Apr 28, 2020
Few, if any, education reporters are tackling tougher issues
right now than Erica
Green of The New York Times, whose stories often share a
common theme of focusing on the unmet needs of marginalized
students. She discusses recent coverage, including how school
cafeteria workers in Baltimore are feeding an entire neighborhood,
concerns about a potential federal waiver that would let districts
pause services for students with disabilities, and a rare look
inside a juvenile detention center where young adults are being
left largely unprotected from COVID-19.
What trends has she noticed in how school districts are
responding to the novel coronavirus pandemic? What’s changed in her
on-the-ground reporting techniques in the midst of the crisis? Why
does she describe herself as a “no surprises” journalist, and how
has that served her well in “speaking truth to power” — including
to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos? And what story ideas
does she encourage other education reporters to explore as schools
struggle in the wake of the pandemic?