Askwith Education Forum Education, Truth, and the Future of Democracy Expert in the field of education ethics explore critical questions around the role of schools and universities in promoting democracy Posted May 5, 2023 By News editor Moral, Civic, and Ethical Education What roles can schools and universities play in helping to shore up democracies — whether in the United States or in countries around the world? Schools should be — can be — key engines for knowledge-building and for producing engaged democratic citizens. What challenges do they face in achieving these aims, and what can we learn from their failures, both historically and today? How should we think about current political activity — from governors and university presidents to legislative sessions to local school board meetings — focused very specifically on education policies and practices?When the political discourse includes K-12 and college curricula, counseling services, bathroom and sports team access, book selection, equity and inclusion policies, school safety, tenure policies, and school and university governance, it begs the question: Are these admirable exercises of democratic activism by engaged citizens, attacks on education in service of misinformation and demonstrable untruths — or both (or neither)? Join us for a rich conversation that will explore these and other critical questions and help each of us contribute to a positive path forward. SpeakersNeema AvashiaEthnic Studies Coach, Boston Public Schools; and authorSigal Ben-PorathProfessor, Graduate School of Education, University of PennsylvaniaJohn Silvanus Wilson Jr.Executive Director of Millennium Leadership Initiative, American Association of State Colleges and Universities HostMeira LevinsonJuliana W. and William Foss Thompson Professor of Education and Society, Harvard Graduate School of Education Askwith Education Forum Bringing innovators and influential leaders to the Harvard Graduate School of Education Explore All Articles Related Articles Usable Knowledge The Questionable Ethics of College Students How cultivating a sense of responsibility in the student body can help to combat academic dishonesty. Askwith Education Forum Equitable Recovery: Addressing Learning Challenges after COVID With research showing the impact of remote and hybrid learning, what are the federal, state, and district strategies to lift learning and support social-emotional needs? Askwith Education Forum Askwith Education Forum: Combatting Hate by Teaching the Holocaust and Other Hard Histories A discussion exploring the power of personal narrative and personal identity as a tool for teaching and understanding history.