Guest Speaker Dr. John B. King, Jr., founder of Strong Future Maryland, CEO of the Education Trust and former US Secretary of Education

About this Event: Friday, Feb. 26. at noon. Free and open to the public. Register on Eventbrite. You will receive the Zoom link on event day.

With a proud educator as first lady and a progressive President, public education stands at a crossroads. Scorned by Donald Trump and charter school booster Betsy DeVos, U.S. schools struggled even before COVID-19. And now—despite the benefit of the new Administration’s support, public education faces historic challenges. So, what happens now? Join us for a conversation Dr. with John B. King, Jr., CEO of the Education Trust and former U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama, for his take on how to tackle the road ahead. Dr. King, the son of two New York City teachers who both died when he was 12 years old, credits his public school elementary and junior high teachers for saving (and inspiring the course of) his life. Eventually earning degrees in government, law, and education from Harvard, Yale, and Columbia, Dr. King began his career as a teacher and rose through a series of roles including commissioner of education for the State of New York and undersecretary and U.S. Secretary of Education—focusing on closing opportunity gaps for all students, especially boys and young men of color. An accomplished problem solver, Dr. King will explore how to keep alive the American Dream through public education for all our nation’s children.