The cause of homelessness is lack of housing.

Racial segregation has come back to public education with a vengeance.

The greatest difference between now and 1964, when I began teaching, is that public policy has pretty much eradicated the dream of Martin Luther King.

You need massive recruitment to tell the poorest of the poor what is possible.

Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.

Separate and unequal didn't work 100 years ago. It will not work today.

The first goal and primary function of the U.S. public school is not to educate good people, but good citizens. It is the function which we call - in enemy nations - 'state indoctrination.'

False hope is worse than despair.

Apartheid education, rarely mentioned in the press or openly confronted even among once-progressive educators, is alive and well and rapidly increasing now in the United States.

The ones I pity are the ones who never stick out their neck for something they believe, never know the taste of moral struggle, and never have the thrill of victory.

I encourage teachers to speak in their own voices. Don't use the gibberish of the standards writers.

Sometimes good choices are really bad ones, wrapped up in so much fear you can't even see straight.

A smile is the expression of ecstasy of life.

You can take and nail two sticks together like they've never been nailed together before and some fool will buy it.

Great communication, Character, Competitive drive, Consistency, Compassion, Confidence -- skills successful leaders share.

If I'm playing cards for pennies, I want to win.

The reviewer always has hold of the wrong horror.

Children that play outside develop better problem solving skills and have a stronger ability to work within a group.

Hasn't there always been a moon?" "Bless you. Not in the slightest. I remember the day the moon came. We looked up in the sky - it was all dirty brown and sooty gray here then, not green and blue.

The system of heroism depends on women to be weak so men can be strong.

President Obama is funny, he's thoughtful, he's challenging, he's fun to work with - and it's been an extraordinary privilege.