Thursday, July 14, 2011

EKU to host Forum on the History of Education in Kentucky

Here's another little project of mine...organizing the program for this:

A day-long forum at Eastern Kentucky University on Thursday, Sept. 8, will examine the “History of Education in Kentucky.”

Governmental leaders, historians, educators, journalists and others will discuss the past, present and future of the Commonwealth’s public and private P-16 educational system.

The forum was prompted by the recent release of A History of Education in Kentucky by Dr. Bill Ellis, EKU Foundation professor emeritus of history. A History of Education in Kentucky is the only up-to-date, single-volume history of education in the Commonwealth.  Ellis illuminates the successes and failures of public and private education since the settlement of Kentucky and demonstrates how 19th-century political leaders created a culture that devalued public education and refused to adequately fund it. He also analyzes efforts by policy makers and teachers to enact vital reforms and establish adequate, equal education.  Ellis discusses ongoing battles related to religious instruction, integration and the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). The book is published by University Press of Kentucky.

Sponsors of the event, which will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Eastern's Perkins Building, are EKU, the University Press of Kentucky, Kentucky Educational Television and WEKU-FM.

Confirmed participants include:
  • The keynote luncheon speaker, former Gov. Paul Patton, now president of the University of Pikeville
  • Dr. Bob King, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
  • Dr. Terry Holliday, Kentucky commissioner of education
  • Dr Doug Whitlock, president of Eastern Kentucky University
  • Stu Silberman, executive director of the Prichard Committee
  • Renee Shaw, producer with Kentucky Educational Television
  • Elaine Farris, Superintendent of the Clark County Schools and Kentucky's first African American superintendent
  • Ruthanne Palumbo, legislator
  • Kevin Noland, who co-authored KERA and served as interim Commissioner of Education on more than one occassion; presently teaching at UofL
  • Richard Angelo, Professor of Education Policy Studies at UK
  • Dr Lindsey Apple, Professor of History, Georgetown College, retired
  • Dr John Hardin, Professor of History, Western Kentucky University
  • Linda Blackford, reporter, Herald-Leader
  • Mark Hebert, Director of Communications, UofL and former reporter for WHAS-TV
  • and we are awaiting confirmation from several more panlelists
The forum will utilize three moderator-lead roundtable discussions:
  • P-12 Education: moderated by Bill Goodman, Kentucky Tonight host on KET
  • Higher Education: moderated by David Hawpe, retired editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal
  • Media Panel: moderated by Tom Eblen, columnist with the Lexington Herald-Leader
These lively roundtable discussions will explore the historical issues facing Kentucky schools, many of which are still issues today. 

The registration fee of $70 (plus $3 handling fee) includes a continental breakfast, lunch and a signed copy of Ellis’s book. To register with Visa or MasterCard, call EKU Conferencing and Events at 859-622-1444 and provide name, title, school/business, telephone number and e-mail address.

For more information about the event or to be placed on the forum’s mailing list, contact Marc Whitt, associate vice president for public relations at EKU, at marc.whitt@eku.edu.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

How wonderful.....

Such experts,too. But pardon me, Richard, what does Mr. Silberman know about education from a historical perspective. Am I out of line in asking this?

Richard Day said...

Out of line? Of course not. You can ask anything.

From my perspective, no reflection on the history of education in Kentucky is complete without the inclusion of the Prichard
Committee and Stu is the new Exec Dir.

Underlying your question is some doubt, right? My response to that is, we'll see.

I recall with respect and admiration the way Bob Sexton handled the job. One of the things I am most interested in is seeing how Stu reinvents himself as he moves from practitioner to policy guy. They are very different roles.

The forum is using an unusual design which I will talk about later. I believe it will be a very interesting day with lots of thoughtful folks representing lots of different perspectives.

BTW, did I mention that Erik Myrup will be on the same panel?

I hope you will consider attending.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Robert Sexton earned a PhD in history, as you know, Richard. He was conversant with the writings of educators from Dewey to Pestalozzi. He had a theortetical framework from which to work. He was not dictatorial. He knew and understood Kentucky history and no doubt learned a good deal from his friendship with Kentucky historian Tom Clark.

Stu Silberman, in his public discourse, has demonstrated absolutely very little understanding of the history of education in Kentucky.

Indeed the conference should be most interesting!