0.13 Sampson, p., & Roberts, k. (october 2011). historical comparison  (Page 13/14)

The 1950s had many authors criticizing and questioning education with books such as The Affluent Society by Kenneth Gailbraith, Educational Wastelands by Arthur Bester, Quackery in the Public Schools by Albert Lynd, The Conflict in Education by Robert Hutchins, Education and Freedom by Admiral Hyman Rickover, and Why Johnny Can’t Read by Rudolf Flesh ( (External Link) ). It was during the 1950s when “Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama and Dr. Jonas Salk developed vaccine for polio” ( (External Link) ).

The 1960s found many new acts that related to education. Project Head Start was initiated to help low income students get an early start for academic success. Title I was also established to help low income students. It was during this era that Jerome Bruner wrote Toward a Theory of Instruction and Herbert Kohl wrote The Open Classroom. The National Association (NAEP) began national assessments in reading, mathematics, science, writing, U. S. History, Civics, Geography in grades 4, 8, and 12 with representation of states and students. James S. Coleman, commissioned by the U. S. government, published the Equality of Educational Opportunity in 1966 which led to integration and busing. President Kennedy also started the Peace Corps during this era. Forty-one percent of the population completed four years of high school (Abstract of the United States). It was also during this decade that Madalyn Murray O’Hare challenged the use of the Bible in the schools and won.

During the 1970s, President Carter established the Department of Education. Some of the authors that guided the thoughts of education were Thomas A. Harris’ book, I’m OK, You’re OK, Charles E. Silverman’s book, Crisis in the Classroom: The Remaking of American Education and Newsweeks’ December 8, 1975 article, “Why Johnny Can’t Write”. The Vietnam War and Watergate dominated the political climate of our nation.

During the 1980s education saw Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign against drugs (kclibary.lonestart.edu/decade80.html). Ed Hirsch, Jr. published Cultural Literacy with an emphasis on the basic skills for school students. Madeline Hunter also published Mastery Teaching which guided the lesson plans for many teachers.

The 1990s saw the Gulf War and the Columbine High School shootings. Eighty three percent of the population completed four years of high school (kc.library.lonestar.edu/decade90.html).

The 2000s saw an attack on our World Trade Center killing almost 3,000 people. Other major disasters were hurricanes and the explosion of the Columbia space shuttle. This decade also saw major advances for minorities as Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and Barack Obama became the first African American President of the United States.

Summary

Comer (1997) stated, “A democracy must develop sound and growing economy, sound community and family functioning” (p.10). The connection between educational reforms and legislative acts with presidential inaugural address was made showing that most of the inaugural addresses had limited reference to education. Most of the education eras did have specific legislative acts and these acts did guide educational reforms.