It's DeeThompson

05/30/2026

Powerful words with powerful women. So much more to come.

05/28/2026

Let your apology be as LOUD as your disrespect!

05/28/2026

School discipline meetings can be some of the most emotional and high-stakes conversations families experience. Yet many Black parents leave those meetings feeling unheard, dismissed, or treated as though their concerns carry less weight.

Sometimes it happens through tone. Sometimes through assumptions. Sometimes through decisions that appear to have already been made before the family even entered the room.

Black parents often report feeling that:
• Their child is labeled more quickly as “defiant,” “aggressive,” or “disruptive”
• Their advocacy is interpreted as hostility rather than concern
• Important context about their child’s experiences is minimized
• Policies are enforced unevenly depending on the student involved
• They are expected to simply accept disciplinary outcomes instead of being true partners in the conversation

Research has consistently shown disparities in school discipline outcomes affecting Black students across the country. Those disparities do not exist in a vacuum. They affect trust between schools and families, school climate, and ultimately student well-being.

Most parents are not entering these meetings looking for conflict. They are looking for fairness, transparency, communication, and assurance that their child is being seen as a full human being — not just a behavior issue.

Schools that want stronger family partnerships must be willing to examine not only discipline policies, but also how families experience the discipline process itself.

Being heard should not depend on who you are, how you speak, or whether others are comfortable with your advocacy.

05/28/2026

Many families walk into special education meetings without fully understanding their rights — and that has real consequences for students.

Parents are expected to make decisions about evaluations, services, placements, accommodations, and goals, often while navigating unfamiliar terminology, timelines, and procedures. But not every family is told they can:

• Request evaluations in writing
• Ask for independent educational evaluations (IEEs)
• Review records before meetings
• Bring an advocate or support person
• Disagree with recommendations
• Request changes to an IEP
• Ask questions without feeling rushed or intimidated

For many families, especially first-time parents in the special education process, the system can feel overwhelming. Meetings move quickly. Acronyms are used constantly. Some parents leave unsure of what was decided — or whether they had a meaningful voice in the process at all.

This is not about blaming individual educators. Many teachers and case managers are working hard within complicated systems. But if we truly want equitable outcomes for students, families must have clear, accessible information about their rights before decisions are made.

Parent participation should not depend on who already understands the system. Access to information matters.

05/27/2026

“If there were ever needed restorative justice to help build a culture of care, a philosophy of accountability, and dealing with harms and holding each other, it’s now.” - Dr. Michelle Fine

View the full conversation at bit.ly/rjclimate or the YouTube link in bio.

05/27/2026

Excellent piece by Nikole Hannah-Jones

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/magazine/voting-rights-act-reconstruction-civil-rights-redistricting.html?unlocked_article_code=1.kVA.bmlG.buiiPu9VTE0G&smid=nytcore-ios-share&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnl5LaEJyQcnF4hRjHHeLhoM_5QFA1bOk9CnQgK--ntVFMoI_F_vHfTgLkneo_aem_o-RX37rgdpnIhiAQlazvJg

America is witnessing the greatest decimation of Black political power in over a century.

05/27/2026

When schools quietly eliminate restorative justice programs, the impact often reaches far beyond discipline data.

Restorative justice programs are designed to reduce conflict, repair harm, strengthen relationships, and help students remain connected to their school community. In many districts, these programs were introduced to address concerns about exclusionary discipline practices, student disengagement, and disparities in suspension rates.

When these programs are reduced, underfunded, or removed without clear communication to families and staff, several things can happen:

• Students may lose access to structured conflict resolution and peer accountability processes.
• Schools may rely more heavily on punitive discipline responses such as suspensions or removals from class.
• Families and educators may notice an increase in unresolved tension, mistrust, or repeated behavioral incidents.
• Staff members who were trained in restorative practices may no longer have the time, support, or personnel needed to implement them consistently.
• Communities may not realize the program has been scaled back until they begin seeing changes in school climate.

This is why transparency matters. If restorative justice programs are being changed, reduced, or eliminated, school communities deserve clear communication about:

*What is changing
*Why the change is happening
*What data informed the decision
*What support systems will replace the program, if any
*How student relationships, accountability, and school climate will continue to be addressed

Whether someone supports restorative justice, opposes it, or believes it needs improvement, these conversations should happen publicly and with community input — not quietly in the background.

School climate affects students, staff, and families every day. Decisions about discipline and support systems should be treated as community conversations, not administrative footnotes.

05/26/2026

“Anyone can face negative media, but when it consistently impacts a Black woman’s voice or leadership, it feels personal.” Barriers, Bias, & Black Women. Read the full article at the link in bio.

05/26/2026

We are witnessing some truly unfortunate circumstances in the world today.

05/26/2026

There is always free will to ignore what you don't agree with, especially if it has NOTHING to do with you.

05/26/2026

Thank you The Joy Reid Show for this! 🙌🏽