Education has always been contentious — K-12 education, particularly so. Few locales of public life are more vulnerable to the imposition (and questioning) of values than are schools: the places where we send our children to be prepared for life as citizens. So, in times of civic distance and discord, it’s not surprising that education, too, has become a political battleground.
And yet, as dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Education, I am hopeful. I see evidence that no matter the election outcome, American educators will continue to connect across differences to deliver better student outcomes, close opportunity gaps and strengthen our communities. Here is what gives me that confidence.
Kat Locke-Jones, Maryland’s Teacher of the Year, is a case in point. Motivated by her brother’s death by suicide, this seventh-grade teacher has dedicated herself to supporting the mental health of her students, transforming her classroom into what she calls a “brave space.” At the start of each academic year, Locke-Jones shares her story with her students at Baltimore’s Hampstead Hill Academy, building a sense of family and trust within the classroom.
She encourages them to write and share their own stories, helping them find the courage to be authentic and vulnerable while learning to navigate conflict. At Hampstead Hill, a public charter school, 39% of the students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and 18% are immigrants just learning English. Locke-Jones’.