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Is Bates College any different from the elite independent schools that feed it?
In a recent Atlantic article Why I Quit The Tenure Track: The insufferable hypocrisy of elite academia, Tyler Austin Harper provides a firsthand account of what woke infiltration does to institutions that have allowed it to take over. He exposes how elite institutions leverage progressive, “woke” ideology to conceal economic exploitation and how administrations may adopt DEI initiatives and progressive rhetoric to protect institutional wealth while suppressing labor, a phenom
2 days ago4 min read
From Distraction to Automation
While adults debate how to handle AI in education, students are already using it every day. Thought leaders like Jonathan Haidt have rightly sounded the alarm on smartphones in the classroom, but a far more profound shift is underway: the impact of artificial intelligence on K-12 students’ impressionable minds. Moving from screen distraction to automated thought isn’t just an upgrade in technology—it’s a fundamental shift in how young people learn. Here are some critical impl
Jul 277 min read
Happy 250th Birthday America! 🇺🇸
Can you love what you don’t know? It’s been fun to watch the World Cup Soccer visitors embrace so much of what makes the U.S. a unique and special place. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to point out what’s often taken for granted by those fortunate to live in America. Is patriotism contagious? As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we hope you will take some time this July 4th to start meaningful conversations with your family about the values, resp
Jun 306 min read
Reallocating Alphabet Resources From DEIBJ+ to AI
There has been a lot of interest in our most recent newsletter, The Opportunity Costs of Accreditation. There also seems to be curiosity around AI. Looking ahead, the quality of what AI can produce will only increase, and as costs decrease, access will grow. The big question that every parent and school should start to contemplate is, “What do we do to ensure it’s a ‘good AI’ for our kids? This summer might be a good time to learn more about AI and its potential impact on K-1
Jun 114 min read
The Opportunity Costs of Accreditation
The NAIS Commission on Accreditation was a specialized internal oversight board established by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in 2001, acting as a central authority that provided quality assurance and accountability for the accreditation programs of its state, regional, and international member associations. It operated as a distinct committee until its disbandment in June 2018. In July 2018, the NAIS Commission was replaced by a newly formed 501(c)(3)
Jun 93 min read
When Education Secretary McMahon Came To Town
The “Returning Education to the States Tour” is a nationwide, 50-state initiative led by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The tour highlights local educational successes, gathers community best practices, and promotes the shifting of educational decision-making and funding authority back to state and local governments. Regardless of how one feels about the current administration, if the Secretary of Education, a person of great influence, wants to visit your state t
Jun 35 min read
Why Have Schools Weakened Their Missions?
5 years ago, we launched Parents Unite with a letter asking accreditors to take a stand and help K-12 Independent Schools defend the “right to disagree” and encourage diversity of thought. Their response and lack of awareness exemplified why people have lost trust in K-12 education. Accreditation has become a tool for coercing schools into becoming agents of social change. Schools strayed from their unique missions and were compelled to expand their institutions’ scope to add
Apr 203 min read
Chapin (and other “schools for girls”) are institutionalizing a lie
The Chapin School is a highly selective K-12 school in NYC for 830 students. Parents pay a lot of money to send their daughters to a single sex school instead of a coed school. The school mission: “The Chapin School cultivates an intellectual mind, generous spirit and resilient character. Our girls and young women find joy and purpose in the pursuit of scholarly excellence, strength in our community and inspiration in our founder’s call to be brave for others and brave for se
Apr 135 min read
The Consequences of Social Justice Fundamentalism at Brooks School
The demand for DEI consultants is drying up. As the industry shrinks, what are these practitioners doing to maintain their livelihood? Many are shapeshifting and repackaging their services to stay in business. Luckily for them, there are private schools with white guilt , ample time, and plenty of money to further the illiberal cause. Brooks School is a private, independent boarding school in Massachusetts. The school’s mission is “to provide the most meaningful education
Apr 65 min read
The Costs Of Privilege
Independent School notification day is approaching. The increasing lack of confidence in public (government) schools is driving private school enrollment . (In NYC, private school applications were up 25 percent.) K-12 public school enrollment dropped from a peak of 50.8 million in 2019 to 49.5 million by fall 2023 . The National Center for Education Statistics projects this will fall below 47 million by 2031. Over 1.2 million students left traditional public schools by fall
Mar 43 min read
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