‘Tis our fast intent

To shake all cares and business from our age

Conferring them on younger strengths, while we

Unburdened crawl towards death.

William Shakespeare, King Lear, Act 1 Scene 1

We have come to that time in life where we thoroughly agree with Lear that it is time to move aside and promote the next in line to take over the journal. We do not agree with Lear, however, that all that remains is for us to ease into death.

Beginning with this current volume 50 we want close our tenure as editors of the journal, and welcome Sherick Hughes (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) as the new editor. We feel both blessed and fortunate to have edited this important journal (one of us beginning in 1978 and the other in 1991) through times of significant changes in education in the US, and urban education in particular. Looking back the journal has consistently highlighted scholarship and debate about the most cutting-edge issues as they emerged: we are proud of our record of providing a forum for an open and accessible conversation about the outcome of urban school practices, and theorizing about alternative conceptions to normative or taken- for-granted assumptions. In some small way we think that we have had an influence on shaping the discourse about urban schooling. Clearly there is much work still to be done to ensure that every student has access to an equitable education regardless of their race, gender, social class, religion, or sexual orientation, etc. Public education is currently under assault, both in the US and globally, but we remain confident in our expectation that the journal will continue to unpack important issues under the new editorship. We wish Sherick and his staff every success as they assume responsibility for the journal.

Needless to say we have not acted alone as editors of the journal. First, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who over the years have served on the Editorial Board. Second, we must also acknowledge the important and often thankless work done by the many scholars who have served as anonymous reviewers for the journal during our tenure. Third, we should note the important and essential work done by a series of dedicated editorial assistants working at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: without their administrative help it is difficult to comprehend how we could have remained so organized, as many have reported that we seem to have appeared. Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the wonderful support we have enjoyed over the years from Jolanda Voogd and Helen van der Stelt at the central office of Springer in the Netherlands, David Steidenfield the production editor in New York, and to Sathish Srinivasan the Coordinator of the Journals Editorial Office in India. To all of them we say a heartfelt “thank you” for giving us such a rewarding ride as editors of the journal. Along with this indispensable and thoroughly professional cast of characters we must add our wives and children: we have both been blessed with families who have been wonderfully supportive as we have taken on additional academic tasks such the editorship of this journal.

George W. Noblit, Joseph R. Neikirk Distinguished Professor of Sociology of Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

William T. Pink, Emeritus Professor, Educational Policy and Leadership, Marquette University; email: william.pink@marquette.edu.