Atlanta educator and Notre Dame professor disclose inequities leading to racial achievement gap

Notre Dame professor's study reveals some Black students at a Chicago charter school were disciplined more harshly than their white counterparts. (Courtesy of Taylor Flowe)

April Jackson is working to make sure all students are seen, heard and have access to an equitable education.

She is the founder of the school Pass Pod and the co-founder of the Black Microschools ATL, which is a collective of 11 schools across the metro Atlanta area. The schools primarily serve Black students and offer non-traditional K-12 education.  

 Jackson is one of several educators and advocates who are featured in “Closer Look’s” weeklong series, “FAILING GRADE: Analysis of America’s Public Education Crisis.” The series explores the current state of public education in Georgia and across the nation, from pre-K to higher-ed.

On Tuesday, for day two of the series, we continue with PART 2 of our conversation with Jackson, where she talks about why she values non-traditional education and shares insight about her school’s sustainability.

Next, host Rose Scott then spoke with Calvin Zimmermann, an assistant professor of education in Notre Dame’s Sociology Department. For two years, Zimmerman observed how kindergarten and first-grade teachers at a Chicago public charter school interacted with Black students.

He breaks down his new study,” Looking for Trouble: How Teachers’ Racialized Practices Perpetuate Discipline Inequities in Early Childhood.” The study explores why young Black male students are disciplined more harshly than their white counterparts.