Equitable Education & Collective Wellbeing: Can we measure ourselves differently?

It is not my custom to write about concepts in terms of only one nation but recently these concepts have been at the forefront of my thinking and reflection. As I watch the news or read about the issues arising daily around the world, I ponder these things in terms of my home country, the USA. Education is the most important gift we can offer our children. It is through equitable education that we can build a strong united nation. We cannot marginalize people and expect a united future. Our definition of success and prosperity needs to shift. Read the article from NPR and watch the TED Talk by First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon. Consider the multiple benefits of shifts in mindsets, processes and policymaking...

Perpetuation or Transformation

 Schools can perpetuate the systems currently in place, maintaining the status quo or schools can transform a society. We can transform our country through education that promotes international mindedness and values the process of learning over passing exams. We need a country of people who love to learn, who are creative and innovative. We need a unity, peace and contentment. Which path will we choose for our education system?

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​NPR: This Supreme Court Case Made School District Lines A Tool For Segregation

Bravery requires taking bold steps for action. Who will begin to propose new laws for public fund distribution to public education? Are we not the home of the brave and the land of the free?

This article from NPR is spot on. Reading it this morning, I was relieved to see someone has finally done a study to demonstrate that our district lines, community construction and distribution of funds are organized to promote inequality and segregation. As an educator who truly believes in the power of education, I always saw this issue as our biggest problem in the USA; as it stands, we cannot empower our youth to build a strong unified, diverse community if they do not know each other and learn together. Can we take the steps to begin to organize ourselves differently?

​Financial decisions reflect values and culture. This is a recognized organizational norm. Our finances do not reflect that we value equality or diversity. Every youth in our country is part of our future and each youth deserves an equal chance in the public education system. We can give them the future they desire and live the values we speak about; if we truly believe in bringing equitable education to our nation. Schools should provide equitable education by providing equal access to resources and programs not by property values in a district but by statewide distribution of funds. I love my country but if we perpetuate the current system, then we as a nation choose to perpetuate segregation and marginalization. 

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Later in the same week, I received my weekly update from TED Talks. Over the past two years, the issue of how we measure our success as a nation in terms of a growth economy have bothered me. How can we tackle the sustainability issues if we are constantly told our economy has to grow and produce above and beyond the previous years' growth indicator? How is it possible to not abuse the remaining natural resources if the we feel as nations that sales and material wealth are our priorities? I really believe this approach taken by Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand to form a network of Wellbeing Economy Governments is something the world should carefully consider. While I value the free market economy and the American dream, I also do not see the need for promoting such materialism and waste. If we truly want to provide a future for our youth, then changing our measurement of success is vital for a sustainable future. 

To measure our economy in terms different parameters is groundbreaking:

• Number of people working and sustainable employment
• Number of people receiving health care, general health of a nation
• Happiness factor - general human wellbeing, fitness and mental health
• Equal pay and closing the gender gap
• Access to nature and green space
• Resources consumed, reused and recycled
• State of sustainability - human and material resources
• Access to education, multiple literacies
• Decreased violence and benefits of preventative programs

In 2018, Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand established the network of Wellbeing Economy Governments to challenge the acceptance of GDP as the ultimate measure of a country's success. In this visionary talk, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon explains the far-reaching implications of a "well-being economy" -- which places factors like equal pay, childcare, mental health and access to green space at its heart -- and shows how this new focus could help build resolve to confront global challenges.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.