Sharif El-Mekki is a lifelong educator and father of six who believes deeply that justice in the classroom cannot exist without the academic rigor and quality instruction required to ensure that black children can reach their God-given potential. While fancy theorists in ivory towers debate whether or not we should even use terms like “the achievement gap,” El-Mekki does the hard work of educating children and partnering with families. He does not want to hear about hugs in the hallways if children are not learning and being challenged in the classroom – he told Erika what real love for students looks like and explained why the popular idea that Black students must sit beside white students in school in order to succeed is insulting and demonstrably false.
Project Forever Free is a platform of brightbeam, a network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child.
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