Critical Reflections about Equity in Education with Dr. John B. King and Dr. Janice K. Jackson

As students and educators begin a new school year amid the ongoing upheaval of the global pandemic and worldwide demonstrations against systemic racism, essential questions about equity in education are taking center stage.

Please join us for our first conversation in a year-long series, Facing History Now: Conversations on Equity and Justice, with Dr. John B. King, CEO of The Education Trust and former US Secretary of Education, and Dr. Janice K. Jackson, CEO of Chicago Public Schools. Drs. King and Jackson will discuss the role of education in this moment of national reckoning, and the importance of civic agency in our classrooms. This couldn’t be better highlighted than in our unique partnership with Dr. Jackson and the Chicago Public School system, where we are training all middle and high school social science teachers to teach three of our core case studies.

DR. JOHN B. KING
John B. King Jr. is the president and CEO of The Education Trust, a national nonprofit organization that seeks to identify and close educational opportunity and achievement gaps. King served as U.S. Secretary of Education in the Obama administration. Prior to that role, King carried out the duties of Deputy Secretary, overseeing policies and programs related to P-12 education, English learners, special education, innovation, and agency operations. King joined the department following his post as New York State Education Commissioner. King began his career as a high school social studies teacher and middle school principal.

DR. JANICE K. JACKSON
As a former student, teacher, principal, network chief, and chief education officer, and now as chief executive officer, Dr. Janice K. Jackson has been immersed in Chicago Public Schools her entire life.

As CEO of the third largest school district in the country, Dr. Jackson is a forward-thinking educator who is focused on improving excellence, equity, and access to high-quality education in all CPS schools. Her efforts, along with those of Chicago’s dedicated teachers and principals, have propelled CPS students to record-breaking academic gains, and education experts across the country regard Chicago as a national leader in urban education.

A lifelong educator, Dr. Jackson is committed to providing all schools with a clear framework for excellence. She holds a master’s degree in leadership and administration and a doctorate in urban school leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She resides in Chicago with her husband and two children, both CPS students.