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We must teach conflict resolution, empathy and individual responsibility to students as deliberately as we teach math and science. Schools will not get better until we do.

Walter Sherrill made chemistry cool. He was the sort of refined man who seemed to glide across a room. His voice never rose above a quiet tone, and he wore a mostly stern expression on a peaceful countenance as he explained scientific equations. I cherished the rare times he smiled—or on occasion—chuckled at the ludicrous conclusions of his high school students.

Sometimes school tracking sets students up for failure, academically and socially. My students with disabilities, who require extra academic assistance, often ended up on the short end of the stick. Because they were in all of the same classes together I noticed that they also clung to each other in the cafeteria. They had a difficult time fitting in and making friends with other students.

In New Orleans it’s called “mess.” That cancerous, manipulative drama that teenage girls get wrapped up in every year. We dealt with our share of it this year at my school, most of it within the seventh grade. It came to a head with two strong-willed young ladies yelling from behind their desks, exchanging threats and insults.

An active shooter training video produced in southern California leaves one teacher feeling offended and traumatized.

The parent-teacher relationship doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are a few ways to make the process easier.

It can be difficult for gender-non-conforming students to navigate school—but there are things you can do to help.

An LGBT student’s gratitude reminded this instructor to include diverse voices in her teaching all year.

Slut-shaming is a dangerous phenomenon in schools, but there are ways to support students.