I was going to comment about how this simple s...Why do we white parents need to be educated?Published 06-26-2012
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENT is now available at the Boston Public Library. If you have a library card, you can have it delivered to a branch near you from the BPL website.
Another round of the blame game at English High SchoolPublished 07-01-2012
I started out thinking I would comment on the opinion piece in today's Boston Globe about English High School, the lowest performing high school in Boston. I was going to comment on how the new headmaster should SEEK INPUT FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS before making more changes. This was clearly one of the missing pieces when the last headmaster came in from out of town and made a whole lot of changes without consulting those most impacted. I was going to comment about how this simple s...Why do we white parents need to be educated?Published 06-26-2012
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
Because we don't know what we don't know. As racial discrimination persists, we are typically not the ones to see or experience it. Check out my first TV interview by clicking here on my blog page.
White parents of biracial childrenPublished 06-21-2012
Interesting development at my 2 book talks in Minneapolis and 1 in Duluth last week. At each of these events, white parents with children of color wanted to talk about what happens to their kids in school. The common theme was that their children were routinely pushed into lower level academics, even when it was contrary to their actual grades and test scores. They are suddenly experiencing what parents of color have experienced for generations. This could lead in many different directions; let'...BUY IT NOW: THE EDUCATION OF A WHITE PARENTPublished 05-31-2012
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!White culture? What's that?Published 03-21-2012
Last week, Paul Madden and I co-led a workshop called Reconceptualizing Whiteness at the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity's Transforming Race conference. Our focus was on reinventing white culture in order for us white folks to develop an antiracist identity in a multiracial world. We thought the session would help white people think about our cultural identity in new ways. Much to my surprise, half of the audience who showed up were people of color, mostly African-American. Check out th...
Available for sale beginning May 31 at Levellers Press!
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