EduCon 2.9

The people that are often praised as education leaders, no matter where they might sit on the " politics of education reform" spectrum — the right or the left, from the public or private sector, "insiders" or "outsiders" — often share a lot in common: namely, their privilege. Their class privilege. Their gender privilege. Their racial privilege. Their age privilege. Their health privilege. Their credential privilege.

We need to stop and ask: whose voices are we hearing? Whose voices are we ignoring? Whose voices are we amplifying? Whose voices are we squelching?

Furthermore, we need to examine how diversity currently looks like, versus what true inclusivity, equity, and social justice look like on their face. Even though more people seem to be embracing the message of having different faces, the same agendas keep coming to the fore.

Educator Jose Vilson, writer Rusul Alrubail, and journalist Audrey Watters will talk about the "Top 10" lists that get crafted, the awards and the recognition that get given, and how we can address questions of diversity (or the lack of diversity) therein. They'll chat race, class, gender and the future of education, how privilege plays out in the politics of education, and how it plays out in those we send into the public sphere to articulate our political (and pedagogical) positions. We’ll also discuss any number of hashtags, the presidential election and its effects on this dialogue, and the continued pindrop silence from too many educators.