Michael Williams, Montgomery County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2016-17, believes more resources need to be put into trying to close the achievement gap between racial and ethnic groups.
“The real issue is that while people have been talking about it, they haven’t done anything about it,” Williams, 47, a social studies teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring and a founder of the Minority Scholars Program, said Wednesday. “We haven’t put resources to it. …Others have talked about it, but the steps that have really been made to address it [are] the real issue.”
Williams’ commitment to equity in education and issues of social justice are some of the reasons the Maryland State Department of Education chose him as one of seven finalists for Maryland Teacher of the Year. The winner will be announced at an Oct. 7 reception at Martin’s West in Baltimore and will receive national travel opportunities and a new car.
The Maryland Teacher of the Year will compete for the National Teacher of the Year Award, to be announced next April.
Born in Boston, Williams’ path to teaching took a circuitous route, including a move to Africa and travels to many soccer fields. As a young boy, his parents moved to Tanzania, which helped to shape his love of languages, of travel and of different cultures.
“I learned a lot about human interaction and diversity,” he said. Tanzania is also where he learned to play soccer, which led to stints with professional indoor and outdoor teams, as well as one in Belgium.
After an injury, he decided to return to college, and eventually was hired by Montgomery County Public Schools in 2002, starting his career at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda. He eventually moved to Kennedy, where he teaches Advanced Placement World History, U.S. History and African-American History. He sponsors the Black Student Union and is the head coach of the boys varsity soccer team.
Williams was a founder of the Minority Scholars Program, which now reaches 15 schools. With the program, students try to reduce the achievement gap by focusing on increasing the number of African-American and Latino students who are involved in honors and Advanced Placement courses.
“What we’re fighting for is to get the student voice to the table,” Williams said. “They have an insight that many adults do not have.” The Minority Scholars Program serves as a vehicle for students to address the school board, their schools’ administration, teachers and their peers, he said.
Williams said he was pleased the county’s new school superintendent, Dr. Jack Smith, is talking about minority achievement.
“I’m happy Dr. Smith is talking about it and making it a No. 1 priority. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen that,” he said. Although he said he respects previous superintendents, Williams said Smith has a boldness he hasn’t seen in his predecessors.
While acknowledging that other superintendents have taken steps to close the achievement gap, he said they were “safe” or “symbolic.”
“We do the common thing, and if the common thing isn’t working, we say we tried,” Williams said. “I would say if the common thing isn’t working, let’s do something different.”
But one of his frustrations is that plans for closing the gap have been drawn up for years. None of them have been put in place, he said.
For example, one of the key plans was dealing with cultural competency training for teachers, especially as it relates to African Americans. The training exists, but it’s optional for MCPS teachers, he said.
He recalled the testimony before the school board last month of an African-American Paint Branch High School student, who is also a Muslim.
“She said, ‘My race isn’t a choice, so why should educators have a choice in how to deal with me?’ ” Williams said.
As MCPS Teacher of the Year, he said he’ll continue to advocate for students and make sure their voices are heard.
“A lot has been said, but plans have been drawn up for decades. When we start putting those plans into place, we’re going to see some changes,” Williams said.
