The Blackboard Report: Inaugural Issue
I created this newsletter to address a critical gap, advocate for educational equity, and amplify the voices of those working tirelessly to improve our learning environments.
Board Members,
Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Blackboard Report! I’m Quintessa L. Williams, an Education Reporter and Journalist examining the intersection of social justice, systemic inequities, and their impact on our students, families, and communities nationwide.
I created this newsletter to bring more awareness and address a critical gap on the most pressing issues affecting Black education, advocate for educational equity, and amplify the voices of those working tirelessly to improve our learning environments. Every week, I’ll discuss the latest updates, news, and stories that highlight the landscape of Black education in America.
A special thank you to my team at Word In Black, Allison Wiltz at WEOC, Phil Lewis at Huff Post, Marlissa Collier at The Dallas Weekly, and Ashlee Banks at The Kicker, whose extensive work in telling our stories helped inspire the creation of this newsletter.
The inaugural issue of TBBR was released today to celebrate the kickoff of American Education Week. Moving forward, The Blackboard Report will be released every Wednesday on here and Substack. You can also subscribe to receive via email!
This Week On The Board
Folks across the nation are still reeling from the presidential election results, and discussions around the proposed Project 2025 education policies have raised concerns about potential impacts on curricula and school operations. Additionally, Black communities are also grappling with the recent spread of racist text messages sent post-election in multiple states, including Florida, Alabama, California, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
I spoke with a mother back home whose son also received the message. The emboldened, bigoted harassment has left many to wonder how the sender(s) knew the recipients were Black. Such troubling events speak to the ongoing challenges and discourse surrounding educational equity and justice for our students and communities.
On This Day
On November 18th, 1968, Black students and faculty at San Francisco College (now San Francisco State University) held a public gathering to outline their demands for establishing a Black Studies De and admitting more Black students, faculty, coaches, and administrators. The event came after a student-led protest and ultimately led to the founding of the Black Studies Department in the United States, now known as the Africana Studies Department.
Top of the Board
Second-Grader Reportedly Found Hung in Maryland School Bathroom: A Charles County family is speaking out Saturday after their 7-year-old son ended up in the hospital after an incident at his elementary school. The boy’s mom posted about her son’s experience online, which has since gone viral, with over 215,000 likes on Instagram as of Saturday night.
Project 2025 Education Policies: Trump’s resurfaced comments on education have further heightened the proposed 900-something project, which aims to transform educational curricula and school operations, with high potential implications for Black students nationwide.
LAUSD Black Student Achievement Program Overhaul: In response to a civil rights complaint, The Los Angeles Unified School District has revised its program for Black students, highlighting ongoing challenges in educational equity.
Black Student Discipline Disparities: Recent reports indicate that Black students continue to face disproportionately high suspension rates, raising concerns about systemic biases in school disciplinary practices.
State Board
Alabama: Tuskegee University students look to each other after a mass shooting on November 10th that left one person dead and 16 others injured. Jaquez Myrick, 25, of Montgomery, was arrested and taken into custody while leaving the scene of the campus and had been found with a handgun. Also, the state’s Board of Education reviewed a proposed new course of study for social studies last week that would require schools to teach the Holocaust but shift the teaching of the Civil Rights Movement.
California: Black students in the Los Angeles Unified School District were among those targeted in a series of racist messages across the country; — 32 students in the district had reported receiving them as of Sunday, according to CBS. Also, California schools brace for Trump’s attacks on immigrants, trans students, and ‘woke’ curriculum.
Florida: Education officials have reported the removal of hundreds of books from authors like Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou at schools across the state following recent legislation aimed at regulating educational content. Also, Florida voters opted to maintain nonpartisan school board elections, rejecting a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have required candidates to list their affiliations on the ballot.
Georgia: Fulton County faces tough choices as it considers closing a few elementary schools due to declining student enrollment and budget constraints. Where Black students account for 45.1% of the population, the school district says it aims to “ensure that any closures will not compromise the quality of education” for its students and families. Also, Georgia public universities and colleges see enrollment rise by 6%, — all 26 of Georgia’s public universities and colleges added students this fall in the strongest enrollment surge in years.
Illinois: The State’s Board of Education’s latest report card data show the four-year high school graduation rate at 87.7% at the end of the 2023–24 school year, compared to 87.6% the previous year. However, graduation rates for Black students are still low compared with white and Asian students.
Louisiana: A federal judge has blocked a law that would soon require a display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom in the state, ruling that it is ‘likely unconstitutional.’ Also, after years of waiting, Louisiana teachers may finally receive raises thanks to proposed legislation requiring school districts to use newly freed funds on permanent salary increases.
Mississippi: The state’s Department of Education (MDE) announced last week that 84% of Mississippi 3rd graders passed their reading assessment for 2023–24 school year.
