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

  By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT - Entry: J ournal of a Black Teacher May 26, 2023 Today, I am frustrated.      I’ve worked for the last seven years to understand the data-driven defeat of some of our most reputable educational institutions. When I write ‘defeat,’ it does not mean the system is not functioning at some level; you have buses, students, passing bells, teachers, social workers, counselors, administrators, and such with an output that might not meet the core ethics of society’s expectations for a well-rounded education system (creating Minnesota’s Best Workforce ). I could be wrong. Maybe people don’t care? I don’t hold any of the power; if I did, the conversation would look different. To be honest, I do not understand the current rules about being just fine with less and inefficient with what you have. Processing the Twin Cities' educational information for understanding and critique is very different from simply blaming the school systems for the recent uptick in teenage

“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

A. This has nothing to do with white supremacy or race, sorry.   2023 : What will people think about our society 20 years from now? We should be looking at, answering, and taking action on this question. Admit it, the wheels are stuck, feelings are more important than the competition; nuclear waste in well water is ‘safe’ to drink; really? (Monticello, MN.). And the chicken wing shortage (seriously, somebody skipped math). The US has supported Ukraine in the war with the equivalent of enough money to pay every 12th grader in the United States $10,000+ to attend their senior year with enough left over to remodel most US schools. Why does the media get to decide who ‘caste’ leaders are? Why are the lowest common denominators in human capital priced at the highest value? ‘The View’ or the ‘Steve Harvey Show’ might not have my best interests at heart. We have an unbalanced power dynamic that gives most authority to those on top with a successful elimination of the middle (missing middle)

Consent Decree: These orders are usually called “consent decrees.” The term reflects that the order was negotiated and agreed to by the DOJ and the City that was investigated. A consent decree is  a legally binding agreement where the court supervises the implementation of the agreement.   By Don Allen, M. A. Ed./MAT #Fiction, #FutureCast Twin Cities, Minn…Once upon a time, in a city plagued by gun violence, there was a controversial agreement in place between the police department and the community. The agreement stated that the police would only use force as a last resort and would work to build trust and positive relationships with the people they served. At first, the agreement was met with skepticism and resistance from both sides. The police felt that their hands were tied and that they were being unfairly criticized for doing their jobs. The community, on the other hand, felt that the police were not doing enough to protect them and that the agreement was just a way for the pol

By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT - Candidate: Superintendent Licensure (2023) The following text was written as a response to  2023 Spring - GED 8125-1 - School Finance, Hamline University.  Hamline University professor David Schultz wrote: “ More money spent on education does improve outcomes. But the money must be spent correctly. View spending as an opportunity cost or cost-benefit issue. In other words, what type of spending yields the best results in comparison to other expenditures…but the biggest impacts on student performance have little to do with what happens in the classroom” (Shultz, 2023). After reviewing our prompt for this week and doing the various readings, the school finance piece comes back to the question: Is there talented leadership running school finances? I have always been under the influence that we (leaders and educators) must make sure that people that sit at the tables of school and education finance have the understanding to lead conversations and practices whi

  By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT A classmate challenged me to write “How to dismantle a bad educational system.” It would take 2 years at maximum velocity if we started in 2023 in the Twin Cities.   ( Note : This is a snippet; the students, families, and stakeholders are not the challenge - but under the current weaponized, anti-educational construct in district administrations, scholars become relics used for price points and funding streams - education is a second-tier non-concern.) Step 1 . Send curious information into the public domain  Step 2 . Showmanship - break agitators and reliance; they’d ride with you anyway just to get a front seat on the s-storm you will strategically produce to start the mechanical processes of change (it’s simple cause and effect.)  a. disrupt the ideas of superiority; b . let targeted subjects (systems) ‘dangle,’ eventually, parts of the system need to be thrown under the bus.  Step 3 . Speak freely  Step 4 . Use the data - it’s not personal; Step 5 . A