Today marks the 60th anniversary of the desegregation of Atlanta Public Schools. On August 30, 1961, nine Black students were the first to desegregate four Atlanta High Schools. Three of those students–Willie Jean Black, Madelyn Nix, and Thomas Welch–attended Booker T. Washington High School before desegregating J.E. Brown High School (renamed as Herman J. Russell West […]
The verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial has undoubtedly impacted us all. Some of us feel pain and grief, others feel release and relief, while some are experiencing a mix of emotions. The verdict against Derek Chauvin is a point of vindication for many in our society, who live with hurts and fears spawning from […]
The Atlanta Journal Constitution posted this commentary piece by Tauheedah Baker-Jones, chief equity and social justice officer on its “Get Schooled” blog on Monday, March 15, 2021 with the headline “Technology is not a luxury; it’s now an education necessity.” As medical research reveals how the coronavirus disproportionally affected people of lower socioeconomic status, the […]
Although I was born and raised in New Jersey and have been an Atlanta resident for only about eight months, my arrival at Atlanta Public Schools to help tackle the challenges of equity in education stands as a personal homecoming more than a century in the making. You see, my paternal origins are rooted in […]
While Black History Month rightfully allows time for reflection and celebration of African-American progress and achievements, February, too, reveals the sobering reality that a vast swath of our fellow citizens remains far behind in terms of income, wealth, and education. We only have to look at Atlanta – the most income disparate city in the […]