Ambassador Ray Flynn on Public Leadership During Global Crisis & the Case for Catholic Schools

This week on “The Learning Curve” (St. Patrick’s Day edition), Cara and Gerard discuss COVID-19’s ongoing toll on families and K-12 education. They interview Raymond Flynn, former Ambassador to the Vatican and three-term Mayor of Boston. Ambassador Flynn shares thoughts on the world-historical moment presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, how public leaders are responding, and how it compares to past crises. He recalls his background as an Irish-Catholic product of religious schools, who rose to service on behalf of a sainted Pope, to remind us of the benefits uniquely offered by Catholic schools, especially for urban poor and minority communities. He also calls on clergy members, elected officials, and policymakers to strengthen their advocacy efforts on behalf of faith-based education, so that we can finally end the bigoted legacy of 19th-century Blaine Amendments that block access to opportunity for all children.

Stories of the Week: In Philadelphia, the school district is refusing to provide remote instruction during the Coronavirus shutdown, claiming concerns about inequity on behalf of those who lack computers or high-speed internet at home. Is this a genuine recognition of the digital divide, or an excuse to deny 200,000 schoolchildren a quality education? The U.S. Department of Education issued guidelines specifically for America’s 7 million students with special needs, who are especially vulnerable as a result of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The next episode will air on March 27th, with guest, Jay Mathews, a Washington Post education columnist and the author of nine books, including Escalante: The Best Teacher in America.
Newsmaker Interview Guest:

Ambassador Raymond Flynn was a three-term Mayor of Boston and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See during the Clinton Administration. He also served as a Massachusetts State Representative, on the Boston City Council, and in the U.S. Army. Ambassador Flynn is a leading lay Catholic voice in the United States, a best-selling author of The Accidental Pope and John Paul II: A Personal Portrait of the Pope and the Man, as well as a frequent newspaper columnist, national TV analyst, and national talk show host. Flynn graduated from Providence College as a Dean’s List All-American-Academic. He earned a Master’s degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

The next episode will air on March 27th, with guest, Jay Mathews, a Washington Post education columnist and the author of nine books, including Escalante: The Best Teacher in America.

Tweet of the Week:

The widespread shutdown of the American economy because of the coronavirus could spark a repeat of the Great Depression, former Trump economist Kevin Hassett said https://t.co/RXSF0eNS9o

— CNN (@CNN) March 19, 2020

News Links:

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/03/18/philadelphia-schools-citing-inequity-wont-teach_ap.html

https://www.the74million.org/article/absolutely-im-worried-for-children-with-special-needs-unprecedented-coronavirus-school-closures-bring-confusion-uncertainty/