Images of Education Policy

If you haven’t already, be sure to read Matt Bianco’s commentary on this year’s State of the Union Address. He raises important questions about what was missing from President Obama’s vision of education. I think this image (courtesy of the website SpeechWars) is a good illustration of what is wrong with our education system.

Since the late 1800s, education has become a buzzword of political discussions. Terms like “family,” “parent,” “mother,” and “father” are not nearly as popular.

In 1984, Ronald Reagan became the first to commend parents in his State of the Union address, saying, “Families stand at the center of our society. And every family has a personal stake in promoting excellence in education. Excellence does not begin in Washington. [...] Excellence must begin in our homes and neighborhood schools, where it’s the responsibility of every parent and teacher and the right of every child.”

The parents in Classical Conversations show me every week their dedication to that very principle. By contrast, our nation’s education system continues to promote excellence in education while at the same time separating  learning from its most important partners: the family.

• Read the transcript of this week’s 2012 State of the Union address.
• Read Matt Bianco’s commentary on the address.
• Read the Home School Legal Defense Association’s response to the speech.