When "Good Citizens" Disagree: An Educational Historian Weighs in on the Competing Visions for American Schools (Ep. 44)
In this Courageous Conversation, host Ken Futernick and Dr. Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, delve into the heated debates surrounding American schooling. They explore the historical roots of compulsory education, analyze the recent Supreme Court ruling (Mahmoud v. Taylor) on opt-outs for LGBTQ+-friendly texts, and discuss the rise of unregulated homeschooling. Zimmerman shares concerns about the future of civic education and our ability to bridge divides, offering insights on how to foster courageous conversations in schools.
Featured Guest:
Dr. Jonathan Zimmerman, a historian of education, holds a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and currently teaches at Penn GSE after two decades at NYU, where he chaired the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and received the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award. His scholarship explores how education has been imagined and debated across cultures and time, with books and articles on topics like sex education, religion in curricula, campus politics, and the teaching of controversial issues.
Zimmerman’s academic work appears in leading journals, and he contributes regularly to major outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, and New York Review of Books. A former president of the History of Education Society, he co-edits two major book series and has earned numerous research and publication awards, including several from the Spencer Foundation. His former students hold faculty positions at top institutions, including Brown and George Mason University.
Related Content:
Zimmerman, J. (2025, July 1). Memo to liberals: Diversity can be conservative. The Washington Post.
Zimmerman, J. (2024, October 23). I was wrong about the school culture wars. Kappan Magazine.
Zimmerman, J., & Robertson, E. (2017). The case for contention: Teaching controversial issues in American schools. University of Chicago Press.
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