Today, deans nationwide released a Declaration of Principles calling on federal leaders to do more to improve public education and advance democratic values in U.S. public schools. To date, a growing list of nearly 200 current and former deans of colleges and schools of education nationwide have endorsed this statement.
The statement was authored by Education Deans for Justice and Equity and prepared in partnership with the National Education Policy Center. The declaration, co-led by our Dean Kathy Schultz and Kevin Kumashiro, dean of the School of Education at the University of San Francisco, offers four guiding principles:
- Uphold the role of public schools as a central institution in the strengthening of our democracy;
- Protect the human and civil rights of all children and youth, especially those from historically marginalized communities;
- Develop and implement policies, laws, and reform initiatives by building on a democratic vision for public education and on sound educational research; and
- Support and partner with colleges and schools of education to advance these goals.