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If you're a regular Horace reader, you'll notice that this space lacks a guest editor letter. Not that we don't have one. Pedro Noguera, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, who electrified the audience at the conclusion of the 2002 Fall Forum in his dialogue with Ted Sizer, has contributed thoughts on the kind of leaders we need and on the obstacles they face as they seek educational equity and social justice. We've featured his essay on page 26.
One such leader is Linda Nathan, Headmaster of Boston Arts Academy, who wrote this issue's feature article, "Creating Equity from the Ground Up." Describing Boston Arts Academy's ongoing efforts to create equity within a diverse student body, Nathan illustrates how all students can be challenged to pursue their passions—and the whole range of academic subjects—with "seriousness of purpose."
This issue contains another special section: two roundtable interviews. In the first, a group of five high school seniors discuss equity and bias, opportunities and barriers in our schools. Facing anxieties about college acceptance and college tuition, these students discuss the interplay of hard work and personal achievement within a system that they see as promoting various in- equities. In the second roundtable, four Bay Area teacher-leaders discuss challenges they face as they work toward equity for all in their schools. They point out, particularly, the insidious role of low expectations—from teachers, communities, parents, and students themselves.
Every issue of Horace depends upon collaborative effort; in this issue, we've allocated more space to the first-person writing and voices of educators and students. Many thanks to Linda Nathan, Pedro Noguera, and the students—Leadership High School's Stewart Jones, Rachel Russell, T.J. Estandian, Yaffa Katz-Lewis, and Peter Lauterborn—and teachers—Michelle Lau, David Montes de Oca, Monica Vaughan, and Michele Dawson —who commented so thoughtfully on their own paths toward achieving educational equity.
Finally, a note about this year's final issue of Horace, which will focus on the dynamic connections between schools and families and their effects on academic and personal success. You can expect to see that issue in early June, 2003—later than usual, due to the dynamic connection between my own work and family, as I am expecting my second child this spring. As I get to know our new addition, I welcome ideas for the year's finale along with commentary on past Horace issues—email me at jdavidson@essentialschools.org.
Jill Davidson
Horace Editor