In this week’s issue:
Within Reach, by Nicole Pasulka
Inside One of America’s Last Pencil Factories, by Christopher Payne
Bad Boys, by Tim Stelloh
Can You Arrest People Before They Commit Crimes? by Sam Dean
Anne-otations: As U.S. Retreats From World Stage, China Moves To Fill The Void, Fresh Air
The Highlighter Podcast #26: Alvin Chang, senior graphics reporter at Vox
Here’s The Highlighter #127. Like what you see? Subscribe!
Good morning, loyal subscribers! Today’s issue is quintessential Highlighter: 2 parts race, 1 part education, 1 part self-care, and 1 part purity rings. Plus you get pets and a panoply of publications. Really, where else can you find Jezebel and the Harvard Educational Review side by side?
We’re one week away from HHH #4! Take next Thursday off, enjoy a day of reading and relaxation, and swing by Room 389 in Oakland to meet great people, chat about your favorite articles, and build our community. Get your free ticket!
Ijeoma Oluo: So You Want to Talk About Race?
Let’s get to know Ijeoma Oluo (#89, #97) some more. Last year, Ms. Oluo wrote that crazy brilliant piece about Rachel Dolezal, and now she’s got a book out called So You Want to Talk About Race. (Let me know if you read it!) In this interview, Ms. Oluo shares what it means to be a Black woman writer, how she developed her voice, and why we must persist through challenging conversations about race. “A lot of times we enter these conversations with two completely separate intentions: white people’s intention is to make sure that everybody knows that they’re not racist; and people of color just want white people to see how they may be harming them.” Plus she tells her side of the Rachel Dolezal story. ⏳
How Teacher Education’s Focus on White Privilege Undermines Antiracism
Now 30 years old, Peggy McIntosh’s “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” is considered required reading for white teachers. But this thoughtful response criticizes Dr. McIntosh’s approach as simplistic and unhelpful. By emphasizing “ritual confessions,” where white educators feel sorry for their privilege but do nothing about it, Dr. McIntosh does not support white teachers to understand and work to dismantle white supremacy. ⏳⏳
Ana Cecilia Alvarez, aware that she checks her notifications first thing in the morning, decides to chuck her iPhone to escape “the unrelenting present.” But her friends chastise her for being “out of touch.” This piece pushes us to make space for reflection rather than fear missing out. But the end is more melancholy than hopeful. ⏳
The Rise and Fall of the Purity Ring
This history of the purity ring (and movement) is a juggernaut. All in the same article: Jordin Sparks, the Jonas Brothers, John Legend, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Hilary Duff, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Shia LaBeouf, Raven-Symoné, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Zendaya, Bella Thorne, and Rowan Blanchard. Please enjoy. ⏳⏳
Anne-otations: High School Football
With all the news about head injuries, it’s tempting to think of football as on the way out. Not so, says the latest episode on the Educate podcast. In fact, charter schools in New Orleans that got rid of it to save money are bringing it back. What do you think? Is the community high school football brings worth it, or is it too expensive and too risky? Take our poll on Facebook, or leave a voicemail at (415) 886-7475. ⏳
Readers Respond: Last week’s ode to the endangered pencil caused a big stir. Loyal subscriber and oceanographer Phoebe cried out, “Pencils!! Are they dying??”
Podcast Update: This week’s episode features lead learning specialist Brittany Flynn, who focuses on “Why Are Our Most Important Teachers Paid the Least?” which appeared in The Highlighter #126. On the show, Brittany makes the claim that what we see in preschool spans the entire K-12 system.
Thank you for reading this week’s issue! Share your thoughts by replying to this email or by clicking on one of the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome new subscribers Kevin, Ariel, Eric, Tony, and Lupo! Please help to build this community by sharing this newsletter with your friends. If The Highlighter isn’t a great match for you, kindly unsubscribe. Have a great week, and I’ll see you again next Thursday at 9:10 am.
Alvin Chang is senior graphics reporter at Vox and the author of the lead piece in The Highlighter #125, which focused on school resegregation. Mr. Chang creates explainers that include data, cartoons, and history. He believes that our society's most challenging problems emerge from the everyday decisions that we make.
On the show, Mr. Chang and I talk about how he got into data journalism, how he approached this piece, and what his response is to people who say that integration is not the right solution to our challenges in education.
