Founding Father Thomas Jefferson had strong opinions about the importance of public education
in the United States. He wrote, “I do most anxiously wish to see the highest degrees of education
given to the higher degrees of genius, and to all degrees of it, so much as may enable [students]
to read and understand what is going on in the world, and to keep their part of it going on right:
for nothing can keep it right but their own vigilant and distrustful superintendence” (qtd. in Berry
144). In other words, Jefferson believed all citizens of a democracy should be educated so that
they can understand “what is going on in the world” well enough to ask for and help make
changes as needed.
Forward to 21st Century America:
In a Time Magazine article published in May 2017, journalist Randi Weingarten claims that
President Trump has devalued public education, especially public high schools, and points out
that Trump’s choice for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVoss, “has called public schools a
‘dead end’” and is in favor of defunding public education in some ways.
In a brief but coherent essay, apply Jefferson’s ideas on public education to those of our
leaders today (as described by Weingarten).
Consider these questions as part of your response:
Should the federal government continue to actively finance public education or should the
funding go to other areas?
What are the benefits, or detractors, of a well-educated citizenry?
Do you think a good education should be available to all people in democracy, regardless of
socioeconomic status? Why?
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Works Cited
Berry, Wendell. The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture. San Francisco:
Sierra Club Books, 1977.
Weingarten, Randi. “AFT President: Betsy DeVos and Donald Trump Are Dismantling
Public Education.” Time Magazine, 3 May 2017,
com/4765410/donald-trump-betsy-devos-atf-public”>http://time.com/4765410/donald-trump-betsy-devos-a… education/.
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