High Noon Robert Pondiscio – On How the Education System Went from Shaping Patriots to Indoctrinating Revolutionaries
Jun 30, 2021
Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former civics teacher, shares his insights on the evolution of public education. He discusses how the education system has shifted from fostering patriotism to promoting dissent and social justice ideologies. Pondiscio critiques the failures of education reforms and questions whether school choice effectively empowers parents. He emphasizes the need for a common curriculum to sustain democracy and warns against the pitfalls of legislation aimed at banning controversial ideas.
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Midcareer Shift To Teaching
- Robert Pondiscio describes quitting journalism after 9/11 to teach fifth grade in the South Bronx through a teaching fellowship.
- What he planned as two years became a five-year second career that shaped his focus on curriculum and instruction.
Woke Shift Was Gradual Then Sudden
- Pondiscio argues the woke turn in schools happened gradually over decades before exploding recently.
- He notes ed schools once required a demonstrated "commitment to social justice" as far back as 20 years ago.
Charter School Reputation Reversed
- The education reform halo around "no excuses" charters reversed over a decade into criticism as punitive and "carceral."
- Even some charter networks have publicly repudiated their earlier practices and embraced anti-racist frameworks.
