Building on three sold-out years, the vibrant Oxford-style public policy debate series, Intelligence Squared U.S., arrives at the Skirball Center for ten provocative and informative live debates on hot-topic issues of the day.
Don't Blame Teachers' Unions for our Failing Schools
Panelists for the motion:
Kate McLaughlin, Gary Smuts and Randi Weingarten
Panelists against the motion:
Larry Sand, Rod Paige and Terry Moe
Kate McLaughlin has been an elementary teacher in the Lowell, Massachusetts public schools since 1999. She is currently a mathematics coach working with both teachers and students from kindergarten through fourth grade. In addition to her full-time teaching assignment, she serves as the executive vice president of the United Teachers of Lowell #495, a local of the American Federation of Teachers. Gary Smuts is superintendent of the ABC Unified School District, known throughout the state of California as a leader in educational planning and innovation. He was recently named 2009 Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators. Randi Weingarten is president of the 1.4-million-member American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. She was elected in July 2008, following 11 years of service as an AFT vice president. Larry Sand began his teaching career in New York in 1971. Since 1984, he has taught elementary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, including English, math, history and ESL at Webster Middle School. Rod Paige is a life-long educator and former U.S. Secretary of Education (2001-2005). As secretary, Paige was an unstinting advocate of student achievement, employing “best of breed” solutions to achieve results. Terry Moe is the William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, and a member of Hoover's Koret Task Force on K-12 Education.
For more information please visit: www.iq2us.org
John Donvan, correspondent for ABC News Nightline, returns to moderate the IQ2US series. The debates can be watched on the Bloomberg Television ® network, are aired by NPR® on more than 185 stations and podcasts are available from iTunes. Newsweek is the IQ2US media sponsor for the 2009/2010 season.
