It has been over 10 years now since I completed my thesis, and during this time we have seen greater and greater strains put on the system of public education.  Covid 19, lead to hybrid learning, which caused an even greater disconnect between teachers and students.  The CCSS continues to this day, and teachers are boxed in to content that doesn't connect with the students, and locked into pacing guides that force superficial coverage of content.  The system is completely disconnected from the students.

There is another way. The analysis of the interviews with scientists and educators points directly to how we must consider not what we teach, but how we teach in order to develop cognitive abilities.  These cognitive abilities will continue to serve the student for years to come, while simple facts will fade from memory. 

In the original analysis of the data, or perhaps mainly to create a simple version summary table, there were onl 11 examples of cognitive capacity. we needed to address.  Perspective taking was not on the list, but infact it was an important part of many of the conversations.  Today, I can see that it is clearly one of the most critical cognitive capacities to develop. 

​Perspective taking is so necessary in our divided world.  We have become a culture of narcissits who require perfect mirroring of one another.  If we do not receive the perfect mirror of our beliefs, we cut off all communication and connection.  This is the opposite of what a healthy society looks like.  Clearly, this type of narcissitic demand on people only leads to division and enmity.not

The capacity for perspective taking allows our youth to be able to hold various truths without these becoming burdonsome to their own values.  I can honor and respect a muslim woman who believes that to show your body or even your hair displeases God, while at the same time I can keep my own belief that God loves our human form and glories in its beauty.  The ability to honor multiple perspectives allows for deeper conversations to emerge.  We do not get caught up or defensive about our own beliefs and how they differ from another, but we can start to look for the places of agreement between us.

This will help us define our shared moral values, and those are the ones that can be used to help us create social norms.  We can look honestly at where we agree, and when we find differences, we can deepen our understanding of the other person and deepen our understanding of the world.  

When we are able to see each other and honor them, we will live in a more peaceful world and learn to see the beauty in our diverse ways of seeing and being in the world.

Each of us has the most important role of helping our students navigate the world.  They must know themselves, see themselves in the world around them, and have the resources to share their passion and purpose with the world.  Being able to discern what is true versus what is false is probably one of the most important skill we can provide for our students.

Knowing Truth shapes how we navigate the world, make decisions, and engage with society. For children, whose minds are still developing and impressionable, the ability to seek, question, and discern truth is both a gift and a necessity. Without these skills, they risk becoming passive consumers of information, vulnerable to manipulation and unable to form independent, well-reasoned perspectives.

Our current system of education has done so much damage to the inherent, natural ability to discern truth.  We have created a culture of seeking the right answer, and that the teacher is the one who knows that answer, and the student must memorize this truth.  In reality, what is true for you may not be true for me.  There is certainly a difference between fact and opinion, but what is relevant and right for me may not be the same as what is right for you.  Truth must be referenced in context. 

If we don't start to help students develop the skills of tuning into their own capacity for knowing, versus looking outside themselves, they will most likely become led into systems of beliefs that are not in their best interest.  This has always been a point of vulnerability for our youth, but it is even moreso now.  

I asked AI to tell me the biggest issues facing our youth with respect to discerning truth, and this is what it came up with.

• Information Overload: With the internet providing instant access to a staggering amount of data, students must learn to sift through conflicting ideas and sources.
• Echo Chambers: Social media and algorithms often expose children to narrow perspectives, reinforcing preexisting biases and discouraging exploration of opposing viewpoints.
• Emotional Manipulation: Advertisements, propaganda, and even news are often designed to evoke strong emotions, which can cloud rational judgment.
  
• Misinformation and Disinformation: Intentional and unintentional falsehoods proliferate, often disguised as credible information, making it hard to distinguish fact from fiction.

One thing that concerns me it the political weponization of information. But even more concerning is the weaponization of censorship. The idea of protecting people from information through censorship is a dangerous road to travel.  Our Constitution put Freedom of Speech as the FIRST Amendment for a reason.  When we supress dissenting voices, or unpopular opinions, we can perpetuate injustice and oppression.  In today's world, where our media are controlled by a small group of elites, this freedom of expression is ever more precious.  

