Journal of a Black Teacher

By Don Allen, Ed.S., M.A.Ed., MAT - Educator and Researcher As a high school and higher education English instructor, I ask my students to do more than decode texts; I ask them to interrogate systems. This includes looking beyond novels and into the visual language of Black storytelling, especially films that function as counter-narratives. Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station (2013) is one such text. It is not only a movie; it is a lesson plan, a curriculum, and a dissertation on the fragile state of Black life in America. And for the listeners, it is also an indictment of how education, both formal and informal, has failed Black children since the time of desegregation. The story of Oscar Grant is all too familiar. Young, Black, human, struggling. Yet, as with George Floyd in 2020, Oscar's humanity was destroyed in one violent, irrevocable moment. When George Floyd was killed by police just blocks from where I teach, it channeled the final few minutes of Fruitvale Station. That same...

Creating equity between different groups of parents is not just logistical; it is ethical.  By Don Allen - Journal of A Black Teacher (2025) Editorial Opinion   In public schools, we believe that parent involvement is crucial for student success. In reality, however, schools sideline their best players, the parents, especially in low-income neighborhoods where help is needed the most. What we've referred to as "site councils" is now mostly pro forma. These old models were intended to insert parent voices into school decision-making. Today, they are mostly used as tools of compliance, meeting state mandates and district expectations, but not really partnering with families. In the majority of school districts, especially in inner cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul, parental engagement deteriorates the nearer you reach the poorest schools. This isn't by chance. Sometimes this exclusion is a strength, not a weakness; limiting parent participation in decision-making pre...

We are still waiting for a change that isn’t built on the corpse of another Black man. The evolution of our intellectual trauma continues.  The chart below is from Minnesota's Spotlight on Poverty https://spotlightonpoverty.org/states/minnesota/ By Don Allen, Journal of A Black Teacher (2025) The tragic murder of George Floyd under the knee of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin sparked global protests, forced America into a national reckoning on race, and ignited a multi-billion-dollar industry around social justice. But we must now, years later, ask a hard and perhaps uncomfortable question: Would Black society be any different if George Floyd had died of old age? The answer, while layered in nuance and painful truth, is not as clear-cut as the mainstream narrative would suggest. Since Floyd’s death in May 2020, hundreds more Black men across the country have been killed in encounters with law enforcement. According to Mapping Police Violence, over 1,000 people are ki...

For the fun of it, let's toss in a vertically aligned K-12 system.  By Don Allen - Journal of A Black Teacher (2025) In an increasingly interdependent and complex world, conventional education models might not be the best preparation for students to become global citizens and lifelong learners. Two models, Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB), have become increasingly effective in creating independent thinkers, empathetic leaders, and deeply engaged learners. The merging of the two pedagogical approaches thus programs the promise of a learning experience that could be even more powerful than either on its own. IB and Montessori curricula can be deliberately used toward one aim: to support and deepen one another, creating an active and engaging child-led learning environment. Both models are inquiry-based and prioritize the holistic development of the child—intellectually, socially, emotionally, and ethically (International Baccalaureate Organization [IBO], 2017; Lillard,...

By Don Allen, Journal of A Black Teacher - (2025) (Image generated by Canva, 2025) Lenses : Satire, Editorial Opinion I was enjoying my own pleasantly subdued Twin Cities Monday morning when the announcers began to rave—no, preach—about the Almighty Storm. “...Updates in the 6 AM hour on how you should prepare for the possibilities of heavy thunderstorms with a chance of hail and tornadoes.” Yes, I was caught up in the hype, too. This is how it starts. You could almost hear the timpani booming under the Doppler radar maps: an angry sky god was supposedly hovering somewhere over Iowa, deciding which of its favorite metropolises to annihilate. Cue shots of ominous purple blobs creeping in from the west and north, cue anchor-desk gravity, cue dramatic pauses worthy of Shakespearean portent. And like every other sensible Twin Citian who's been conditioned to believe that neon weather maps are the new Dead Sea Scrolls, I made a beeline for the nearest Cub Foods. There, in a tableau wort...

     I have profound and personal insight into what defines an “A” student, having observed and interacted with numerous examples of such students throughout both secondary and higher education. Across the United States, there are thousands of these high-achieving individuals, each with their unique strengths and potential. Sadly, many of them may never have the chance to reach their full capabilities due to educational systems that are often inadequate or designed to cater only to a mediocre standard. For instance, credit recovery programs frequently aim at the lowest common denominator, prioritizing basic competencies over the cultivation of critical thinking, creativity, and advanced skills. This systemic issue not only stifles the aspirations of bright students but also perpetuates a cycle of underachievement that limits their future opportunities and the overall advancement of our educational landscape. By Don Allen - Journal Of A Black Teacher (2025)    ...