Danny Meyer

Although I am no longer in the classroom, it is difficult to define myself as anything other than a teacher.

I have taught multiple high school subjects, including: American History, Contemporary Moral Problems, World History, Psychology, Ethics, and Sexuality Education. Through teaching, I have promoted values of critical-mindedness—privileging application over memorization, discourse over argumentation, uncertainty over faith, audacity over compliance, and activism over consumerism. I believe instructional objectivity is a myth and teacher neutrality is unattainable, let alone desirable. I think we do our students, and our world, a disservice by pretending we are unbiased. I advocate “principled authenticity” for teachers—reminding our students (without problematically oversharing or exploiting them for therapy) that we, too, are learning side by side with them…that we, too, are just doing our best to figure it all out…that we, too, have struggles and fears…that we, too, are unavoidably human.

My own education has focused on African American History, White Antiracist Identity Formation, Masculinity, Adolescent Moral Development, Ethics, and Social Justice Education.

I have been sober for going on three years and speak openly about it, attempting to minimize stigma and shame. I am an ethnically Jewish atheist, happily married to a wonderful Cuban American Christian woman who endures my shenanigans and inspires me to be a more patient and compassionate man. My favorite writer is James Baldwin, my favorite movie is Do the Right Thing, and my favorite Hip Hop album of all-time is Nas’ Illmatic. I have a tattoo of John Brown on my arm to remind me that there is always more I can personally do in the fight for justice. I worry a lot about serious issues but try not to take myself too seriously. My family and friends help a great deal with that. They are never too hesitant to laugh at me and help me laugh at myself. I have such a wicked sweet tooth that I would eat candy from the floor of a subway platform. I would also be more than happy to subsist entirely on cereal.

I was born and raised in Chicago and went to Evanston Township High School before graduating summa cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis ('02, A.B; African American Studies) and earning a master’s degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Education ('05, Ed.M; Human Development and Psychology).