Independence Day Reflections

Education Rethink 2013-07-04

So, it's Independence Day and I'm re-reading Jefferson's thought on public education: "A system of general instruction, which shall reach every description of our citizens from the richest to the poorest, as it was the earliest, so will it be the latest, of all the public concerns in which I shall permit myself to take an interest." He also describes the purpose of education in very holistic terms: "The objects of this primary eduction determine its character and limits. These objects are

To give to every citizen the information he needs for the transaction of his own business;
To enable him to calculate for himself, and to express and preserve his ideas, his contracts and accounts, in writing;
To improve by reading, his morals and faculties;
To understand his duties to his neighbors and country, and to discharge with competence the functions confided to him by either;
To know his rights; to exercise with order and justice those he retains; to choose with discretion the fiduciary of those he delegates; and to notice their conduct with diligence, with candor and judgement;
And, in general, to observe with intelligence and faithfulness all the social relations under which he shall be placed.
To instruct the mass of our citizens in these, their rights, interests and duties, as men and citizens, being then the objects of education in the primary schools, whether privet or public, in them should be taught reading, writing and numerical arithmetic, the elements of mensuration...and the outlines of geography and history."

I get it. Jefferson was a white, wealthy, slave-owning man. He missed it when it came to women's rights and racial equality. However, I am struck, when reading his description, that the goal of education in America was all about being an educated, informed citizen able to fight for one's rights. Jefferson believed that education could empower people to become better people. He saw education is an act of social justice.

I also understand that the early American education system was far from democratic for the actual students who were part of it. Still, I find myself nodding in agreement at the ideas behind this. Education should be democratic and holistic.

I bring this up, because I just went to a Fourth of July parade. We saw soldiers, fire fighters and police officers honored for their patriotic duty. However, teachers were never once mentioned. Perhaps it's because we don't risk our lives* doing what we do. Maybe we don't deserve to be marching on Independence Day.

However, I think it brings up a point about American culture. We no longer view education as an act of liberation. We are quick to cut civics out of the curriculum in order to increase time spent in test prep. Collectively, Americans view the purpose of public education as the vehicle to a better economy.

But that's not what I believe. I see teachers as public servants pushing for critical thinking in a system and a culture that fights against it. I see public education as the greatest hope of a thriving democracy. *In light of Newton, I think this perception is only partially correct. There are teachers out there who have taken a bullet for their students. **The T.J. quote is from Monticello.org. There are many spurious quotes attributed to Jefferson. This one is legit, though.