The solution to guarding against manipulation due to false information is to help our youth develop better research abilities, and to know how to discern truth.  Freedom of expression can actually help build spaces where conversations around what is true, how do we know that is true, and the nuances about belief versus fact can be held.

We must allow space for all ideas, even controversial ones, can be examined, debated, and refined.  Differing viewpoints should be held up for examination, and understanding.  Courageous conversations will teach our youth that when we go through the initial discomfort of engaging in conflict resolution, show the willingness to confront opposing ideas, even at the risk of being ridiculed or losing support of certain friends, we see that these conversations open up pathways to growth and understanding, rather than being a barrier to learning.Most important, when we build this capacity we put the burden of  the responsibility for discerning truth onto the student.  The accountability shifts from the adult or authority in the room, to the individual themselves.  This leads to greater self-direction, the fundamental source of a purpose drived life.  Encouraging personal accountability and intellectual resilience in standing in one's own truth is a lifetime gift for our youth.

There are many ways that we can foster this environment in our schools and with our youth. 
To do this we must cultivate environments where:

• Questioning is Encouraged: Children should feel safe to ask, “Is this true?” without fear of judgment.
• Multiple Perspectives are Presented: Diverse viewpoints enable students to compare and contrast ideas, sharpening their critical faculties.
• Mistakes are Seen as Learning Opportunities: The process of seeking truth often involves stumbling; this must be normalized and celebrated.
• Moral and Ethical Considerations are Explored: Truth-seeking is not only intellectual but also ethical, requiring students to consider the impact of their beliefs and decisions.

In a world where the boundaries of truth are increasingly contested, teaching children to seek truth is a profound act of empowerment. It arms them with the tools to navigate complexity, resist manipulation, and contribute to a more informed, compassionate society. Only through the free exchange of ideas can we nurture the next generation of truth-seekers, ensuring they are not only prepared to face the challenges of their time but also equipped to rise above them.

At the entrance of the ancient Greek Temple of Delphi is the Inscription "Know Thyself"

Today's education has moved so far from this primary purpose that it is almost achieving the opposite goal.  By the time our youth have traversed the 12 years of conditioning, and testing in areas that require little critical thought and no personal reference, they are likely to be far from the point of self-awareness and self-actualization.

In Aristotle's writings, particularly in the Nicomachean Ethics, he emphasizes self-knowledge as a cornerstone of virtuous living. He believed that:

• Self-awareness is Essential for Virtue: To live a virtuous life, one must understand their strengths, weaknesses, desires, and motivations. This self-knowledge allows individuals to cultivate moral character and act in accordance with reason.
• Rational Reflection Defines Humanity: Aristotle viewed humans as "rational animals," meaning that true fulfillment comes from using reason to understand oneself and the world.
• Knowing Yourself is Key to Eudaimonia (Flourishing): For Aristotle, self-awareness enables individuals to make choices that lead to a balanced, fulfilling life.

For Aristotle, truth was central to the pursuit of knowledge and the fulfillment of human potential. He believed that:

• Truth is the Goal of All Knowledge: In Metaphysics, Aristotle states, "To say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true." This definition highlights the alignment of thought with reality as the essence of truth.
• The Virtue of Honesty: In his ethical works, such as the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle describes truthfulness as a moral virtue. He argues that honesty in words and actions is essential for virtuous living and meaningful relationships.
• Rational Inquiry as a Path to Truth: Aristotle emphasized the role of reason and systematic inquiry in discovering truth. Through logic, observation, and dialogue, individuals refine their understanding of the world.
• Truth and the Good Life: For Aristotle, living in accordance with truth is integral to achieving eudaimonia (human flourishing or happiness). A life grounded in truth fosters wisdom, integrity, and harmony with oneself and society.

Aristotle saw truth as a fundamental good—pursuing it was not only a personal responsibility but also vital for the health of communities and the pursuit of justice. For him, truth was both an intellectual pursuit and a moral imperative, shaping individuals and societies alike.

