Culture War Battles and The Undoing of an Educated Person

In the annals of education, the question of what truly defines an educated individual has seldom assumed the forefront of discourse. Rarely have we ventured to ponder this matter, and the reasons for this absence are multifaceted. Could it be the intrinsic peculiarity of the inquiry itself? Perhaps. It appears that our perception of an educated person is inherently bound to the prevailing zeitgeist, molded by the perpetual shifting conditions of time, place, and purpose. This concept, imbued with subjectivity, proves a challenge to measure, much less define, for education itself is a mutable construct, invariably shaped by the dictates of necessity—be they economic, political, or personal—which, as history tells us, undergo recurrent transformation.

Though hitting a moving target is no easy feat, as a lifelong educator, I am compelled to take aim. I posit that an educated individual is one who has undergone the process of learning, the interpretation of which may vary yet culminates in the ability to construct meaning from life’s experiences. Whether this transpires within the structured confines of a school, or the informal environment of home, religious institution, or community is also of consequence. Regardless of the route taken to address this question, I trust we can find common ground in acknowledging that an educated person possesses empathy towards others, openness to new ideas, and the knowledge, skills, and aptitude to navigate a myriad of settings and, ultimately, to shape the self they aspire to become.

The exposition of what constitutes an educated individual is inherently linked to the resonance it finds in the context of what is deemed important and valuable. This resonance is inextricably intertwined with the ever-shifting triad of time, place, and purpose. Within the domain of public education in 2023, individuals encounter ethical beliefs that may diverge from their cultural and familial norms. This interplay allows the convictions of others to infuse meaning into our lives, thereby influencing our maturation into cognitive growth and expansion. As we evolve and assimilate new insights, the implications for our development as educated beings become all the more pronounced. To further this point, reflecting on my experiences as a public educator, I have found that exposure to diverse cultural perspectives and the cultivation of intercultural competence have yielded the most constructive pedagogical effects, fostering a culture of profound learning within my classroom.

Yes, intellectual wandering and wondering, small and large ideological and cultural collisions that challenge meaning derived from life’s kaleidoscope of experience, produce fertile ground for growth, change, and enlightenment. Diverse classrooms filled with diverse thought burgeon with a panoply of viewpoints, facilitating the growth of culturally astute students capable of forging deep human connections and empathy. In the act of traversing both familiar and unfamiliar terrain, notions of self-identity broaden, and cultural wisdom is revealed and shared. The result is an individual who has reconciled their intrinsic identity with the information necessary to attain personal fulfillment and growth, a wonderful production of education.

A deeper examination of the perpetually changing conditions of time, place, and purpose, bound to the influences of our political system, demonstrates that we have strayed into unchartered ideological territory, threatening the central tenets of difference, tolerance, and empathy, key attributes of an educated person. The trappings of tribalism manifest as Cultural Wars serve as landmines, destroying and recasting public discourse and policy such that dialogue across differences disappears. In the wake of this departure, and through the eradication of difference, a single narrative threatens to arise. Education, once a unifying force of social good, is viewed as a battleground where activist legislators have amplified tensions, contributing to the loss of faith in public institutions. The culture wars have intensified ideological divisions within education, and debates over curricula, textbooks, and policies are often framed as clashes between liberal and conservative values, making it challenging to find common ground. Parents and the body politic view schools as partisan theaters of war rather than places of learning, thus further fueling divisions.

Complex issues in education are regularly relegated as simplistic, oppositional narratives. Nuanced discussions about topics like gender, identity, racial equity, history, or religious freedom are engulfed by extreme stances. The educated individual, someone equipped with knowledge, critical thinking skills, the capacity to discern differences and commonalities, and the ability to gain cultural and humanistic wisdom, is shortchanged as one side seeks to eviscerate and eradicate the other. This impedes the lifelong journey of learning and expanding one’s horizons, hindering the quest to discover personal development within the shrinking marketplace of ideas, knowledges, and experiences that must be present in classrooms across our country.