Hi there, loyal subscribers: It’s time for The Highlighter #125! I’d like to welcome our 40 new subscribers to the newsletter. I hope you feel at home and like what you read here!
For those of you who like numbers, this issue is filled with twos! You get two articles on school desegregation, two articles on health, and two great podcast episodes. As a bonus, you get two fabulous photos, too. Please enjoy!
School Resegregation Explained — www.vox.com
More than 60 years after Brown v. Board, schools are re-segregating. Some people argue that this phenomenon is a result of de facto residential segregation. If we live apart, how can our children go to school together? This brilliant interactive feature refutes that position. Alvin Chang explains how many school districts are gerrymandering attendance zones to exacerbate segregation. Mr. Chang adds to Richard Rothstein’s thesis in The Color of Law (#124), which asserts that there is no such thing as de facto segregation. Through law, we have made it so. What’s your reaction? Share your thoughts on The Highlighter Forum! ⏳⏳
Whites Say They Want School Desegregation (But Only a Little Bit) — www.theatlantic.com
MacArthur Genius (and my favorite education reporter) Nikole Hannah-Jones (#18, #22, #46, #47, #65, #82, #115) is writing a book on school segregation called The Problem We All Live With. Until it gets published, please read this interview. “We have a system where white people control the outcomes, and the outcome that most white Americans want is segregation,” she says. “White communities want neighborhood schools if their neighborhood school is white. If their neighborhood school is black, they want choice.” ⏳⏳
A Dying Town: The Health Effects of a Poor Education
Kennett, Missouri is the hometown of Sheryl Crow (“All I Wanna Do”) and 10,564 “other great people.” Unfortunately, most of these great people do not have college degrees. This article explores the link between educational attainment and health outcomes. The graphs are not forgiving, and neither are the stories of residents Annie Walters and Jim Anderson. If you live in Kennett, you die seven years earlier than the average American. ⏳⏳
Why We Fell For Clean Eating — www.theguardian.com
It’s the New Year. How’s your diet? Are you doing the Whole30? The DASH, or maybe the Flexitarian? This article debunks our obsession with clean eating and warns against orthorexia nervosa. “Clean eating,” author Bee Wilson argues, “confirms how vulnerable and lost millions of us feel about diet — which really means how lost we feel about our own bodies.” Maybe my diet, The Intermittent Cookie, isn’t so bad after all. ⏳⏳
Anne-otations: You’re Still Learning, And I’m Supposed To Be OK With That? — youhadmeatblack.simplecast.fm
Most American teachers are white, while nearly half of the American student body are students of color. A recent poll shows that this is detrimental for students of color. Listen to Bria’s story, an example of white microaggression from the classroom. This cringe-worthy episode is for anyone, but especially white educators, as a reminder that “still learning” how to teach students of color isn’t good enough. I would love to hear from you about teacher training, microaggression, or teachers from your past. Share your thoughts on The Highlighter Forum. And as always, email me at annenyffeler@gmail.com with a podcast recommendation! ⏳
Podcast: School Leader Omar Bryan — www.highlighter.cc
Artist, art teacher, and school leader Omar Bryan is this week’s guest on The Highlighter Podcast. Omar builds strong relationships with his students by being fully present and listening. On the show, Omar talks about how his art background has informed his approach to inspiring young people to express themselves and to access their agency. He also has strong opinions about last week’s lead article, “Millennials Are Screwed.” Please listen, subscribe, and rate the podcast on iTunes! ⏳⏳
That’s it for this week! Thank you for reading today’s issue. I’d love to hear what you think. You can share your thoughts by replying to this email or by clicking on one of the thumbs below.
Also, please welcome our 40 new subscribers: Jackson, Whitney, Payton, Elizabeth, Joanne, JoLynn, Amparo, Leslie, Wendi, Matt, Soliz, Lesley, Tina, Amy, Mike, Sean, Daniel, Kyle, Lori, Caitlin, David, Molly, Jonathan, Carol, Tom, Edith, Sophie, Meredith, Donna, Chris, Brianna, Diana, Ayako, Micha, Taryn, and five others whose names are anonymous.
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