Erika Sanzi
Forbes
Cumberland, RI, United States
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Past articles by Erika:
Teacher Has a Problem with Those God Awful White Boys
A teacher in Minnesota recently wrote a blog post publicly shaming his white male students and sadly, many people have applauded it. And he isn't speaking generally about all the white boys he has taught over the years—he is calling out the 8th grade ones that he teaches right now. → Read More
Supporting Educational Freedom Is One Way To Show We Care About Mental Health And Teen Suicide
In the first study of its kind, we have new and groundbreaking information at the state level and individual student level about the impact of educational freedom—or school choice—on student mental health and suicide rates. → Read More
Moms and choice: An interview with Maureen Kelleher from Chicago, Illinois
This is the second in a series of interviews called “moms and choice,” (the first can be read here) in which I talk with mothers who—because of issues like bullying, weak academics, poor instruction, insufficient special education services, or a belief that a kid may simply do better elsewhere—chose a different school for their sons and daughters. Their stories are all different, but there is a… → Read More
There's a lot to like about Stacey Abrams, but her opposition to school choice isn't one of them
Stacey Abrams became something of a household name in the weeks leading up to the 2018 midterms and tonight she will give the Democrat response to the President’s State of the Union Address. Abrams shot to political stardom when she came close to becoming Georgia’s first Black woman governor. And there would have been much to cheer about that glass ceiling being broken, especially in a southern… → Read More
The Financial Mess At The Root Of The Los Angeles Teachers Strike
Teachers are on strike in Los Angeles but the financial mess that brought the school district and city to its knees is a story that began in the 1960's and for which there is no easy or quick fix. Class sizes, charter schools, and greedy administrators are not the problem. Retiree benefits are. → Read More
Moms and choice: An interview with Inga from San Antonio, Texas
It’s easy for those of us who opine on education to think about—and talk about—school choice as a policy, a concept, and an issue worth pushing in Washington and state legislatures. But school choice is really about parents, children, and the very personal stories that drive people to look beyond their traditional neighborhood public schools. From issues of bullying, to weak academics, to the… → Read More
Dear fellow moms: Stop judging me for choosing the best school for my child
I attended the open house for eighth graders earlier this week at my local high school in Rhode Island and came away thinking, “what in the fresh hell?” The student tour guides were wonderful, knowledgeable, enthusiastic about academics and teachers, and great ambassadors for the school. Our tour was short because we arrived late, but we still had to time to head over to the wellness center,… → Read More
Teacher outs Trump official for being a loner and eating glue—in the third grade
Teachers—especially elementary ones—see a lot of weird, gross, and sad stuff. Whether it’s eating boogers, pooping in urinals, or repeated cases of lice, teachers spend their days with lots of children. Enough said? Some students are simply in the throes of normal development where farting contests and melted candy canes on radiators are reasons to fall over laughing and drive their teacher a… → Read More
Why a donation website for schools in need should stop excluding private schools
DonorsChoose.org, an organization that allows teachers to request classroom supplies and experiences for their students, is guilty of discriminating against parochial and private schools. At first blush, it’s easy to see how its decision to only allow public school teachers to receive donor funds would make sense to many people who care about opportunity and equity in education. But let me tell… → Read More
Why I Support Taking Away Recess For Poor Behavior
I support taking away my children’s favorite things as a consequence for bad behavior, and that includes taking away recess. → Read More
Why do we accept higher expectations on the field than in the classroom?
My really smart and brave friend from Tennessee, Vesia Hawkins, wrote a thought provoking piece about how all in parents and families are when it comes to youth football and she wonders if those same families show an equal level of engagement and commitment when it comes to their children’s literacy and numeracy. As the mom of boys who play football, baseball, and basketball, I’d say the point… → Read More
Seats sit empty while black and brown students are turned away
Children in the state of Connecticut are being denied access to schools that have plenty of room for them because of the color of their skin. Yup, that’s right. Available seats in the magnet schools of Hartford—and beyond—sit empty despite long waitlists for admission. And this denial of opportunity is happening in the name of integration. “Those seats just stay empty, no matter what,” Robinson… → Read More
It won't always be the right call but sometimes suspension isn't the answer
Her name is Alexandra. She was a student in a school where I used to work and she was one of those kids who challenges you, causes her share of trouble, and comes to appreciate and love you deeply when you’ve earned her trust. Oh, she steals your heart too. To this day, a letter she wrote me on my birthday in 2012 sits in the drawer of my nightstand. It said a lot but most importantly, she… → Read More
We go nowhere if we don't bring parents along
Editor’s note: Fordham President Michael J. Petrilli recently published a long-form article titled, “Where Education Reform Goes from Here.” Others have responded to that essay, and this post furthers that conversation. “If you don’t bring parents and families along with you, you’re building a sandcastle by the sea.” —Keri Rodrigues, Massachusetts Parents United There are so many flaws in how we… → Read More
The importance of parent focus groups
More schools need to host parent focus groups at the end of the year. Yes, those last couple months are busy, hectic, and uncomfortable. School staff and families see the light at the end of the tunnel, people are tired, and in many schools it’s uncomfortably hot. But asking for parent feedback is one of the most effective ways to understand how the year went for the students enrolled. It is a… → Read More
As a former member of two teachers' unions, I celebrate the "Janus" decision
While people scream from the rooftops about how wrong and unfair the Janus ruling is, let’s pause for a moment and at least acknowledge that, in the context of the teachers’ unions, almost no one is even talking about what’s best for kids in any of their passion filled proclamations about the destruction of the middle class. And if the well-being of children—who are mandated by law to attend… → Read More
No, they aren’t amazing because they finished fifth grade
“These kids are so amazing. I’m so proud of them.” I’m sorry, what? Is a fifth grade graduation really all that amazing? Are we really high-fiving and showering our kids with gifts because they finished eighth grade? There was a time when graduations were only for twelfth graders. I think I liked that better, truth be told. Now certainly there are circumstances where these milestones and… → Read More
Improving education policy by looking beyond the "experts"
In December, Education Next published an article by Rick Hess called “Three Cheers for Imposter Syndrome” that, in part, argues that experts in education would be wise to be more humble. “And, since authentic humility seems to be in pretty short supply these days,” he writes, “I'll happily accept impostor syndrome as a useful facsimile.” Impostor syndrome is “the fear that you'll be found out at… → Read More
I Have A Love-Hate Relationship With Fortnite, And Here’s Why –
Fortnite has taken over my house and there’s a good chance it has taken over yours too. → Read More
Why my kids' "Fortnite" obsession isn't such a bad thing
“Fortnite” has taken over my house and there’s a good chance it has taken over yours, too. It is the newest and coolest video game, particularly popular with boys. And when I say I’ve never seen my kids love anything more than this game, I’m really not kidding. They’ll hop out of bed at 6 a.m. on a weekend to play. They’ll race to get their homework done so they can play. They’ll even try to… → Read More