This past week the NAACP, the National Urban League and other civil-rights groups collectively condemned charter schools. Claiming to speak for minority Americans, the organizations expressed “reservations” about the Obama administration’s “extensive reliance on charter schools.” They specifically voiced concern about “the overrepresentation of charter schools in low-income and predominantly minority communities.”

More than 1.5 million people live in Nairobi’s Kibera slum, squeezed together in a labyrinth of rusted tin shacks and garbage-lined alleyways. Although Kibera is Africa’s largest slum, the Kenyan government considers it an illegal settlement and provides no public services to the impoverished residents. Access to clean water and electricity is almost non-existent; HIV […]

In the current economic environment, one impact of the credit crunch is that it’s getting harder than ever to obtain loans of all kinds, including student loans. Unfortunately, millions of Americans rely on loans to pay for a college education. That’s why roughly $730 billion in federal and private student loans are outstanding, and only […]

From Colorlines.com: Today, a group of seven education and civil rights groups released a six-point plan for equitable and sustainable national education reform in this country. And, big surprise, the report is basically a 17-page repudiation of the Obama administration’s education reform platform.

In response to the U.S. Department of Education's release of the "Gainful Employment" rule, the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL/Women) strongly believes that the U.S. Department of Education must support the goal of increasing the number of college graduates among students rather than barring students from attaining higher education.

From WashingtonPost.com: If this scenario, starring one Mary J. Blige, seemed somewhat improbable early Tuesday, by the end of the day it appeared — well, who knows, maybe possible, someday. But not this year.

From DailyPress.com: Hampton University has just launched a virtual campus that offers a myriad of associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

From Todays Drum: He’s the head of education for the entire United States and he’s calling all black men to the front– of the classroom– that is.

From Chicago’s SunTimes.com: A professor granted tenure by Northeastern Illinois University got his doctorate from a school the federal government later labeled a “diploma mill,” but the state university says it granted him the lifetime job security under a rule that allows “exceptional” teachers to be hired without a doctorate.

From LeapNYC.org: NEW YORK—Students in ten New York City public middle schools from all five boroughs are hard at work on their public art works—school lunchroom tables transformed into colorful works of art that address important social issues in their communities and the world. These works will be displayed in the largest student art exhibition […]

From NBCChicago.com: A Gary, Indiana native will make history next month as the first black valedictorian from the University of Notre Dame.