Newswire – October 20, 2020
In 1993, Jurassic Park, a blockbuster enterprise that transformed entertainment, emerged in Hollywood. At the same time, an organization with the goal to transform education emerged in America. Coincidence?
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING ALL THESE YEARS? Each week we will be counting back the years and sharing one thing we did — with the support of so many of you — to help bring us closer to our shared vision of a nation that enables broad and lasting quality educational opportunities that secure the freedom and future prosperity of all citizens.
26. In our 26th year CER inaugurated our acclaimed Why America? program; because, as E.D. Hirsch says, you cannot love what you do not know. Now a semester — long program jam packed with interactive seminars with renowned Constitutional experts and authorities on civics, a Master Teacher Recognition Program, continuing education credits, and a personalized learning history contest for students. Teachers can join our next webinar on October 29th about Finding Hope in America’s Story During Troubled Times. Can’t wait? Join our partners at the National Humanities Center TONIGHT for “The Election of 1860,” and explore just how frayed the nation’s political system had become after a decade of uninterrupted sectional turmoil, and its lessons/warnings for today. Session starts at 6:45PM EDT.
STUDENTS SUE FOR CIVICS. From Rhode Island comes a good news/bad news/good news item. Good news — public school students there filed a suit against the state claiming their constitutional rights had been violated by the lack of quality civics education. Bad news — the judge ruled against them because of lack of jurisdiction. Good news — in doing so he gave the education establishment a well deserved slap upside the head, saying the students’ suit “highlights a deep flaw in our national education priorities and policies.”
SPEAKING OF STATES… American School and University magazine published the results of the CER Parent Power Index, highlighting the ten best states for empowering parents to direct their kids’ education. Unsurprisingly, Rhode Island was not in the top 10. In fact it is #27, with an overall score of 64.9%.That’s a failing grade in any school!
WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. Kudos to one of CER’s favorite collaborators and all around good-guy Nate Davis, CEO of leading online curricula and schooling provider K12, who was named a 2020 Innovator of Color at the ASU+GSV Summit. Nate and K12 have been literally indispensable in helping families deal with their kid’s education during the COVID crisis. Congrats Nate!
REDLINING IS RACIST – IN LENDING AND SCHOOLING. A long accepted fact is that the practice of “redlining” has long been used to keep equal opportunity from reaching all segments of society. In lending it was used to deny loans or charge higher interest rates on loans to people of color. Happily that practice is illegal. But in education, it is not illegal to “redline” students into zip codes for a similar purpose — denying quality education to kids — usually of color and economically disadvantaged. Derrell Bradford, executive Vice President of 50can lays bare this insidious process in a powerful video. In his words, “All kids deserve a high quality education regardless of their address.”You are singing our song!
UNIONS PUNISH KIDS – AGAIN. We don’t believe in beating a dead horse, but sadly this horse — teachers unions putting the welfare of students at the bottom of their “to do” list — is alive and kicking. Unfortunately it is kicking those who least deserve it – America’s students. An insightful analysis published by the 74 shows that students lose learning even during brief school closures such as snow days, and that the harm from COVID closures will be multiplied many times. Showing disdain for these facts and downright hostility toward the welfare of their students Boston teachers sued to avoid going back to the classroom.
We hope you and yours are safe and sound, and that you are able to see some of the autumn color in your local trees. To help, and maybe help to relax a bit, here’s the King — as in Nat Cole, serenading you with his version of Autumn Leaves. And as always — let us know if we can be of assistance to you or your school.
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!
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