Education News, Analysis, and Commentary
I’m in California for the BARR Center annual conference – first time in-person in a few years. BARR does – shhhhh – SEL work for teachers. Great results from independent evaluations. And they’re a client so all the usual disclosures and disclaimers. But, if you needed a reminder that our culture wars are dumb this …
Pointing out that our culture wars, and politics more generally, are toxic isn’t telling you anything you don’t already know. But the past several years the weaponizing of disagreement in and around the schools is an increasing problem for anyone actually trying to improve the schools. Now we have a new creature in education’s fever …
Continue reading ““Groomer” Is The New “CRT” And That Sucks”
Julia Galef has a great book recently out called The Scout Mindset. The world needs scouts and soldiers but Galef argues the scout approach has unique value. I’d say that’s especially true in a sprawling sector like education. Oversimplifying a bit, scouts seek to see things as they are and have habits around seeking dissenting …
Continue reading “Kaepernick And RBG Might Offer A Lesson For “CRT?””
Last week’s mention of Skunk Works got a lot of great feedback, there is definitely a cult of people in education who for various reasons have an affinity for the methods, ethos, or style. If you want to learn more about why, you can read Kelly Johnson’s autobiography – it’s of the period for sure, …
A few weeks ago the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools hosted a great discussion with Sharif El-Mekki and Ian Rowe about the “CRT” debate. You can read about Ian and Sharif via those links. They range across media with podcasts, articles, and more and I’d encourage you to read (and listen) to them. They’re …
Continue reading “What Are We Talking About When We’re Talking About “CRT?””
I’ve known Kevin Chavous since he was on city council in DC, so since before there were podcasts. So it was nice to sit down with him for his podcast. Edsall: The results in the mayoral primary so far are evidence of the continuing power of Black voters to act as a moderating force in …
Continue reading ““CRT” Roundup! Plus, Edsall, Lukianoff, Chavous…”
Passion has helped us; but can do so no more. It will in future be our enemy. Reason, cold, calculating, unimpassioned reason, must furnish all the materials for our future support and defence.–Let those materials be moulded into general intelligence, sound morality, and in particular, a reverence for the constitution and laws A. Lincoln, 1837 …
Continue reading “The CRT Debate Is Not About Trust, It’s About Curriculum”
What does it say about our sector that it falls to the Marxist who wrote a whole book criticizing reform and schooling to write the most straightforward stuff about the patent absurdity of our testing “debate?” It’s at least entertaining I guess. Rural education blog series via Bellwether – rural is more diverse than perhaps you …
I wrote in The 74 about the debate over transgender students and sports and why and how I think we can do better. Guest post below from Shilpi! This is a pretty good take on the CRT wars, that might help answer the why so little attention to the structural problems in education at a time …
Continue reading “Odds & Ends: ARP Plans, CRT, 14% Of Charlottesville Parents Asking WTF? More…”
This podcast moderated by Bari Weiss is a pretty good discussion of the legal issues around these critical race theory or “CRT” bans some state legislatures are considering and passing. David French argues against them, anti-CRT activist Christopher Rufo argues in favor. I’m against for a few reasons (including, regardless of your take on CRT, …