Education Symposium Spotlights Public Schools
In April, the School of Education hosted its 2011 symposium entitled “The State of Education,” featuring Dr. Glen Thomas, Biola alumnus and Former Secretary of Education for the State of California. Dr. Al Mijares (Biola board member and Western Regional Vice President of The College Board), Dr. Ruth Perez (Superintendent, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District), and Dr. Joe Gillentine (Superintendent, East Whittier City School District) also participated in a panel discussion following the address.
Over 250 people were in attendance at the event, and an additional 100 joined in on the live webcast. “We are currently engaged in an epic battle of the future of public education,” said Dr. Thomas, who spoke about four main challenges for the education system: budget cuts, legislative hurdles, an uninformed citizenry and negative coverage from media. Dr. Thomas dissected each challenge and ultimately expressed optimism for the future of public education in California.
Dr. Thomas’ address, as well as the following panel discussion, have been posted to Biola University’s YouTube page.