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Working in school programs for some our most challenging youth in Boston, many who were gang and/or court involved, I lived through many funerals of students in the violence-filled 1980s, consoling families and fellow staff and students, as we helped memorialize these youth taken too soon. Each one was as heart-wrenching as the next, and naturally it never got easier. This weekend’s funeral for a former student was equally jarring, as it was a student I had known for over 30

A welcoming and inclusive environment can reduce stress and hostility in our schools. Two recent articles in the Boston Globe, “An About-Face, Brigham and Women’s to Dismantle Gallery of Past White Male Leaders” in the hospital’s amphitheater, and a column entitled “Fixing the Name Game” referring to the fact that of 125 Boston Public Schools, only 10 are named for women and efforts to change that, highlight how important it is for people to be able to recognize themselves r

As an consultant who helps schools serve all their special needs students, I was saddened to hear about budget cuts to Boston Public Schools for three years in a row. I've seen firsthand how these cuts have led to reduction in services and increased class size, especially for our most vulnerable students in high poverty schools and with disabilities such as autism and depression/suicidality. Previously as an administrator in a Boston public high school, I experienced the deva