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In my eighth-grade language arts classroom, we use discussion as a vehicle for learning, thinking, writing, posing and defending arguments, questioning and reviewing—just about everything. And as can be expected, we sometimes digress from the topic at hand.

Black women are among the most represented groups in higher education enrollment by race and gender—but that doesn’t mean Black girls don’t face unique struggles in our education system.

Recent news of some troubling comments reveals two false assumptions: that teaching kindergarten isn’t work and that sexual harassment isn’t a problem in schools.

In sports, machismo and closeted sexuality prevail. And players courageous enough to talk about their sexual orientation are, sadly, not on equal footing.

In the years since they graduated from middle school, several of my former students earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. I was proud of them. I read their stories in the local paper and was inspired by the various ways in which these young men improved our community. Each time, their accomplishments and selflessness impressed me. Earning the highest rank in Boy Scouts of America is an admirable achievement.

New evidence of the bullying crisis in our schools appears daily in news reports and blogs. For some students, verbal harassment, cyber-ostracism and physical abuse are as routine as turning in homework. That’s particularly true for students who are—or simply perceived to be—gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).