Iris Haq Lukolyo, 10, penned an essay about the experience that went viral (Heather Haq; iStock; Lily illustration) Julianne McShane
Feb. 23, 2021
One day last September, when 10-year-old Iris Haq Lukolyo logged on to Zoom school, her social studies teacher told the class that they would spend the day learning about the roles of the Founding Fathers in building America.
But Iris a fifth-grader at Glenn York Elementary School in Pearland, Tex. was puzzled: She didn’t know how her class could have a conversation about the origins of America without talking about the contributions of enslaved Black people, whose unpaid labor was integral to shaping the United States as a leading global economy.
Despite COVID-19 surge, thousands of students return to Houston classrooms for second semester
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Third graders raise their answers at the request of their teacher Yadira Sesher, foreground, at Calder Road Elementary on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, in Dickinson, Texas. More than 40,000 students have opted to return to campuses for instruction despite a surge in COVID-19 infections. In Dickinson ISD, 93 percent of students are back in their classrooms.Godofredo A. Vásquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less
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Third grade teacher Yadira Sesher, center, checks in on her students at Calder Road Elementary on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, in Dickinson, Texas. More than 40,000 students have opted to return to campuses for instruction despite a surge in COVID-19 infections. In Dickinson ISD, 93 percent of students are back in their classrooms.Godofredo A. Vásquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less