JCEL Jabber

Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRt) and Critical Race Theory (CRT): When Is CRt not CRT?

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:11:10 +0000

In this episode we review LaSonja Roberts, Lok-Sze Wong, and Mary Ebejer’s case, “Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRt) and Critical Race Theory (CRT): When Is CRt not CRT?” This case was published in March of 2025, and illustrates a school district’s attempts to implement culturally responsive teaching (CRt) in the midst of critical race theory (CRT) challenges. The episode was recorded live at the annual meeting of the University Council for Educational Administration in November of 2025.

Interview with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 14:16:00 +0000

In this episode we interview Dr. Gholdy Muhammad. Dr. Muhammad holds the distinguished position of John Corbally Endowed Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her extensive career in education includes roles as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, school district administrator, curriculum director, and school board president. The core of Dr. Muhammad's work is fundamentally rooted in the pursuit of equity in education, drawing upon historical insights to inform and enhance current educational practices. Her development of the Historically Responsive Literacy Framework and her focus on the educational achievements within the Black community underscore this commitment. Her more recent work, Unearthing Joy, serves as a practical guide for educators seeking to implement culturally and historically responsive education in their curricular practices

Consequential Issues of Censoring Curriculum: Who Has the Right to Ban What’s Read?

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 21:36:01 +0000

A Family-School Liaison’s Negotiation of Racialized Scripts for Family Engagement.

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 15:30:00 +0000

In this episode we review Dr. Jasmine Alvarado’s case titled, “A Family-School Liaison’s Negotiation of Racialized Scripts for Family Engagement.” This case was published in 2022, and critiques the practices and policies of education systems that reify racialized perceptions and reinforce whiteness as a norm. At the heart of this case is the challenge posed by the author for education systems to question and challenge the normalization of whiteness and the ways in which privileged identities contribute to dominant norms and values in school systems that have profound impacts on minoritized groups of students and parents.

Side-Lining Trauma Sensitive Practices in Schools and Next Steps.

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 18:00:00 +0000

In this episode we speak with Tania Paredes about her case titled, “Side-Lining Trauma Sensitive Practices in Schools and Next Steps.” This case was published in December of 2021, and addresses how students who experience complex traumas often experience disproportionately higher rates of suspension and expulsion. At the heart of this case is the importance of how educators can provide assistance and guidance to students who experience trauma in their lives and how that can lead to greater equity in terms of access and opportunity to achieve educational success.

Maintaining the Status Quo or Disrupting Unequitable Systems?: Recorded at UCEA

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:41:11 +0000

In this episode we review Dr. Shannon Waite’s and Dr. Courtney Wilkerson’s case titled, “Are Educational Leaders of Color Truly Able to Lead for Equity? Maintaining the Status Quo or Disrupting Unequitable Systems?” This case was published in September of 2023, and critiques the politics that often prevent equity-oriented and anti-racist educational leadership from being enacted. We are joined for the discussion by Dr. Mark Gooden.

For 90 days this article is available at:

https://journals.sagepub.com/topic/collections-jel/jel-1-instructional_leadership/jel?pbEditor=true

Denying Special Education to Students in Need

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:42:14 +0000

In this episode we discuss the case " Denying Special Education to Students in Need" by Dr. David DeMatthews & Dr. David Knight. Terri, Ian, and Curtis discuss with the authors the ethical struggles that principals face as they attempt to meet the policy demands of the accountability systems. This case study was published in the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership in 2019 in Volume 22, Issue 1.

Find the case available here. free of charge:

https://journals.sagepub.com/topic/collections-jel/jel-1-policy-implementation-ethics-and-leadership/jel

Forced Back Into the Closet: Queer Educator Erasure

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:39:00 +0000

In this episode we discuss the case " Forced back into the closet: A (queer) principal’s attempt to maintain queer erasure " by Dr. Bryan Duarte. Terri, Ian, and Curtis discuss the struggles that many queer educators face and the role of the principal in those struggles with Dr. Duarte. Tracy Conrad, a former teacher and principal, from the mid-west U.S., joins the discussion by describing her own experiences as a queer educator. This case study was published in the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership in 2001 in Volume 23, Issue 4.

The case is available at no cost at the following link:

https://journals.sagepub.com/topic/collections-jel/jel-1-lgbtq_issues/jel

Disciplinary Dissent & Restorative Justice.

Tue, 17 May 2022 18:49:00 +0000

In this episode we discuss the case "Disciplinary Dissent: The Troubled Implementation of a Restorative Justice Program at E.C. Johnson High School" by Dr. Alounso Gilzene. Ian and Curtis are joined by Terri Watson as a co-host. Ian, Terri and Curtis discuss the promises and pitfalls of implementing restorative justice with Dr. Gilzene. Brian Pew, an assistant principal from NYC, then extends the discussion by describing his own implementation efforts of restorative justice. This case study was published in the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership in 2021 in Volume 24, Issue 2.

Access to this article is available for free access through August 19^th, 2022 23:59 PST

https://journals.sagepub.com/topic/collections-jel/jel-1-school_discipline_and_restorative_justice/jel

"Challenging Whiteness at Claremont High School": A Discussion

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 15:06:00 +0000

In this episode Ian and Curtis discuss the case "Challenging Whiteness at Claremont High School" by Dr. Terri Nicol Watson & Dr. Angel Miles Nash. Ian and Curtis are joined by the authors and the scholar practitioner Dr. Teresa Lance. The discussion centers on how school leaders must recognize the ways in which whiteness is reinforced by school policies and often enacted by school leaders of all backgrounds. This case study was published in the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership in 2021 in Volume 24, Issue 3.