The weaponization of resources, religion, books, race, and language contributes to the extreme polarization experienced in today’s society especially as it relates to public education. Within the PK – 20 education system, statutes, policies, and their implementation can promote opportunity or sustain systems of inequality. For example, book bans are being used to ensue culture […]

Deanna Townsend-Smith and Valerie Bridges, EducationNC July 22, 2024 The historical and current conditions that eliminate Black and Brown females from the workforce There is a “Hidden Figure” amongst you, yet have you seen them or even considered the lack of dignity, respect, and well-being they experience in the workplace every day? Across the United […]

MEDIA CONTACT:Chanté Russell, Public School Forum of NCcrussell@ncforum.org919-781-6833 ext. 103 Raleigh, NC (July 10, 2024) — Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr. will be this year’s September 28, 2024 Color of Education Summit keynote.  One of the nation’s most prominent scholars, Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr. is an author, political commentator, public intellectual and passionate educator who examines […]

by Simona Goldin and Deanna Townsend-Smith, EducationNC June 26, 2024 “I just thought that was the most noble contribution you could make to human kind, was to be a teacher.” Dudley Flood “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” George Bernard Shaw Dudley E. Flood is not alone in his reverence for teachers, and […]

Using your voice as a tool for advocacy, action, and justice is central to the creation of this nation. It has been the foundation of every change movement. However, over the past two years, we have seen the repeal of some of the most influential civil rights legislation. This rollback of rights underscores the importance […]

Written By: Deanna Townsend-Smith, EdD  May 13, 2024 In NC the Supreme Court ruled that the state’s constitution guarantees a public education for every child and includes due process which is often lacking in private school options in NC. In 1993 Robeson County residents had a median income of approximately $21,0001. Respectively, in 2022, residents […]

Written By: Malasia McClendon  February 20, 2024 Dear Courageous Leader,  Thank you for your dedication to educating our students, effectively operating our school districts, and assisting NC to eradicate inequities. Your willingness to lean into the rewards of your role in the presence of unprecedented challenges and stressors is recognized. Over the recent years, your […]

by Deanna Townsend-Smith, EducationNCDecember 6, 2023 The following is Deanna Townsend-Smith’s “Final Word” from the Nov. 11, 2023 episode of Education Matters on recent events aimed at building a network of organizations in North Carolina pushing for educational equity. Together we can achieve so much more. The Color of Education Summit brings together educators, policymakers, researchers, students, […]

by Derick Lee, EducationNCOctober 25, 2023 For nearly four years, Gov. Cooper’s DRIVE Task Force has centered on Developing a Representative and Inclusive Vision for Education. The group is made up of parents, educators, and representatives from both the University of North Carolina System and North Carolina Community College System. Together, they developed a report […]

by Greg Childress, NC NewslineOctober 9, 2023 America’s educators must not cower before lawmakers attempting to restrict what they teach students about America’s racial history, author and education reformer Lisa Delpit told hundreds of teachers attending the annual Color of Education summit in Raleigh on Saturday. Delpit, the author of the groundbreaking book, “Multiplication Is […]

by Derick Lee, EducationNCOctober 18, 2023 Dr. Dudley Flood, the namesake of The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity (Flood Center), is an educational trailblazer, who served as a teacher and principal before being tasked with helping desegregate schools in North Carolina. He was also a coach, a role that taught him how […]

By: Selena Collins | 2023 Dudley Flood Center Intern On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court gutted Affirmative Action programs in college admissions. This decision marks a regressive step that undermines over 50 years of progress in increasing the representation of women and people of color in higher education institutions. The American Bar Association […]

By: Evelin Ortiz-Munoz | 2023 Dudley Flood Center Intern On June 29th, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The consequences from this decision will reverberate across the nation and threaten to reverse decades of progress in diversifying our college campuses. This is a step back from providing educational […]