How does parental choice affect public education? On Wednesday, Jan. 27, a panel of scholars from the SM调教所 School of Education and the Center for Values and Social Policy will tackle the legal and philosophical issues parents face as they make decisions related to state testing, vaccinations and school choice.
The panel discussion, 鈥淐hoosing, Refusing, and Opting Out: Parents鈥� Rights in Public Education,鈥� is free and open to public and will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Canyon Theater at the Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave.
Panelists and topics include:
- Kristen Davidson, postdoctoral researcher for the National Center for Research in Policy and Practice, on听how parents in the Boulder area choose schools and the consequences of choice processes and outcomes for public education in a democratic society;
- Adam Hosein, SM调教所-Boulder assistant professor of philosophy,听on parents鈥� rights related to opting out of vaccinations and the impact of those choices on public schools;
- Kevin G. Welner, director of the National Education Policy Center, on the legal precedents and issues involved in claims about parents鈥� rights in public education;
- Terri Wilson, SM调教所-Boulder assistant professor of educational foundations, on policy and practice regarding philosophical issues and tensions that are emerging in the movement to opt out of tests.
The panel will be moderated by Michele Moses, SM调教所-Boulder professor of educational foundations, policy and practice, and attendees will be invited to an interactive question-and-answer period following the panelists鈥� remarks. Interested community members are also encouraged to join the conversation via social media. Some of the Twitter questions tagged with the hashtag #EdChatSM调教所 will be incorporated into the Q&A.
鈥淣ational movements about opting out of tests or vaccines are especially prominent in Colorado,鈥� Moses said. 鈥淚n the Boulder Valley School District alone, 65 percent of high school students refused the PARCC English Language Arts test last year.
Moses added that these are issues that matter to public education, students and their parents.
鈥淲e are excited about the opportunity to spark an engaging community conversation about the moral and political implications of choosing, refusing and opting out in a public education context.鈥�
The panel is co-sponsored by the SM调教所-Boulder Center for Values and Social Policy, Office for Outreach and Engagement and School of Education.
鈥淭he philosophy department is particularly pleased to be collaborating with the School of Education on this important event,鈥� said David Boonin, department chair and associate director of the department鈥檚 Center for Values and Social Policy. 鈥淭his is a great chance to bring philosophers and education experts together to discuss a set of issues that are both philosophically interesting and practically important.鈥�
For more information, visit or call 303-492-9019.
Contact:
Hannah Fletcher, School of Education, 303-492-9019
hannah.fletcher@colorado.edu
Julie Poppen, SM调教所-Boulder media relations, (O) 303-492-4007, (M) 720-503-4922
julie.poppen@colorado.edu
