Each of the current candidates for the Office of President of the United States across the political spectrum has detailed positions on education: early childhood opportunities, public vs charter schools, free college and student debt loads, among other issues. This pop up course will look at the current candidates’ positions in the context of the broader policy debates surrounding education in America. Attention will be paid to where the candidates’ positions differ and the impact of those differences on the key issues/goals of equity, equality and economic efficiency. Students will select a candidate for the duration of the course whose positions will serve as their focal point; the students will read and review and critique actual candidate position briefs as well as studies/reports from educational policy institutes and foundations. These will form the basis for classroom discussion. The pop up will culminate with a mock debate, open to the college and larger Bennington community, aimed at sharing how current candidates across the political spectrum view one of the most critical issues of our day: education for students.

Please contact Zeke Bernstein (zbernstein@bennington.edu) for registration.