“We need to rebuild our schools from the ground up with the democratic classroom in mind. This would increase the positive outcomes of education for everyone and create the world leaders that we need to solve global problems such as climate change” — High School student

I’ve been researching and teaching about student-centered education and intervention programs for over a decade. The research is clear ­– kids are more engaged in school when their education is personally meaningful and culturally relevant. Sure, some students do fine in a traditional school setting if the definition of success is high-scores on standardized tests and their ability to get into college. …

The last morning I saw you, I found the strength to set a firm boundary. I knew the time had come for me to stop accepting your lies and lack of accountability.

Remember your post that day? You said we were both broken, and that I didn’t know I was. I became furious. Again, you attempted to knock me out of my groove right before work. You timed your attacks, to rock me when I needed to be grounded. Your constant betrayal ripped through my heart like a wood chipper. However, it did not break me.

Is that what made you angry?
Were you exasperated that you could not break me? …

“What do you mean? I’m a distraction?” I seductively said as I peered into his large russet-colored eyes. John had long, shaggy black hair and a broad smile. As usual, he was wearing Levis and a faded Rush t-shirt. I had on my favorite frayed cutoffs, a black and white striped skin-tight crop top, and black converse. My hair shined like a raven and battled against the thick summer air. I teased it up as high as I could get it — the bigger the hair, the closer to god — was our motto. …

The COVID-19 pandemic and schools being closed have made many parents acknowledge that the mainstream educational system wasn’t serving their kids appropriately. I keep hearing from parents that although their kids miss their friends, they are less stressed and don’t want to go back to school in the fall. Some kids are diving into learning and creative projects in a way that parents didn’t expect. Others are frustrated by trying to replicate traditional school at home. Many parents are asking what alternatives are there?

Some students, parents, and teachers are realizing alternative educational options are critical for students who do not fit into the mold of traditional schools. More frequently than you may suspect, brilliant students fare poorly in conventional schools because schools reward conformity and convergent rather than divergent thinking. Talented youth are often nonconformists and independent thinkers. The expectation for them to conform may actually lead to underachievement and/or “behavioral challenges” (as defined by adults in the school system). Within the educational system, there is also the myth that high ability youth will do well regardless of what is happening around them. …

“What is the “cost” of a symphony unwritten, a cure not discovered, a breakthrough not invented? In today’s complex world, and in preparing for tomorrow’s certainly more complex one, we can scarcely afford to waste “talent capital” of any sort.” (McCluskey & Treffinger, 1998)

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, too many youths were oppressed and not served well within our educational system. There is a constant push in our society for assimilation into the dominant culture. The current educational system doesn’t offer a place for kids that do not fit into that culture, especially those that are repressed because of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender identity, learning styles, or because they choose not to conform. …