Debate: How Do We Fix American Education?

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Aug 27, 2024

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In this enlightening discussion, Richard Kahlenberg, an expert on economic disparities, Maud Maron, a passionate advocate for K-12 curricula in NYC, and Erika Sanzi, a former educator focused on defending education from ideological biases, share insights on the crisis plaguing American education. They tackle alarming statistics in literacy and math, the impact of socioeconomic segregation, and the controversial role of teachers' unions. The conversation also delves into the complexities of educational choice in NYC and the debates surrounding book bans, emphasizing the need for reform.

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INSIGHT

Declining Education Standards

The decline in US education is a complex issue involving misallocated resources and powerful union influence.
The focus has shifted from literacy and numeracy, with politics overshadowing student needs.

INSIGHT

Impact of Socioeconomic Factors

Economic inequality and socioeconomic segregation are key factors in America's declining educational performance.
These factors impact student achievement more than teacher unions, which exist in other high-performing countries.

ANECDOTE

NYC Education Disparities

In New York City, some low-income students excel academically while some higher-income students do not.
This demonstrates that socioeconomic status is not the sole determinant of academic success.

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It’s that time of year again–reliably bumming out students and parents alike… it ’s back to school! But back to school is also a time to reflect on the state of education in this country… and it’s not all that great.

America is one of the richest countries in the world. But you wouldn’t know it if you looked at our education statistics. We’re 16th in science globally. In Math, we scored below the average and well below the scores of the top five countries, all of which were in Asia. And in 2018, we ranked an astonishing 125th in literacy among all countries according to the World Atlas.

As we tumble down the international tables, public schools around the country are getting rid of gifted and talented programs. They’re getting rid of standardized testing. All while trying to regain ground from COVID-related learning loss…

So how did we get here? Why have public schools deprioritized literacy and numeracy? What role have teachers’ unions played in advocating for public education in this country and also in holding kids back by protecting bad teachers? How is socioeconomic segregation hurting academic performance? And what kinds of books should really be taught in public schools?

Today, we're diving deep into these questions and more with three experts who bring diverse perspectives to this debate:

Richard Kahlenberg is Director of the American Identity Project and Director of Housing at the Progressive Policy Institute. His many books and essays have focused on addressing economic disparities in education. Maud Maron is co-founder of PLACE NYC, which advocates for improving the academic rigor and standards of K-12 public school curricula. She’s also the mother of four kids in New York City public schools. Erika Sanzi is a former educator and school dean in Rhode Island. She is Director of Outreach at Parents Defending Education, which aims to fight ideological indoctrination in the classroom.

We discuss the misallocation of resources in education, the promise and perils of school choice, and how we can fix our broken education system.

And if you like this conversation, good news! All week this week at The Free Press—as summer ends and kids return to class—we’re pausing our usual news coverage to talk about education. We’ve invited six writers to answer the question: What didn’t school teach you?

With elite colleges peddling courses on “Queering Video Games,” “Decolonial Black Feminist Magic,” and “What Is a Settler Text?,” there’s never been a better time to go back to the proverbial school of life.

To get those essays in your inbox every morning from today until Saturday, go to thefp.com and become a subscriber today.

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