Education and Institutional Trust

Investment comes from the many not the few

Investment in public education is one of the marked achievements of a "Good Society". Another
fundamental component is trusted institutions that provide the means to address change within our society. A measure of the depth of trust we have is realized in how we associate with valued institutions dealing with schools, banks, housing, and the environment. Politics can weigh heavily upon this and dismantle the bonds of trust that were created over time. Most recently, schools have been targeted as ground zero with political attacks upon its institutions that weaken social bonds between teachers, parents and students. Trust is something that must continually be developed and nurtured by all stakeholders in education that work for the success in the lives of our children.

Our educational institutions evolve with changes in our society and it is important to maintain open lines of communication that invite dialogue on important issues that now challenge the very premise of how we define learning in the 21st century classroom. Informed and thoughtful insights to address these new challenges can only arise from public investment into the debate over the pathways to learning. It can not be dictated to people, it must come from the people with a proliferation of ideas and solutions. Intelligence and critical thinking are aspects of humankind that can be unleashed most dramatically in the 21st century through amazing arrays of dialogue now available on the Internet. The important idea to gather here is the need for the strength of the minds of many to deliver the solutions needed to bridge the achievement gaps we face in the classroom.