It’s no secret, America’s public schools are not having a stellar year. As the country continues to grapple with COVID-19, economic uncertainty, and social unrest, securing the funding needed to ensure a well-rounded, top-quality education for all of our nation’s students, from pre-K to grade 12, seems more difficult than ever. So why shouldn’t concerned parents place their trust in the private sector and vote to support charter schools and voucher programs? According to Dr. Derek W. Black, the answer is because an assault on public education is an assault on democracy itself. That’s the argument he makes in his new book called Schoolhouse Burning – Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy. Derek W. Black is a legal scholar and a professor of law at the University of South Carolina. I asked him why he took on writing about the link between public education and democracy.
With increased demand, a dwindling workforce and, of yeah, a global pandemic…it’s getting harder and harder to find teachers. That’s the topic of today’s Academic Minute.