Dr. Peggy Brookins, the CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, who was appointed to President Barack Obama’s President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans, noted the deepening disparity in educating children of color.
“When we think of what has happened with COVID, we [also] see what has happened to teachers around the country,” Dr. Brookins stated.
“We jumped in and pivoted our work quickly to help every teacher in the country, and their need to understand the technology and to bring synchronous learning to students in a way they were not previously afforded,” Dr. Brookins stated.
Thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has embarked on a public awareness program to close the public school and the higher education achievement gap.
This month, NNPA President and CEO, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., conducted videotaped interviews with education experts, community activists, and college students to help determine whether students in underserved communities are having their needs met during the pandemic.
Dr. Chavis discussed the various challenges faced by students of color and the working class, as the pandemic continues to grip America and place a stranglehold on education.
