It’s been a week since the 2018 midterm elections, but the results are as fresh as ever in the minds of Kentucky teachers. Spurned by Gov. Bevin’s controversial comments and policies, teachers across the Bluegrass protested. At rallies, other teachers and their supporters swore that they would “remember in November.” It looks like they forgot. Of the 51 educators running…
Author: Garris L. Stroud
This Midterm Election Is A Referendum On Charter Schools
In a recent interview with the Courier-Journal, candidate Denise Gray explained why she felt the need to run for office. “This is a time when we need to make a difference. We can’t continue to complain about a situation and not be willing to step up. I just had enough of complaining.” So did the other 50 educators who have decided to run…
It’s No Wonder Kids Aren’t Learning When Our Schools Are Filled With Myths Like This
As a kid of the early 2000s, I still remember the old-school “Hooked on Phonics” commercials that encouraged children to sound out words phonetically to increase their reading speed and proficiency. Even though my family never bought the program, this was in essence the same approach that my parents and teachers used when I was learning how to read. I…
There Are No Great Schools Without Great Principals
Principals have an insanely tough job. The number of decisions they have to make on any given day is enough to make an average person’s head explode, and of course, no principal can make everybody happy. Make one wrong move too many, and you could end up like this North Carolina principal who just lost her job for a really…
Kentucky School Shooting Prevented Thanks To A Woman 700 Miles Away
Kentucky has had its history of school shootings. There was the tragedy at Heath High School back in 1997, and more recently, the Marshall County High shooting that brought the entire state together. Thanks to the Kentucky State Police and a New Jersey woman, the Bluegrass State narrowly avoided yet another round of heartbreak and loss. On Thursday, a 20-year-old…
Hey Teachers, Answer These 2 Questions And We’ll See Just How High Your Expectations Are
The first question is easy. Do you agree that all teachers should set high expectations for their students? The answer seems obvious. Of course, teachers should set the bar high for the kids they work with every day. It’s the second question that seems to really trip teachers up. Do you honestly believe that all students can meet those expectations?…
Wayne Lewis: “Daunting Moment of Truth” For Kentucky Schools
K-PREP scores were released to the public today, and teachers, administrators, and parents across the state are combing through the data to see how their local schools and districts performed. One thing we’ve learned so far is that achievement gaps are still persistent and that overall scores are still flat. So how well is Kentucky taking that? So far, reactions have been…
Trying to Promote Equity In Your School? Here Are 5 Things Anyone Can Do.
I just got back from an amazing professional learning session delivered by Kentucky State University’s Dr. Roger Cleveland. In the session, he had us do an equity activity that absolutely made my jaw drop. Here’s how it worked. We were each given five index cards and were instructed to write different labels that identify ourselves, like race, faith, sexual orientation,…
Kentucky Supreme Court Will Hear Pension Case Today
This story is in progress. Photo by Scott Beale, CC-Licensed. Bevin vs. Beshear? Pension reform vs. teachers? UK vs. UofL? (Just kidding. We know who wins that last one.) Today, the showdown that Kentucky teachers have been waiting for is going down in Frankfort. Kentucky’s Supreme Court will hear the overturned pension reform bill that made headlines earlier this spring, posing…
Rural Schools Need Equity Too
I just got home from a convening with the rest of the Kentucky State Teacher Fellows, where we had some long, tough conversations on equity in our schools. We’re preparing for later this fall, when schools across the Bluegrass are going to witness a major data collection blast from education groups and teacher leaders. The reason is simple: Kentucky is…