Appearing on "The Daily Show" Wednesday night, author and public education advocate Diane Ravitch told host Jon Stewart that she's convinced today's generation of children "are the smartest generation yet."
So what's holding American public education back?
"We are number one in child poverty," she said. "And we now have about half of our states where half the kids are living in poverty. For a rich country, this is ridiculous."
Her prescription: "Smaller class sizes, particularly for kids who are poor," nurses on staff at every school, robust arts and physical education, and a greater focus on "civic obligation" to support public schools with tax dollars.
As part of our ongoing Public School Shakedown project, The Progressive will be hosting an event with Ravitch at the Orpheum theater on November 14, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are going for a suggested donation of $5-$10.
Watch her interview with Stewart below, then send an email to andreap@progressive.org to secure your ticket before they're all gone!
Part one:
Part two: