Salome Thomas-EL is a Principal at Reynolds Elementary School, but is perhaps known best as the teacher who refused to leave the inner-city for the greener pastures of well-endowed schools. Given the poor conditions and low morale of inner-city schools, other teachers may have jumped at the chance, but Thomas-EL proudly stated, "I Choose to Stay." 

Just as one can draw inspiration from the legendary Joe Clark of the famed Eastside High, Salome-EL represents a new generation of educators willing to beat the odds and believe in Black children. What is interesting is Thomas-EL's teaching skills are in full view as a chess coach at Roberts Vaux Middle School.

Description from Thomas-EL's website

To further spread the word about the need for committed teaching in the inner city and the example he has set, Salome Thomas-EL has written a book, I Choose to Stay: A Black Teacher Refuses to Desert the Inner City. Co-written with Cecil Murphey, the book details Thomas-EL's experiences and discoveries.

The book is now available and is published by Kensington Publishing (ISBN 0-7582-0186-9, U.S. $23.00, Canada $26.00).

Posted by The Chess Drum: 7 March 2003