From book banning to teaching of critical race theory, educators and parents across the county are clashing over what can and can’t be taught in the classroom. Teachers are caught in the middle of some of the biggest flash points in this country’s culture wars. We examine the role of school boards and some state laws that are fueling the latest culture wars. Tom Edsall, Professor of Political Journalism at Columbia University and New York Times Opinion Writer, moderates a discussion with Adam Harris, Staff Writer at the Atlantic, Nicholas Tampio, Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, and Rebecca Jacobsen, Professor of Education Policy at Michigan State University.
Adam is a staff writer at The Atlantic where he has covered education and national politics since 2018. He is the author of The State Must Provide, a narrative history of racial inequality higher education. He was previously a reporter at the Chronical of Higher Education, where he covered federal education policy and historically black colleges and universities. He was named to the 2021 Forbes 30 under 30 list. He is currently working on his second book, Is This America, a history of the South’s role in politics and how the region shapes us as a nation.
Nicholas Tampio teaches courses in political theory and education policy at Fordham University. He has published peer-reviewed work on education standards with Johns Hopkins University Press and in the Journal of Politics. In addition to his scholarly work, he writes for public-facing outlets such as the Boston Globe, USA TODAY, and the Washington Post. As a parent and activist, he was a vocal proponent of families refusing the end-of-year Common Core tests.
Rebecca Jacobsen is a professor of education policy. Her background is in politics and education where she has focused on public opinion and its impact on education policy. She has also written about the politics of charter schools and the achievement gap.
Thomas B. Edsall has been teaching political journalism at Columbia University since 2006. His column on strategic and demographic trends in American politics appears every Thursday. He has been a weekly contributor to The Times online Opinion Pages since 2011. He covered politics for The Washington Post from 1981 to 2006, and before that for The Baltimore Sun and The Providence Journal. He has written five books: “The Age of Austerity”, “Building Red America,” “Chain Reaction: The Impact of Race, Rights, and Taxes on American Politics,” “Power and Money: Writing About Politics” and “The New Politics of Inequality.” He lives in Washington, D.C.