Happy New Year and…
….So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye to 2020!
A bit about the recent events, history and educating for and about it, course corrections and resolving the soft bigotry of low expectations, all today in Newswire.
The nation’s founders believed that education would provide young people the knowledge, capacities, and ethics required to protect liberty from arbitrary power. So should we.
OUR BETTER ANGELS. Hatred is borne of ignorance and ignorance festers when we fail to impart knowledge. By the time our students reach adulthood, they have scant knowledge about how our nation is governed. “So what do we do when only 13 percent of Americans know when the U.S. Constitution was ratified? Or when six in 10 don’t know which countries the United States fought in World War II,” asks scholar Arthur Levine. Education, Jeanne Allen argues in Forbes, is vital to bringing out our better angels. We need a renaissance in education. Read the full piece if you missed it yesterday.
HISTORY MUST NOT REPEAT ITSELF. A discussion on the Future of American History Education is well-timed. Moderator and educator Ian Rowe argued, quoting Alexis deTouqueville “The greatness of America lies not in her being more enlightened than other nations but in her ability to repair her faults.” We try not to overuse “must,” but this is a must listen.
TRANSITIONS. Most have been peaceful, forward looking and hopeful. Sure, the losing team is often angry, sad, and more. Transitions have often been frosty but rarely violent. Until now, and we pray it’s the last. CBS This Morning took a look back at Lame Duck sessions and transitions this past weekend, with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. It’s a great reminder of what once was and what once more can be.
INAUGURATIONS. Tune in today, Wednesday, January 13th at 4 pm EDT for the final session of CER’s Why America? 2020 Toward a More Perfect Union program Presidential Inaugurations: I Do Solemnly Swear with educators, the director of education at the National Endowment for Humanities, and special appearances by our very own Martha Washington, Abigail Adams and Dolly Madison, in a review of how Inaugurations play a role in our republic and our future. Free registration is here.
“YOUR DESTINY IS IN YOUR HANDS”….In 2009 President Barack Obama talked about a majority of those vulnerable students, particularly black students, when he addressed the NAACP, arguing that despite the odds and challenges of being black in America, “that’s not a reason to get bad grades, that’s not a reason to cut class, that’s not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school,” he said. “No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands – and don’t you forget that.” And in ours, who must stop zoning kids by zip code.
SOFT BIGOTRY. Seven years earlier, at the same event, President George W. Bush said “No child in America should be segregated by low expectations, imprisoned by illiteracy, abandoned to frustration and the darkness of self-doubt. We have come so far [since the days of Little Rock] opening the doors of our schools. But today we have a challenge of our own. While all can enter our schools, many–too many, are not learning there…And whatever the causes, the effect is discrimination.”
OPPORTUNITY = FREEDOM. “I favor radical decentralization,” said Bill Clinton. “We will expand our commitment to charter schools,” said Barack Obama. They and many other Democrats have championed the innovations and diversity of choices that charter schools represent. While some of the President-Elect’s supporters (ie the unions) were resilient in getting him to unfairly malign charters on the campaign trail, a growing cadre of leaders representing black and brown parents are working to ensure that the new Administration sees their point of view more clearly. Leading the charge of the Freedom Coalition will be their new director Rashaun Holliman. We wish you the best!
MONEY ON THE TABLE. Before she left, Education Betsy DeVos announced that amidst the more than $4 billion in additional COVID-19 emergency relief now available to governors to ensure learning continues for students of all ages and at all schools is a pool that extends to the needs of students in private and parochial schools, to pay for learning safety, health needs and more. Kudos to her for sticking with her goal to ensure equity for all kids – despite the constant barrage of fire coming from all sides.This seems like the appropriate time in our lives to play this amazing rendition of the Battle Hymm of the Republic, by the United States Army Field Band, already enjoyed by more than 13 million people! Join them in their cry for justice and “His truth” to march on. God Bless America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy6AOGRsR80
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. The nomination of Miguel Cardona as Education Secretary, is, as we’ve said both an intriguing choice and one that offers a fresh start for many. Cardona says his focus is students and his career seems to verify a student-centric approach, which is music to the ears of those who have long thought that the adult-centric focus of unions that all too-often influences otherwise rational people in politics is hurting kids. This column by journalist Richard Whitmire suggests perhaps his mission could be to “turn around the scary plunge in low-income/minority students pursuing higher education dreams, due almost entirely to the pandemic…by ending the clashes between charter schools and district schools,” the former “which have pioneered something that has eluded most traditional school districts, greatly boosting the college graduation rates for those vulnerable students.” We can hope.
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education. We’re always delighted to hear from our readers…suggestions, questions and even the occasional complaint!