The Anthropology of Race:Cultural Anthropology Seminar

How can we create schools that are, inclusive, culturally responsive, and democratic? Students in this class tutor at Central Park School for

Children every other class period as part of the service-learning aspect of the course

Magnet Schools Charter SchoolsTestingTeacher IncentivesMore Diverse SchoolsIncrease School DaySmaller ClassesTechnology Access

What is the ANSWER?

There are over 1,746 schools in the U.S. that graduate less than 60% of their students.

Are today’s schools any more inclusive or socially just than schools were 50 years ago?

Lee D. BakerDean of Academic Affairs at Trinity CollegeAssociate Vice Provost for Undergraduate EducationProfessor of Cultural Anthropology and Sociology

American Higher Education andCivic Engagement

Rethinking Schools through the Lens of Social Justice

Jan RiggsbeeDirector of the Program in EducationAssociate Professor of the Practice

David MaloneAssociate Professor of the PracticeDirector of Service-Learning Program

Knowledge in the Service of Society FOCUS Cluster

Eric MlynExecutive Director, Duke EngageAdjunct Associate Professor of Public Policy

In 1954 the Supreme Court case Brown vs. the Board of Education forever changed American schools by ending segregation and creating educational equity.

Or did it?

Two Types of EngagementCivic Engagement- Organized voluntary activity that has as its main purpose to help others and solve problems• Examples– Volunteering at a food kitchen, fundraising

for a cause, tutoring

Political Engagement- Activities performed that have the clear intention of influencing government behavior • Examples—Voting, running for office, signing a

petition, writing to a public official

The Case Against Civic Engagement in American Higher Education

• The university is a place for research and teaching• Faculty should focus on developing analytical skills not

personal, political, or moral views• Civic engagement should be done outside the

classroom• Academicizing- To remove a topic form its real world

context and placing it in a purely academic context

Civic Engagement Organizations at Duke University• Students in the course are to conduct a research

project on a civic engagement organization at Duke. They will analyze the work of such organization based on what has been discussed in class

Examples:Wiser Robertson ScholarsBest Buddies Duke EngageHart Leadership Global Health Institute

Since 1983, more than 10 million Americans reached the 12th grade without having learned to read at a basic level.

one million children drop out of school each year