New York: Tracey Collins, a high-ranking Department of Education adviser and longtime girlfriend of Mayor Eric Adams, stepped down amid allegations that her position was a “no-show” job. Also, New York plans to ditch the Regents exam graduation requirement by fall 2027.
North Carolina: The former superintendent of one of North Carolina’s largest school districts defeats GOP school chief who once called for public execution of Democrats. Also, NC Democrats are in offices post election that can influence public education and, potentially, a broken Republican supermajority.
Texas: Governor Abbott says state legislature will approve school vouchers and boost public education funds next year. Last year, Abbott refused to give public schools a major raise without passing a voucher program. His tone was more conciliatory after Election Day. Also, college students have discussed withholding race on college applications after the affirmative action ban and Texas cut DEI programs.
City Board
Atlanta, GA: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation helped the Cobb County police arrest a suspect accused of posting a “hit list” on social media that named specific students from Walton and Pope high schools.
Baltimore, MD: Dr. Sonja Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, heard from several students, staff members, and parents during a conversation about student safety and family crises just days after a 15-year-old student was shot outside Dunbar High School.
Chicago, IL: The school board is pushing to keep Acero charter schools open, as CPS Chief Pedro Martinez’s job status remains unclear.
Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s fiscal cliff, previously expected to begin this year, has been delayed thanks to tax increases voters recently approved.
Detroit, MI: The school board delayed voting last week on proposed changes to its policy on public participation at school board meetings to give the public more time to learn about the potential changes.
Jacksonville, FL: Duval County’s School Board has scheduled hearings on plans to shutter six elementary schools at the end of this school year and replace a leadership academy at an underused middle school with specialized classes for middle- and high-school students years behind their peers.
Memphis, TN: After several tense discussions and debate in recent weeks about how to evaluate Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins’ tenure, on reducing absenteeism and the number of students off-track, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board reportedly come to an agreement.
New York City, NY: Teacher accused of putting 15-year-old student in a headlock at Brooklyn High School after the student entered his classroom without permission, sending him to hospital.
Philadelphia, PA: According to the School District of Philadelphia, there have been 80 school-related threats against students, teachers, or schools so far in the 2024–25 school year. If the current pace continues, it could exceed last year’s report of more than 400.
St. Louis, MO: Racist texts sent to Black students nationwide post-election have hit Missouri, also targeting the son of St. Louis’ mayor, Tishaura O. Jones.
College Board
Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation, along with Toyota Motor North America, is launching an HBCU Initiative to help bridge the opportunity gap across the education system.
Harris-Stowe State University, the only HBCU in St. Louis, regains full accreditation after financial and academic setbacks.
The number of Black men enrolling at HBCUs is at its lowest since 1976. A recent analysis from the American Institute for Boys and Men and the Department of Education tells us why.
Policy Watch
National/Legislative: The American Bar Association (ABA) introduced a variance process allowing law schools to admit up to 100% of their students without requiring the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or other standardized exams for three to five years.
A 2019 study found the average score for Black LSAT takers was 142 out of a possible 180, compared with 153 for white and Asian test takers. This process aims to reduce application costs and increase diversity by addressing racial score gaps, potentially benefiting Black law school prospects.
Success Stories & Spotlight
Student Spotlight: Two Black Girl Mathgic! Two years ago, a couple of high school classmates each composed a mathematical marvel: a trigonometric proof of the Pythagorean theorem. Now, they’re unveiling 10 more.
School Spotlight: Ebony Austin, the owner of several area restaurants and a regular contributor to local fundraising drives and holiday gift drives, presented a check for $20,000 to Jonesboro High School in Atlanta last Monday.
In Memoriam
We honor the life and legacy of Ella Jenkins, known as The First Lady of Children’s Music, who passed away on November 9th. I did a brief write-up about her life, career as an educator and musical advocate, and the insurmountable legacy she leaves behind.
Worthy Reads
Phil Lewis from Huff Post shared this story on his substack from ProPublica about a 13-year-old with autism who was arrested and charged for having a toy bunny in his backpack.
What’s To Come on the Board
It’s American Education Week! To commemorate, in addition to releasing my newsletter, I will also share a few reports with you regarding how systemic issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline and unchecked racism are profoundly impacting academic achievement and well-being.
As we prepare for the Thanksgiving Break, I plan to finalize and release my report on food insecurity among Black students and what school-based programs are doing to help. Additionally, I spoke with Corryn Freeman at the Future Coalition about the impact of recent political misinformation on LGBTQ+ students. Please be on the lookout for these conversations next week!
Closing Remarks
Every week, I hope this report serves as a resource for advocacy, awareness, and change. I value your stories, insights, and feedback, and I invite your perspectives to contribute to future issues of The Blackboard Bulletin. Please feel free to contact me here or follow me on my socials!
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Commented on Medium too. Thank you for this information. Yes how did they know that the students were Black? Reading the next ones now.