Our children are our future. Education is at the heart at developing their skills and abilities and yet year after year we hear about the degrading state of our educational system. Our nation has spent trillions of dollars on failed programs that research and experts had promised would work. Achievement gaps persist, performance declines are accelerating and so it is of paramount importance that we explore novel ideas and solutions. You might not agree with many or any of the ideas below, and we certainly are not endorsing policies – our hope is just to create a space where bright, dedicated folks from the community can share their ideas – so that we can all come together and better understand each others experiences, concerns and how we might move forward together to build a brighter future.

Hannibal Jerrell

The root word of education is educe, which means to bring from within. The American Training system masquerades as an educational construct and is being exposed as technology has surpassed the antiquated processes and procedures. I would meet students where they are at and start teaching life skills in kindergarten.  Read more>>

Brett Goldfarb

One thing I would change about the education system is to focus more on inspiring its students. I graduated from high school less than two years ago, and I’ve already forgotten most of the curriculum. I don’t think everything taught in today’s school system is essential. What truly matters is learning how to learn so that when you discover something you’re passionate about, you know how to dive into it. The curriculum should be built to help students explore and find what excites them. We need to find ways to let students learn from experience, not just textbooks. Everyone takes history in high school, but according to the National Center for Education Statistics, only about 1% of students go on to pursue history as a bachelor’s degree. Read more>>

Jasjot Padam

Photography has always been a passion of mine, and through it, I’ve learned a lot about how everyone sees the world differently. Like photographers, who each have their own lens through which they capture moments, people bring their unique experiences, emotions, and perceptions to the world around them. This is especially true when you look at how contrasting perspectives shape who we are. A photograph isn’t just a snapshot; it’s an interpretation, a way of making sense of the world in a particular moment. In the same way, we each navigate life through our own lens. Read more>>

Ben Lucas

I wish education was affordable again. There are many careers where you want the person doing it to have a degree. I want to know my surgeon is licensed, and the bridge I’m driving over was designed by someone who knows it won’t fall down. When it comes to a life in the arts, literally no one cares if you have a degree. I have never been asked once if I had one (I do). But in the words of Mark Twain, I never let schooling interfere with my education. What’s important is that you learn all of the in’s and out’s of your art. Do workshops. Take classes. Live, sleep, breath your art. Learn everything you can about it until you talk about it in your sleep (which I can attest, I have, much to my wife’s detriment.) Maybe getting a degree is the right path for you, but it isn’t the only one. Read more>>