Add logos for co-sponsors here
Patriotism is one of those terms that seems pretty simple—until you start talking about it.
Today, there’s a national conversation unfolding about whether schools should help shape students’ sense of patriotism. Leaders like U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon have suggested that fostering a love of country should be part of what schools do. [add quote and link to America Rocks!]
At the same time, others are raising concerns—asking whether that risks turning schools into advocacy [or indoctrination centers] [or risks subjecting students to indoctrination], or crowding out honest discussions about the full story of our nation.
These disagreements aren’t just happening in Washington—they’re playing out in local communities, including schools, school boards, and dinner tables.
And too often, they leave us more divided than when we started.
So for this event, we’re slowing things down. We’re bringing together a small group with different perspectives—not to win an argument, but to understand each other a little better. The group will respond to these two sets of questions:
When you hear the word patriotism, what does it mean to you personally? (Where did that understanding come from? Has your view changed over time?)
What role, if any, should public schools play in shaping students’ sense of patriotism? (What’s the risk if schools don’t address patriotism? What’s the risk if they do? Where do you draw the line between education and indoctrination?)