T. Elijah
Hawkes


T. Elijah Hawkes has been a public school principal for 13 years. He is currently principal at Randolph Union, in Randolph, Vermont. He was founding principal of the James Baldwin School in New York City. His writings about adolescence, public school and democracy have appeared in the Huffington Post, Education Week, Kappan, Schools: Studies in Education, and in two books published by Rethinking Schools: The New Teacher Book and Rethinking Sexism, Gender and Sexuality. You can follow him on Twitter @ElijahHawkes.

Articles by T. Elijah

Summer Violence and Educator Silence

One principal questions the value of educator conferences that focus on “student voice” without recognizing the social contexts in which voices struggle to be heard.

Youth Voice and the Quiet Work of Teachers

A principal considers the role teachers can—and should—play in preparing students for activism.

Permission to Walk Out: They Didn’t Ask, I Didn’t Give It

This principal issued over 100 discipline referrals last week—and he couldn’t be more proud.

Heavy Topics, Strong Classrooms

Our democracy desperately needs diverse voices to engage in mature dialogue if we are to ever find compassionate solutions to our common problems. Schools must be where young people learn to do this.