The Cornwall Library is excited to present James Traub, local author, journalist, and historian in conversation about his new book, “The Cradle of Citizenship, How Schools Can Help Save Our Democracy. ”

This talk is Saturday, March 28 at 4 pm. In-person only (no Zoom). Registration required on the library website: https://cornwalllibrary.org/events/

Traub’s book is about the role that schools should play—and now largely fail to play—in preparing youth for democratic citizenship. He will be in conversation with Maud Abeel, who works with educators throughout the country and will add perspective to the talk.

America’s founders confidently believed that schools would teach young people to understand our political system and to engage in reasoned political debate as adults. Yet in 2022, national testing found that only 13 percent of students scored a “proficient” level in history. Adults do no better: only 40 percent can name the three branches of government.

In his book, which received an extraordinary review from the New York Times, James Traub chronicles a year of observing public schools across the country, talking to teachers, scholars, and curriculum designers. He finds teachers afraid of discussing topics that might be seen as “woke”; a profound disagreement over what exactly civic education means; and diminishing expectations of students with dwindling attention spans.

Yet Traub also finds hope. Virtually all social studies teachers keep their personal views to themselves and encourage students to develop views of their own. He describes the “classical school,” a traditional model based on the study of great books and the conscious molding of character, which prompts students to discuss books and ideas with depth.

James Traub has written extensively about international affairs, national politics, urban issues, and education for The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine. He teaches classes on intellectual history at NYU Abu Dhabi, and is a fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations. Recent books by Traub include “True Believer”, a biography of Hubert Humphrey, and “What Was Liberalism?”, a history of liberal thought.

Maud Abeel works with national, state, and local educators throughout the country to improve high-school-to-post-secondary outcomes for youth in under-resourced communities. After graduating from Oberlin College, she worked as a Teach for America teacher, going on to obtain a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The Cornwall Library
30 Pine Street
Cornwall, CT 06753

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