What is the biggest challenge facing our education system today?

At the Education Teach In at Politics and Prose this August, Executive Director Jane Dimyan Ehrenfeld wrestled with this complex and urgent question alongside David Osborne and Dawn Williams, moderated by Valerie Strauss. In her opening statement, Jane asserted that there is one single greatest challenge that if solved, will solve all other problems we face: the persistence of compliance in our 21st century education system. Furthermore, community members must  address the urgent issue of compliance, because compliance is the trait that most threatens our society, our country, and world.

Here are some highlights from the Teach In:

“We need to be fostering schools and classrooms where students learn that their voice is important, where students are actively engaged in their learning. And when I say active, I mean intellectually, emotionally, and physically engaged in their learning.”

Pointing to her children sitting in the audience, Jane said, “I want every child in America to have the exact same education they get.”

“We can advocate for students learning changemaking, and we do that by helping empower teachers as changemakers.”

“All kids need engagement, all kids need their voices to be lifted, all kids need to emerge from school feeling like changemakers feeling powerful in the world.”

-Executive Director Jane Dimyan Ehrenfeld

At the end of the event, Jane discusses issues of education and equity with audience members at Politics and Prose.