|
Fifty years ago, in the Brown versus Topeka Board
of Education,
the Supreme Court declared an end to school segregation.
For the next thirty years, schools became the battle ground
for changing the United States from a segregated to an integrated
society. However, by the 1990s, integration was abandoned
as a national policy goal. The issue moved from
one of equal access to insuring academic achievement.
Over the last fifty years, the struggle for equity in
education raises important questions. Are schools a fair
place to fight our societal and cultural wars?
Can education accommodate
a history of discrimination, and change the future of society
by honestly and equitably educating its youth at the same
time? Can schools truly leave no child behind, thus providing
education as a human right to all students
The 2004 Syfr Summer Seminar will examine two countrries
that are attempting to do exactly that, South Africa and
the
United States. Both are still struggling with defining the
role of public education in achieving societal goals. John
Samuel, Chief Executive of the Nelson Mandela
Foundation, will explore the South African case that
is evolving ten years after the end of apartied.
Richard Erdmann and Searetha Smith-Collins will facilitate
discussion comparing and contrasting the American experience
to South Africa.
The original issue of equity in the United States centered
on race and integration within local districts, but
as the United States entered the 70’s, the issue evolved
to encompass school financing and intra-district
equality.
The
emphasis
on school
financing
was raised initially in Texas by the Latino community, and
it is one that is still being played out in legislatures
and
courts
across the country. The nature of the relationship between
the public, community and schools, including school finance,
will be examined in the conference by “Cuca” Montecel, Executive
Director of the Intercultural Development Research Association
(IDRA), an organization that has been at the
forefront of promoting the establishment of a comprehensive,
equitable system of school finance in Texas.
In the 1980’s, special education emerged on a national
scale with landmark legislation defining new educational
rights for these special students, who now number over 12%
of the
enrollment
in public schools. As we move into the 21st century we are
learning more about these students and how they learn through
research coming largely from the medical community. Sally
and Ben Shaywitz, co-directors of the Yale Center
for the Study of Learning and Attention, will explore what
we have learned about learning from this new medical technology.
For several years Syfr has emphasized activities in schools
that have a positive impact on college success and, ultimately,
on personal income. In 2004, the issues of academic access
to rigorus higher level courses became a key objective
for Syfr. Beginning with this seminar, Syfr will work with
the College Board and school districts to
increase
both
the
percentage
and
numbers
of students from low-income families and students-of-color
who take advanced placement courses and ultimately complete
and pass the advanced placement tests. Syfr is very
pleased to announce that this seminar will initiate an
advanced academic project. Peter
Negroni, the Vice President for the K-12 Division
of the College Board, will discuss the advanced placement
programs
and work sessions on both Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday
morning to kick-start the project.
The seminar will end on Wednesday with an examination
by Richard Gray of public policies that
have worked and not worked in the United States as we address
education for all children. Gray is
the Director
of National Technical Assistance with the Community Involvement
Program at New
York University’s Institute for Education and Social
Policy.
As part of the 2004 Summer Leadership Seminar, Syfr will
also kick off its exploration of cultural diversity
and integration in American music with its evening
programs. Using music somewhat as a metaphor, Syfr will explore
the value of maintaining
cultural identity, and at the same time, the rich result
from molding different cultures together to create a new
one.
This year, we will look at the formation of several distinct
forms of American music. Bob Santelli,
Executive Director of the Experience Music Project, a very
high-tech music museum
in Seattle, Washington, and an expert on American blues music
will discuss Delta blues and rock-and-roll. Juan
Tejeda, a professor and accomplished performer on
the button accordion from San Antonio, will discuss the evolution
of
the German Polka into Mexican cojunto music as well as play
for the evening’s entertainment. Steam Powered Airplane
will also perform as we explore bluegrass music with one
of the leading western bluegrass bands.
Spring Creek Ranch
The seminar will be held at Spring Creek Ranch, which is
located in the Grand Tetons, just outside of Jackson Hole,
Wyoming and only 15 minutes from the Jackson Hole Airport.
(The hotel provides free shuttle service to and from the
airport.)
As always, spouses are welcome and we anticipate
that most registrants will bring a spouse or guest. For
those bringing their family, for
an extra charge multi-room suites and villas are available.
Activities for older children and adults abound with hiking,
river rafting, fly fishing, ballooning, horseback riding,
shopping and sight seeing. For younger children, a neighboring
hotel has a day
camp program available. Many attendees
make a vacation out of the seminar by booking extra nights.
Spring Creek Ranch is a small hotel, so we are encourage
participants to make reservations early. The
seminar registration fee is $990 if you register by July
1st and covers all sessions, three nights of lodging, and
meals. Attendees who register after July 1st will be charged
the full registration fee of $1,375.
|
