How to get to the nitty-gritty of education reform and spark lasting change
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CounterCurrent: A Six-Step Plan to Reform Higher Education
How to get to the nitty-gritty of education reform and spark lasting change
CounterCurrent is the National Association of Scholars’ weekly newsletter, bringing you the biggest issues in academia and our responses to them.
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Category: Social Justice; Reading Time: ~2 minutes
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** Featured Article - Exposing Social Justice Ideology in Higher Education by Scott Yenor ([link removed])
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If there’s one thing education reformers do well, it’s critiquing in the abstract. And in a sense, that’s natural; there are indeed many aspects of American education in general, from kindergarten to doctoral study, that are worthy of extensive critique, and it is important to do so. But where reformers often fall short is in researching these problems in great enough detail to provide actionable solutions to the problems they describe, rather than simply enumerating all that’s bad within the field in a surface-level manner. Sure, they may use a few examples from recent news or conjecture a couple of ideas at the end of an article, but the breadth and depth of these proposed solutions are often lacking.
Despite this trend, there are some reformers who go out of their way to do the deep digging necessary to get to the root of a particular issue in a particular place—Scott Yenor, professor of political science at Boise State University (BSU) is one of these individuals. Not only does he understand the big-picture problems facing higher education, but he has also reached a level of granularity necessary to properly diagnose these problems facing his particular institution and therefore recommend tailor-made solutions.
Professor Yenor’s report, Social Justice Ideology in Idaho Higher Education ([link removed]) , which was co-written with education policy analyst Anna K. Miller and published by the Idaho Freedom Foundation ([link removed]) earlier this year, was inspired by the National Association of Scholars’ 2019 report Social Justice Education in America ([link removed]) and provides an in-depth look into the social justice bureaucracy at BSU, examining how leftist propaganda has made its way into at least 14 different departments at the direction of executive-level administration. Yenor and Miller are currently investigating other Idaho universities as we speak and hope to partner with reformers in other states to expand this local-level work.
In this week’s featured article ([link removed]) , Professor Yenor lays out a step-by-step guide for those looking to effectively research and fight against educational decay at the local level, offering “a modest model for [educational] conservatives in other states who are concerned about the rot that has settled into our taxpayer-funded educational systems, and who want a roadmap for pushing against the forces of so-called progress.” The guide is split into six steps, which any concerned and dedicated citizen or professor can follow:
1. Discover the Social Justice Story that the University tells about itself.
2. Show how lower-level administration and university policies reflect the plans.
3. Assess the curriculum.
4. Assess Other Aspects of Student Experience.
5. Write a compelling Executive Summary and offer specific recommendations. [emphasis mine]
6. Publicize and Defend the Findings.
Are you interested in making lasting change on the local level? Professor Yenor’s six-step plan ([link removed]) is a great way to start. Through detailed research, clear writing, and actionable solutions, you can help restore higher education to its rightful place as the foundation of American innovation. We salute Professor Yenor and encourage others to join him in this ground-up approach to reforming American higher education.
Until next week.
David Acevedo
Communications & Research Associate
National Association of Scholars
Read More ([link removed])
For more on social justice ideology in higher education:
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April 19, 2021
** UT Austin Approves Orwellian “Strategic Plan for Faculty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity” ([link removed])
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Louis K. Bonham
Sadly, the University of Texas at Austin did not heed our repeated warnings about the direct threat to academic freedom and institutional neutrality posed by its now-approved faculty DEI plan.
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April 09, 2021
** Idaho Legislators Push Back Against "Social Justice" Education ([link removed])
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David Randall
The Idaho House of Representatives has decisively rejected a higher education budget, arguing it didn’t do enough to combat “social justice” education.
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April 01, 2021
** Higher Ed Approaches the Antiracism Training Abyss ([link removed])
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William A. Jacobson
As universities across America push neo-racist “antiracism” ideology, they are damaging themselves and our nation.
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February 18, 2021
** Exclusive: Univ. of Utah Proposes Allegiance to DEI as a Condition for Promotion and Tenure ([link removed])
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David Acevedo
The University of Utah Department of Physics & Astronomy is the latest to attempt to enshrine the unholy trinity of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in its faculty policies.
** About the NAS
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The National Association of Scholars, founded in 1987, emboldens reasoned scholarship and propels civil debate. We’re the leading organization of scholars and citizens committed to higher education as the catalyst of American freedom.
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