I was talking with my sister the other day about the fact that the Common Core Curriculum rarely connects with our community members.  I talked about how one family had recently had their water shut off.  Now, a child arrives at school, and they may not have had a chance to take care of basic needs.  They are not in the mindset to learn something that is completely foreign to their life and the very real and pressing issues they face.   

When talking to my sister, she agreed and said, I don't know why they have to learn about George Washington when that is not relevant to them.  But no, in fact they should learn about Washington.  It is not that George Washington or the founding of this country are irrelevant, it is just that the way in which they are being taught is completely disconnected from their lives.  There are many ways in which the American Revolution already and naturally resonates with their own diffulties and experiences.  We can talk about the real challenges Washington and the rest of the Revolutionaries faced during those critical years in the formation of our country.  In fact, the hardship they faced with basic necessities and the oppression of the King of Great Britian will resonate deeply with some of our older students.

We do not need to create content that is only about pressing personal issues or present day circumstances.  In fact, if we were to have those issues brought up, they could further traumatize and alienate these vulnerable students.  We would lose the opportunity to give them the hope of overcoming their current situation.  There are many beautiful examples throughout history that would better serve the spirit of overcoming and facing challenges.  Otherwise we can pervert this incredible spirit of resiliency into a feeling of victimhood and entitlement.  This is the problem with some of the Critical Race Theory.  It teaches victimhood and creates division and entitlement.

In interviewing scientists and teachers on the cutting edge of creating a curriculum aligned with development and the brain, the consensus was that specific content was not as relevant as how it was delivered.  When thinking of content, it was not whether to include George Washington, or George Bush, but to make the content as deep as possible.  So that if we were to discuss one of the Georges we would talk deeply about their character, who they were and the context of their lives.  In this way our students engage more of their emotional brain, and deepen their experience.  To make content deep, we help them connect it to their own lives, we spend more time on the subject, and make it come to life through artistic activities, role playing and the like.
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We can deliver the curriculum of history, science, and even math in ways that will engage and activate the individual spirit of each of the kids in our classroom.  We simply need to know who they are, connect with them on a personal level, and the tailor our conversations in nuanced ways so as to reach them where they are in their lives.

The involvement of the Federal Government in education came slowly.  There was a gradual building up of influence.  It was at first with the intention of helping to address the funding gap.  Because education is the domain of States Rights, according to the Constitution, States have historically paid for education, mostly through property taxes.  Schools in rich neighborhoods had far greater access to funds than those in impoverished ones.  The goal of the first federal programs was to right this injustice.  As time went on, the government began to give more, but also to have greater control over how these monies were spent.

Rules dictated that textbooks had to be updated every three years, sometimes more frequently, at an extremely expensive pricetag.  Rules dictated that standardized tests needed to be conducted and scored, every year, and now even multiple times a year, another hefty expense.  This left little money to repair crumbling infrastructure, purchase good creative materials, and provide for teachers salaries. Ultimately, the whole system forced the schools to adopt a federal curriculum.  How could they do this, when it was always the States rights to determine how communities and parents saw fit to educate their children.    

It was all based on the carrot and the stick.  Punitive measures for not meeting test scores, were to be relieved through the use of waivers, and also big payouts by the feds, if the schools would sign on to the the federal curriculum: The Common Core State Standards.  

Typical of corrupt federal programs, the name is completely contrary to the truth.  These standards are not State Standards, they are Federal Standards.  They are connected with content, textbooks and testing.  These are the big money items and the way in which the government is stealing state funds, and funnelling into the big publishing houses which reflect the corporate interests, and not the interest of families and students.

It was my privilidge to be a witness to this take-over.  It was a disaster.  I was studying in San Diego at the time, and these schools serve a high number of Latino students.  Because of the punitive mandates, these schools were undergoing school reconstitution.  This meant they had to fire all the teachers and administrators, and basically turn the school over to the state to run.  

Be honest, do you really think politicians have a better idea on how to teach our kids than teachers do?  

Testing is not an accurate measure of good teaching.  It is a better measure of socio-economic status.  

Check out this video to see how the NCLB act was a set up to bring in the federal curriculum of the CCSS.