Chicago, IL (October 20, 2008) – Renowned education advocate and reformer Jonathan Kozol spoke at the first event for Columbia’s Founders Lectures series on Monday evening at Film Row Cinema. America’s “national conscience on education” engaged with an enthusiastic overflow crowd of faculty, students and civically-minded citizens, including many public school teachers.
Kozol, author of Death at an Early Age (Houghton Mifflin, 1967), Rachel and Her Children (Crown, 1987), Savage Inequalities (Crown, 1991), and most recently Letters to a Young Teacher (Crown, 2007), spoke eloquently about the current state of public education and the importance of creativity and the arts, especially in underserved schools with large minority enrollment. “Teachers in public schools are my heroes,” Kozol proclaimed with great sincerity throughout the evening.
A graduate of Harvard and a “drop out” Rhodes Scholar (Kozol called himself a “bad Rhodes Scholar”), he broke ties with his Ivy League education in the mid-1960s, walking away from the economic privilege implied by a Harvard degree to become a public school teacher. Kozol began as a substitute teacher, choosing to work in elementary schools in the predominately African-American neighborhood of Roxbury, just outside of his hometown of Boston. It was during this time that Kozol found his life’s work, becoming an advocate for children and educational equity.
Dressed in a suit with rolled up shirt-sleeves, Kozol lectured passionately about a broken educational system that is more invested in standardized test scores than the individual needs of the child. Kozol declared No Child Left Behind “a failure,” and went on to praise the ideals of an education in the arts, calling Columbia “My favorite college in Chicago.” Kozol’s ties to the school date back to 1976, when he was awarded an honorary doctoral degree, which he still displays on his living room wall.
Kozol peppered his lecture with anecdotes of his experiences of visiting schools and putting a human face on the children and teachers he came to know. He wound down the evening with a story about his dear friend, none other than Fred Rogers. Kozol stepped away from the lectern and pointed to his feet – navy blue tennis shoes – which he wears in memory of Mr. Rogers and all he has done for nurturing young minds over the generations.
Kozol left attendees with much to contemplate – and a call to action. Kozol received an impassioned standing ovation from the audience. “I was surprised that an exciting event like this was open to the public,” said audience member Vincent Choi. “I really appreciate you [Columbia] for putting this on…thank you very much.”
Future speakers for the Founders Lectures are: Sir Ken Robinson, Anna Deavere Smith and Richard Florida. More information at www.colum.edu/conversations
PHOTO CAPTION: Kozol (left) and Columbia President Warrick L. Carter, Ph.D. Photo: R. Kusel
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