Month: January 2021

We Don’t Need More Civic Ed

Eduflack American history, civics, Presidential campaign, reform

“But if we are going to learn – really learn – from recent civic activism and involvement, it is that civic education has spotlighted the glaring educational shortcomings that ensure that same education has lasting, meaningful impact in our communities. It has shown us the need to more deeply invest in the knowledge necessary to transform such action into long-term community action.”

Over at Project Forever Free, where I explore how the events of the last year demonstrate we don’t need additional civic education in the schools. Instead, we need history, SEL, literature, and liberal studies so that civic learning has real meaning.

Teaching Trump

Eduflack American history, BAM, civics, Presidential campaign, reform, TrumpED

The last few weeks of the Trump Administration will likely be how President Trump is remembered and how his legacy is taught in classrooms decades for now. Or so I opine on the final episode of the TrumpEd show on the BAM Radio Network.

Give it a listen over at: https://www.bamradionetwork.com/track/opinion-teaching-the-legacy-of-the-trump-administration-its-complicated/

Learning from the 1776 Commission

Eduflack American history, civics, equity, Presidential campaign, race, reform

As one of his first orders of business, President Joe Biden officially disbanded the 1776 Commission established by Donald Trump last year, killing the group days after it released its report on the founding of the United States of America.

Over at The 74 Million, dear ol’ Eduflack has an essay about the Commission’s report and what we can, and should, learn from it.

As I write:

“The American record — whether it be measured by the 402 years since 1619 or the 245 years since 1776 — is hopeful and ugly, inspiring and debilitating, a shining beacon and an unshakable dark cloud. More simply, American history is incredibly messy and contradictory; how we teach it even more so.”

The full piece is worth a read. You can find it here: https://www.the74million.org/article/riccards-the-1776-report-is-a-political-document-not-a-curriculum-but-it-has-something-to-teach-us/

Teaching The Capitol Riot

Eduflack accountability, American history, BAM, civics, Parents, reform, teachers, TrumpED

I was honored to be a part of this important panel discussion on the BAM Radio Network, as we discussed how educators can, should, must discuss the Capitol riot in their classrooms.

Dear ol’ Eduflack gets that many parents want to keep politics out of the classroom. And I understand that many teachers worry their administrators won’t have their backs on such controversial issues. But our kids don’t live in a bubble. They will learn of such ugly issues, whether we teach them or not.

Case in point. On the day of the siege, my 13-year-old daughter came into my office late in the afternoon, wanting me to explain what was happening. When I asked how she knew, she simply said the issue was blowing up her TikTok feed. Our kids know.

So give it a listen here. It’ll be worth the time — https://www.bamradionetwork.com/track/special-report-eight-educators-share-thoughts-on-discussing-sedition-in-the-classroom/

It Is Time for an American History Ed Czar

Eduflack American history, Cardona, civics, Presidential campaign, reform, teachers

“Look at 2020 to understand how important a history education czar is to improving K-12 and post-secondary education.

“We’ve witnessed history happening before our eyes, from how the world addressed a global health pandemic to how our nation addressed the call of Black Lives Matter. We’ve seen the first woman and woman of color elected to the second-highest office. And we’ve watched this wondering that no matter how significant, how history-making, how will we effectively teach about 2020 in the future?”

From dear ol’ Eduflack’s latest in the Stamford (CT) Advocate, calling for the Biden Administration to establish an American history education czar.

A New EdSec

Eduflack BAM, Cardona, DeVos, Presidential campaign, reform, TrumpED

In selecting Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona as his Secretary of Education, President-Elect Joe Biden may very well have selected the right candidate for the times and the various demands on federal education.

Over at the BAM! Radio Network, we discuss the nomination abs what it can and should mean for the future. Give it a listen here — https://www.bamradionetwork.com/track/the-right-stuff-and-the-right-choice-to-lead-the-department-of-education/.