Journal of a Black Teacher

By Don Allen, M. A. Ed./MAT      The Twin Cities public schools are supposed to be the foundation of education for our children, but unfortunately, they are committed to and incentivized to pursue mediocrity. This is a serious problem that needs immediate attention. One of the reasons why this is happening is because of leadership and funding. The schools are not getting enough money to provide quality education to students, and some in district leadership have dismissed talent for partisan politics.      As a result, teacher-eco systems are not motivated enough to put in extra effort, and students are not receiving the education they deserve; the data (Minnesota School Report Card) clearly shows the generational down spiraling.  Another reason is that there is no accountability for poor performance. Leadership and teachers who do not perform well are not held accountable, and there are no consequences for their actions. This leads to a culture of mediocrity where everyone settles for

“With gratitude, optimism is sustainable. If you can find something to be grateful for then you will find something to look forward to - and you carry on. ” ~Michael J. Fox  By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT      While only a few Twin Cities public schools try to educate our children, charter schools have high potential advantages for our Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian children; it's essential to recognize that charter schools vary widely in their approaches, quality, and outcomes. It's crucial for parents to thoroughly research and visit specific charter schools to assess their academic performance, teaching methods, student support services, and overall fit for their child's needs and aspirations. Parents should consider all available options and make an informed decision based on what they believe is best for their child's education and well-being.      In recent years, charter schools have become a popular alternative to traditional public schools. These schoo

By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT Response to professor for 2022 Summer - GED 8101-1 - Human Relations in Organizations (Hamline University School of Education - Superintendent Licensure) Now that we know, now that our data is hanging out there for everyone to see and talk about (during and post-pandemic), what will propel our educational systems in the Twin Cities into systemic change? Malcolm X, MLK, Jr., John F. and Robert Kennedy, Gandhi, Desmond Tutu, and the late Ronald A. Edwards (a local civil rights activist that wrote the book, “The Minneapolis Story” parts 1 & 2, and died broke) were all individuals that pushed systems into change for the benefit of the whole. The unfortunate thing is each one of these men (and many women) lost their lives horribly by zealots that didn’t want change. I mean look at Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX; it’s not gun control we need, it’s people and society control which has been ineffective for generations. I’m not talking about the big brother piece, it&

                         Photo: MSNBC " For eugenic sterilization victims, belated justice . ( Fair Use ) By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT - Editorial Opinion        After each year goes by unaddressed, our Black children sink further into the depths of not knowing important life skills and the importance of well-rounded education. Education and life-skills are an at-home and at-school combination of real-time experiences sometimes replaced with human trauma and the need to survive their circumstances. Many of us have watched the television programs and read the New York Times about how many Black American children and other BIPOC kids in the United States have to walk to school with guns because they are not safe in their own neighborhoods (Read: Black Mothers are the Real Experts on the toll of Gun Violence).  Activating premature independent learning without the ability to discern (undeveloped brain) in a dependent learner with no apparent experienced self-actualizations is what star