When the clock atop Wilson Hall strikes 7 p.m. Tuesday, the lights dim and the auditorium inside buzzes with anticipation as three silhouetted figures take the stage.
Chief of Staff David Kirkpatrick took to the stage to introduce University President Jonathan Alger and Virginia Secretary of Education Amy Guidera (R), who will take center stage to launch the Common Good in the Commonwealth. He was sitting on two purple chairs. : A Fireside Conversation with Virginia Education Secretary Amy Guidera. ”
In his opening remarks, Kirkpatrick said that in addition to a visit from Sen. Tim Kaine (D) last semester, Guidera's speech both supported the “better conversations between regions” that JMU is working to have throughout the academic year. This is part of a new initiative to “work on the future.” difference. ”
Kirkpatrick said ahead of the event that the goal of the initiative is to create a space for a “broad range of political viewpoints” to be expressed by emphasizing each citizen's right to free speech, something JMU often says He added that it meant “leading the national dialogue.” ” About civics education.
“As you know, we are in a time of hyperpolarization,” Alger said. “Still, there are many issues on which we should work together to move forward and find common ground.”
Collaboration is exactly what Guidera is trying to achieve. K-12 education, like higher education, should be a place for “diversity of thought,” and the administration is building on that diversity through initiatives such as sponsoring the 2023 Virginia Citizens Summit. He said he is working toward that goal. Last November, the goal was to strengthen civic engagement across Virginia's higher education institutions.
Guidera said JMU is a “model” for how well it values free speech through initiatives such as the creation of Democracy Fellows, and other civil debate initiatives are being implemented at all schools in Virginia. He added that he hopes that
SGA Sergeant at Arms and Democracy Fellow Senior Valeria López-Postigo took to the stage around the 45th minute mark to participate in the discussion with Guidera.
Following the introductions, Mr. López Postigo asked Mr. Guidera if he thought there was value in initiatives such as the Valley Scholars Program, which serves ambitious first-generation students who show academic promise. I started with. Guidera said he thinks JMU's ability to identify motivated students and financially support their path to college is “remarkable” and “absolutely important.”
López Postigo then asked Guidera about his views on standardized testing and whether he thought the opposition to standardized testing in universities would “spread over” to K-12 education. Guidera said he believes standardized tests can help policy makers and schools get concrete data to improve schools overall. He added that Virginia needs to find a way to “modernize” its rating system so that it is “informative rather than destructive.”
The main lecture ended around 8:00 p.m., and the speaker opened the floor to questions from the audience. JMU students, faculty, and community members asked Guidera questions about topics such as career paths and leveraging technological innovation in education.
Kirkpatrick said JMU has not yet issued invitations to speakers who will visit campus as part of the “Joining Better Conversations Across Differences” series, but said that through this initiative, JMU is committed to promoting free speech. He said he hopes and plans to continue promoting it.
“The idea of having productive conversations across the divide is something JMU faculty, students, and staff do well,” he said. “For us, it is exciting to host this series because it is not only a way for us to learn together with each other, but also a way to set an example for our colleagues across the state and nation. ”
Contact K. Mauser at brightnews@gmail.com. For more JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow our news desk at X @BreezeNewsJMU.
