California needs superheroes. Children, families and child care providers are in danger of losing access to healthcare and early childhood education funding. Yet the only ones being saved now are corporate billionaires known as the “Silicon Six,” who paid $278 billion less in taxes than they should under statutory rates. Our working class has helped...

In 1984, I was part of the first responder team sent to 49th Street Elementary School in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) after one of the country’s first school shootings happened there. Two children were killed, and a dozen children and staff were wounded.  Following that heartbreaking tragedy, I saw the outline of...

As we raised our margarita glasses and dipped into guacamole on Cinco de Mayo, most of us weren’t thinking about why this celebration even matters. Cinco de Mayo commemorates a Mexican victory over French invaders, but May 5, 1862, is also an important day for the United States.  On that day, our country was in...

Few observers were probably surprised when Asian students outscored other students on test scores released by California state this fall. Statewide, and here in Los Angeles, Asian students who completed California’s 2024 assessments showed higher levels of proficiency in reading and math, compared to other racial groups.  Asian kids’ dominance of California’s state tests echoes...

“I see dual language immersion almost like language reparations,” said José Miguel Kubes. “There was harm done during those 18 years of English-only, and it’s our jobs as educators to do something about it.” Kubes is the superintendent of Delhi Unified, a small district of five schools nestled in California’s Central Valley. Over 90% of...

Like many education leaders, I’m alarmed by the youth mental health crisis. However, I’m also surprised by the limited solutions offered to solve such a dilemma. In a 2022 CDC survey, 15.3% of youth aged 12-to-17 had current diagnoses of anxiety, and 7.5% of the same age group had current depression diagnoses. These numbers are...

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent proposal to ban cellphones in New York schools has sparked a heated debate. Advocates argue that phones are a major distraction, pulling students away from learning and exacerbating mental health issues.  On the surface, it seems like a simple solution: remove the distraction, and students will focus. But as someone who...

Dear Madam Secretary, Congratulations and welcome to a place we once knew well. You face any number of tough challenges on behalf of American students, parents, educators and taxpayers, as well as the administration you serve, but your “Department’s Final Mission” speech shows that you’re well prepared to meet them. We particularly admire your commitment to making...

I remember the first day of the historic rain storm back in August 2016. I was happy to get a free day off from classes at Saint Amant High School in Prairieville, Louisiana.  What teenager wouldn’t be?  But the downpour was much worse than anticipated, quickly becoming a life-changing disaster — somewhat like the Los...

This story was originally published on The Conversation. Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “STEM & Social Impact: Climate Change” What prompted the idea for the course? Harvey Mudd College’s mission is to educate STEM students – short for science, technology, engineering and math –...