That America’s social fabric is frayed hardly needs further documentation. Likewise, that the historic strength of the American family has dramatically waned is obvious to all who care to look. The reasons for these declines are legion while countervailing trends … Continue reading
Jason R. Edwards
American Mythology’s Endgame
The largest cultural event of 2019 is the release of Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, a movie that culminates a decade of story-telling and that’s seemingly destined to make more money at the box-office than any other (even if it required a … Continue reading
Vive la Difference! What Ray Rice Teaches Us About Civilization
The public outcry over Roger Goodell’s failure to adequately punish NFL running back Ray Rice for knocking out his girlfriend in an Atlantic City hotel elevator is an encouraging sign that some vestige of civilization remains. It has been heartening … Continue reading
Battle of Gettysburg: A three-part series
Editor’s note: This three-part series commemorating the 150-year anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg first appeared at TheBlaze.com. Part one-Gettysburg: Day one In the first week of July, tens of thousands of visitors descended on a small town in southwestern … Continue reading
A Divided Nation: Is America “Coming Apart?”
Best-selling author and controversial social scientist Charles Murray is back in the news. This time it’s because of his new book, “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960–2010.” In “Coming Apart,” Murray deftly wields both statistical data and anecdotal … Continue reading
A Child’s Imagination is a Terrible Thing to Waste
The Bedroom in the Classroom: Clio is Not Amused
Though my mastery of Greek mythology is not strong enough to know off-hand the muse of history’s sexual orientation, I do know that Clio might try to persuade her father to hurl thunderbolts from Mt. Olympus into Sacramento as punishment … Continue reading
Ancient Virtues in a Postmodern World
The Death and Life of the Great American Society
“The Death and Life of the Great American School System” By Diane Ravitch | Basic Books (March 2, 2010) | 283 pp. | List Price: $26.95 In her latest book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing … Continue reading
Why Don’t Students Like School?
The beginning of June brings the onset of summer vacation for children across the United States. The excitement bubbling in their young hearts is easy to understand yet also offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on why students tend to … Continue reading
V&V PAPER — E.D. Hirsch Jr.: The Twentieth Century’s Liberal Conservative Educator
Editor’s note: “E.D. Hirsch Jr.: The Twentieth Century’s Liberal Conservative Educator” (6,389 words), by Dr. Jason R. Edwards, research fellow with The Center for Vision & Values and an associate professor of education and history at Grove City College. Media Inquiries: If … Continue reading
V&V Q&A: On E.D. Hirsch Jr. and Cultural Literacy
Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. Each issue will present an interview with an intriguing thinker or opinion-maker that we hope will prove illuminating to readers everywhere. In … Continue reading
Ignorance is Not Bliss
Quick, attempt the following: Name the three branches of the federal government. Recognize the speech where the words “of the people, by the people, and for the people” come from. Identify the female judge on American Idol. The Intercollegiate Studies … Continue reading
Whatever Happened to the “Education President?”
The last three presidents clamored for the title but in 2008, the economy, terrorism, and “Saturday Night Live” skits have pushed education out of the media’s election circus.However, since Jimmy Carter’s election in 1976, American schooling has proven to be … Continue reading
Four for the Fourth
It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas. When December rolls around everyone knows which movies to watch to celebrate the holidays. Sadly, America’s birthday doesn’t seem quite so lucky. So, here is a list of four films … Continue reading
The Search for “Higher” Education
Like swallows returning to Capistrano, spring always marks the flocking of parents with their high-school senior children to my college classroom. Nobly, parents take their charges on multiple tours of colleges and universities in order to make an informed choice … Continue reading
V&V Q&A: On the Church and State and Public Education (with Dr. Jason Edwards)
Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from the Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. Each issue will present an interview with an intriguing thinker or opinion-maker that we hope will prove illuminating to readers everywhere. In … Continue reading
Readings Outside the Box
A joint book review of Rod Dreher’s Crunchy Cons and Bill Kauffman’s Look Homeward, America Over a decade has passed since the fall of Soviet Communism, but in America, the two political parties essentially defined by their approach to the Cold War continue … Continue reading
Flaming Farewell
June’s arrival marks the end of another school year and the resultant joy of students. As a teacher, I want to suggest an appropriate way to celebrate: a bonfire. Not just any bonfire though, but one that uses as its … Continue reading
Fewer Teachers; More Coaches
America needs fewer teachers and more coaches. After twenty-three years of schooling, I have seen my fair share of teachers and perhaps the best was my dissertation advisor Dr. John R. Thelin. As would be expected, Dr. Thelin brought to … Continue reading