The U.S. Department of Justice’s decision to end a long-standing federal school desegregation order in Louisiana could signal the beginning of a bigger unraveling of the legal protections Brown v. Board made possible for Black students, who are already facing racial inequities in access to quality education.
Author Archives: Quintessa Williams
Posted inEducation
Will Black Students Lose More Support Without Desegregation?
The Department of Justice ending a federal school desegregation order in Louisiana could signal a shift towards dismantling legal protections for Black students, leading to increased racial segregation and inequitable access to quality education.
Posted inEducation
Malcolm X Still Scares America —That’s Why Schools Erase Him
Malcolm X’s legacy is largely missing or misrepresented in K-12 education, but educators are finding ways to teach his full story to inspire young readers to organize and fight for a more just future.
Posted inEducation
Black Students Are Being Watched Under AI — and They Know It
Public schools are adopting AI tools to flag students considered “high risk” without public oversight or legal accountability, disproportionately targeting Black and low-income students, and the Center for Law and Social Policy argues that these tools are not making schools safer but rather expanding the school-to-prison pipeline.
Posted inEducation
Double Discipline: The New Weight Black Kids Will Carry in Schools
Trump’s executive order to disregard race or equity in disciplinary decisions could exacerbate the existing disproportionate punishment of Black students, while educators and advocates urge for restorative justice practices and courage to protect Black children in the classroom.
Posted inEducation
Why We Need to Protect Pell Grants for Black Students
Congress is considering a bill that would raise the number of credit hours students must take to qualify for the maximum Pell Grant from 12 to 15 per semester, which could leave low-income students unsure if a bachelor’s degree is financially within reach.
Posted inEducation
When Higher Ed Turns Its Back, Black K-12 Students Lose Hope
The Trump administration’s anti-DEI efforts have already begun to reshape higher education, potentially leading to fewer Black students seeing themselves as college students, enrolling, and arriving less prepared when they do.
Posted inEducation
Georgia Flowers-Lee Sounds Alarm on Autistic Student Support
Black autistic students are experiencing a surge in diagnosis, but are being left without the support they need due to cuts in funding and staffing.
Posted inHealth
It’s Not an Epidemic — Black Autistic Students Need Support
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was criticized for stigmatizing people with autism and spreading falsehoods about the disorder, while experts say the increase in autism diagnoses nationwide is due to improved identification and support, not an “epidemic”.
Posted inEducation
Could Florida’s Attack on AP Courses Become a National Trend?Â
Florida lawmakers have introduced a bill to reduce state funding for college-level high school courses by up to 50%, which could deepen educational and racial inequities nationwide, as Black students already have less access to AP classes.