News
These are some of the articles, videos,and more we believe promote the goals and themes of the Black Minds Matter movement. As we work to expand education options for our students, we hope to ensure every person has access to resources to be life-long learners. If you’d like to have a news highlighted here, please email us.
Featured News
Black Minds Matter
The world is in the midst of a civil uprising as more bear witness to the racial and social injustices that take place daily in America, sparked by the abhorrent murders of black men and women.
“Every man has two educations: that which is given to him, and the other which he gives himself. What we are merely taught seldom nourishes the minds like that which we teach ourselves.”
4 myths about school choice debunked
Education freedom is about doing what’s best for students. Denisha Allen failed third grade — twice — because she couldn’t read. “I was a student who was languishing in the system,” said Allen, whose family had lived in poverty for at least four generations. She didn’t feel connected to or valued by her teachers. The one-size-fits-all education offered by her neighborhood school didn’t meet her needs, nor did it meet the needs of her mother, sister, and three brothers — all of whom dropped out of school. Everything changed for Allen when she found the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship before sixth grade. The scholarship made it possible for her to attend a local private school. “It really wasn’t until I started to go to this choice school that I began to not think of myself as a failure,” she said.
Opinion: Rosa Parks, Barack Obama believed in charter schools
Rosa Parks knew that the way to lift African American children out of poverty in Detroit was through education. And she knew that the best way to accomplish that was by starting a charter school.
MITCHELL: Education Choice Can Undo The Harm Of Segregation For Black Families
"Who would blame Black parents for seeking out new options, private or otherwise, when only one in 10 high schoolers have been taught to read at grade level?" Shaka Mitchell discusses Alabama's advance in empowering all parents with school choice options.
We need school choice to protect Black kids from teacher strikes
There’s no other way to look at it. These districts are failing Black students and setting them up for failure.
Guest opinion: Time to address the pressing need for school choice options
Guest Opinion By Elizabeth Beshears and Denisha Allen | American Federation for Children In a recent column, John Archibald wrongly recommends fighting de facto segregated schools in Alabama by keeping Black, brown, and low-income students trapped in them. Instead, as advocates for empowering families and ensuring equitable access to quality education, we believe it’s time to address the pressing need for school choice options.
EMPOWERING EDUCATION AND TEEING UP: DENISHA ALLEN’S INSPIRING JOURNEY OF BLACK MINDS MATTER
Denisha Allen holds a Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary social science from the University of West Florida and a Master’s degree in social work from the University of South Florida. Her love for sharing knowledge about African Americans and education in the United States has led her to embark on a groundbreaking study on Black School Founders/Entrepreneurs. She credits her participation in an incubator program supported by the State Policy Network for inspiring the concept of a pop-up exhibit. Drawing inspiration from Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative Museum, Denisha saw an opportunity to showcase the turnaround stories of individuals who have benefited from education freedom. The exhibit, titled “Self-Determined: The secret history of education freedom,” aims to shed light on the struggle for African Americans’ education freedom from slavery to the present day
School choice really is the civil rights issue of our time
Our American education system is unfortunately defined by disparities based on race and economic status." This Black History Month, Denisha Allen discusses an issue that is central to the modern civil rights movement: education freedom.
New Poll: Black Single Moms Want More School Choice — and Will Vote that Way
New survey findings reveal the concerns of Black single mothers. Nearly 70% see the country heading in the wrong direction. 90%, "don’t believe the traditional approach to public school meets students’ needs." Over half have considered changing schools in the past year. It's time for change.
What School Choice Means for Black Students in 2024
School Choice Week aims to help parents explore options, but it sparks concerns about funding and equity.