Take a listen!
Do you like what you’re hearing? There’s more over at the Podcast page. Or better yet: Subscribe to The Highlighter Podcast on iTunes | Google | Pocket Casts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Overcast | RadioPublic | RSS
In this week’s issue:
Little America, by Epic Magazine
Queer Time, by Sara Jaffe
Why Are Our Most Important Teachers Paid the Least? by Jeneen Interlandi
Living in a Poor Neighborhood Changes Everything In Your Life, by Alvin Chang
Anne-otations: The Nancy Podcast, “Return to Ring of Keys”
The Highlighter Podcast #25: Anne Nyffeler
Here’s The Highlighter #126. Like what you see? Subscribe!
Anne Nyffeler is a great teacher and instructional coach in San Francisco and is the editor of Anne-otations, The Highlighter's new feature! Each week, Anne will select one excellent podcast episode to share.
This week, it's "You Had Me at Black." We talk about microaggressions and how white teachers can lessen the violence that many students of color face in the classroom.
At the end of the show, Anne and I talk about Anne-otations and why we decided to launch the new feature. In particular, Anne encourages you to continue the conversation and to give her ideas about which podcasts she should spotlight. (Listen for her email address during the episode!)
Take a listen!
Do you like what you’re hearing? There’s more over at the Podcast page. Or better yet: Subscribe to The Highlighter Podcast on iTunes | Google | Pocket Casts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Overcast | RadioPublic | RSS
In this week’s issue:
School Resegregation Explained, by Alvin Chang
Whites Say They Want Desegregation, by Nikole Hannah-Jones
A Dying Town, by Sarah Brown & Karin Fischer
Why We Fell For Clean Eating, by Bee Wilson
Anne-otations: You Had Me at Black
Highlighter Podcast #24: Omar Bryan
Here’s The Highlighter #125. Like what you see? Subscribe!
Omar Bryan is a talented artist, art teacher, and school leader, and he’s our guest on this week’s episode of The Highlighter Podcast!
We talked about his childhood in Jamaica and Long Island, his passion for art, his transition to education, and his theory of action working with young people.
Later in the show, we chatted about this week’s lead article, “Millennials Are Screwed,” by Michael Hobbes. As a millennial himself, Omar had deep insights about the lot of his generation, plus some keen thoughts about the piece’s author.
Take a listen!
Do you like what you’re hearing? There’s more over at the Podcast page. Or better yet: Subscribe to The Highlighter Podcast on iTunes | Google | Pocket Casts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Overcast | RadioPublic | RSS
In this week’s issue:
Millennials Are Screwed, by Michael Hobbes
Nothing Prevents Black Women From Dying in Pregnancy, by Nina Martin and Renee Montagne
Gentrification and the Destruction of a Black Church in San Francisco, by Rachel Cramer
Diet and Exercise Won’t Work. To Lose Weight, Surgery Is The Best Option, by Julia Belluz
Anne-otations #1: Plan Accordingly, by Anne Nyffeler
Here’s The Highlighter #124. Like what you see? Subscribe!
Hi, I’m Anne: mom, teacher, student, reader, loyal Highlighter subscriber, and podcast junky. Whether on my bike or in the kitchen, podcasts keep me in the conversation. Won’t you join me?
“What is the quality of life that you would live for, if you couldn’t do everything you wanted?” As I think about my goals for 2018, I can’t get this question Dr. Atul Gawande asked Krista Tippet of the podcast On Being out of my head. Would I give up sweets if I could keep singing in choir? Would I give up walking if I could keep my memories? Good teachers plan backwards, shaping their lessons around the end goals. So as I begin the new year, I want to think about the end and plan accordingly. This interview didn’t just increase my appreciation of palliative care doctors and what they can teach me about dying, but also how much they can teach me about really living.
On Being
Krista Tippet & Dr. Atul Gawande
October 26, 2017
In this week’s issue:
Our School, by Lauren Markham
The First White President, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Losing Gloria, by Lizzie Presser
Sons and Daughters, by Sarah A. Topol
Applebee’s Deserves To Die, by Bijan Stephen
When Things Go Missing, by Kathryn Schulz
Here’s The Highlighter #123. Like what you see? Subscribe!