Media mentions: Love creates racial equality education project; Fields-Smith quoted on inequities in education
Love creates racial equality education project
Bettina Love, the Athletic Association Professor in Education in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice and founder of the Abolitionist Teaching Network, calls for more radical reforms to the country’s educational system, which she compares to the abolitionist movement.
In an interview with the Red & Black, Love said the Abolitionist Teaching Network’s mission is to develop and support educators to fight injustice within institutions and communities. The network, launched July 6, brings together abolitionists, community organizers, educators, parents, social workers, counselors, lawyers, and health care providers to take direct action for educational freedom.
“When people hear the word abolition, they hear something that is so radical, and in a way, it is, but what they don’t understand is that we are advocating to be treated as humans,” she told the Red & Black. “We are advocating for a school system that works for all children, not just Black or Brown children. But what we are going to do first and foremost is start with those kids who have been marginalized and neglected for centuries.”
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Fields-Smith quoted on inequities in education
Cheryl Fields-Smith, an associate professor in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice, was recently quoted on the inequities Black children and parents face in education.
Currently, two-thirds of American students attend a school with an on-campus police officer. Research by the Education Week Resource Center found that in more than 40 states, Black students are more likely to be arrested by school police officers than their peers.
“Black parents frequently experience marginalization [and] disenfranchisement in their attempts to advocate on behalf of their children,” said Fields-Smith.