Author Archive
Commentators—on everything from education to politics to health—are all obsessed with reducing state and federal budget deficits. And, indeed, our nation faces some difficult choices in the coming months and years. If we make the right choices, we can reduce wasteful spending, but invest in the things that will enable our nation’s economy and its democracy to thrive in the future.
Many education policymakers are trying to make the case for at least maintaining investments in education, including in higher education. They make this case, however, almost exclusively by referring to how increasing educational attainment can fuel innovation and help our nation compete in the global economy. We also must invest, however, in a democratic vision for education—one that extends beyond just the need for more educated workers.
