Most frequently, The Grade publishes original commentary and criticism about education journalism. You can find lots of great examples of that kind of work here.
However, The Grade occasionally comes across standout commentary and criticism about education journalism and reprints theses articles in their entirety — with permission — so that they receive as much attention as possible.
Here are some examples:
Insufficient sources (and lack of interest) marred schools coverage
Lack of sourcing, a reflexive defense of the school district, and a tendency to downplay white violence towards the Black community all contributed to inadequate coverage of school segregation in Rochester, NY.
The problem with the New York Times’ “impoverished rural schools” narrative
The story Parks tells reminds us of the story told about segregated Black schools before desegregation that became the justification – or, perhaps more accurately, the cover – for closing Black schools.
How student journalists at an HBCU newspaper took on local media — and won
This story was originally published by Scalawag, a journalism and storytelling organization that illuminates dissent, unsettles dominant narratives, pursues justice and liberation, and stands in solidarity with marginalized people and communities in the South. Republished with permission.
For decades, the Kansas City Star failed to cover district resegregation efforts
Kansas City schools broke federal desegregation law for decades. The Star stayed quiet. Republished with permission of the Kansas City Star. By Mara Rose Williams. Published December 20, 2020.]; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
We don’t always agree with them in their entirety, but we feel like they represent and important and constructive arguments that could help education journalism reflect on its practices and effects.
If you’ve seen or written something that might be appropriate for The Grade, please reach out to thegrade2015@gmail.com or @thegrade_ and let us know.
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The Grade
Launched in 2015, The Grade is a journalist-run effort to encourage high-quality coverage of K-12 education issues.
