EDTalks: Let's Talk About Race in Schools

This EDTalks is titled “Let’s Talk About Race in School” Our featured speaker is Derek Francis. Derek Francis is a passionate and experienced school counselor who approaches his work from a proactive and equity-based space.  He currently serves as the manager of counseling services for Minneapolis Public Schools, where he specializes in helping students and staff build trusting cross-cultural relationships. He has presented at conferences throughout the country including the American School Counselors Association, Minnesota School Counselors Association, Texas School Counselors Association and Wisconsin School Counselors Association. He recently led a webinar for over 20,000 U.S. counselors and educators on “Proactive School Counseling After a Major Racial Incident.” Derek’s published work includes contributions to Contemporary Case Studies in School Counseling, a recent blog entitled “This Is Not A Fire Drill – Supporting students after George Floyd” and articles for the American School Counselors Association and American School Board Journal. In this EDTalk, Minneapolis Public Schools counseling services manager Derek Francis will talk about the critical importance of talking about race in our classrooms, and offer some strategies on how to do it right. This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on Feb. 8, 2021. EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people. Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders. EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.