Reflecting on Education After the U.S. Election

For those of us in education, the recent U.S. Presidential election gives us a lot to think about—both the educational factors that may have contributed to Donald Trump’s election and how educators can encourage young people to embrace constructive dialogue and move away from the "naming and shaming" culture they often see modeled by adults in public life.?

Macro-economic trends, social media, and podcasts, have (rightly in my opinion) have been widely discussed as influential drivers of the election. But the role of education has received less attention. Consider this: the U.S. Federal government spends just 5 cents per student on civic education, compared to $50 per student on STEM education. While this number has slightly increased in recent years, thanks to groups like CivXNow, it’s likely to decrease—or even disappear—under a Trump administration committed to cutting U.S. Department of Education programming.?

One of the things that keeps me up at night is the limited ability of young people and adults to distinguish truth from fiction. This skill should be a cornerstone of any education system in any part of the world. Afterall, what purpose does education hold if we are if we’re preparing students to read fake news without equipping them to identify it???

There’s also a deeper way education shapes the societal conditions that influence elections. David Baker, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, describes this in one of my favorite books, The Schooled Society: The Educational Transformation of Global Culture. Over the past 150 years, educational achievement has become a primary marker of social mobility, respect, and status. This cultural shift has created a world where education increasingly defines success—not just in childhood but throughout life. In my own writing, I’ve explored how the global gap between the "education haves and have-nots" will likely take a century to close. This gap persists in the U.S., as starkly today as it did a decade ago.?

One of the best pieces I have read recently on the ways in which education inequality shapes our society is David Brooks’ article in the Atlantic, How the Ivy League Broke America. His main argument is that this education inequality is fueling a deep sense of resentment among many Americans and drove support for President Trump. He argues that meritocracy has replaced aristocracy, leading to fierce competition for elite university admissions. This system privileges those who can afford the resources to succeed. As Brooks points out, the academic gap between rich and poor is now larger than the gap between white and Black students in the final days of Jim Crow.??

This brings us to an alarming—but important—research finding: educational inequality between societal groups is a known driver of armed conflict and civil war. As I have written in the past, studies show that when some groups receive exceptional education while others are left behind, the imbalance can create significant societal tension. This phenomenon has been demonstrated through rigorous across multiple country contexts. If everyone has access to a crappy education, then that doesn’t foment social unrest. It is when some groups can access high quality learning and others can’t that causes the problem. While I don’t believe the U.S. is at imminent risk of civil war (crossing my fingers and knocking on wood!), there are many reasons to be worried about education inequality.?

So what can we do????

The problem as Brooks sees it is that admissions requirements in competitive universities over-index on one set of competencies measured by IQ. But this leaves many people out in the cold, people who have incredible skills that society needs but that just don’t seem to be valued— like caregiving, artistic inspiration, or hands-on problem-solving. There’s a saying in education that "university admissions is the tail that wags the K-12 dog," and it’s true. Brooks suggests admissions criteria should prioritize qualities like curiosity, drive, social intelligence, and learning agility. While mastering content is important and will remain so, especially in an AI world, I think this effort to advance a breadth of skills is much needed. Every child should be able to find their place in the world and have their unique gifts valued.??????

But we don’t need to wait for universities to change. Teachers and school leaders can take action now to support broader learning experiences in K-12 classrooms. Yesterday, I was happy to publish a piece by Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD (USC) and Douglas R. Knecht (Bank Street College of Education) titled Schools Can Help Our Nation Heal After This Bruising Election. The article offers actionable ideas for fostering what they call "transcendent thinking," a powerful way to engage students meaningfully in their education.???

I have found the concept of transcendent thinking especially helpful for identifying ways to engage students who feel flooded with busy-work. My coauthor Jenny Anderson and I explore its role in student motivation, engagement and meaning making in our upcoming book, The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better. As we look ahead, I hope we can use this moment as an opportunity to rethink and reshape how education shapes not just individual life trajectories but the social fabric upon which our democracy is built.?

LINKS for all articles and books referenced here in the chat below.