Teacher Wars

The expectations on public school teachers are lofty and demanding. Historically, American public school teaching developed as an explicitly anti-intellectual, working class job. Yet at the same time that we paid public school teachers poorly, policed their political activity, and prevented them from influencing the curriculum, we asked them to eradicate poverty and inequality—a staggering expectation.

In her new book, The Teacher Wars, Goldstein shows that the same issues have continued to bedevil us for decades: Who should teach? What should be taught? Who should be held accountable for how our children learn? While exploring the past, Goldstein lays out a framework for moving forward and putting an end to the "teacher wars" once and for all.

Join New America fellow and author Dana Goldstein, Slate staff writer Jamelle Bouie, and New America's Kevin Carey for a conversation on Goldstein's new book The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession.

Copies of Goldstein's book will be available for sale at the event.

Join the conversation online using #teacherwars and following @NewAmerica.

If you are unable to join us in person, please tune in to the live webcast, which will appear at the top of this page on the morning of the event. No sign up is requried to view the streaming video.

Participants:

Dana Goldstein
Author, The Teacher Wars: A History of America’s Most Embattled Profession

Jamelle Bouie
Staff Writer, Slate

Moderator: