Classical Education News & Articles | May 2023
In addition to reviewing books, ClassicalEd Review provides our readers with a monthly compendium of recent articles and news stories related to classical education and the liberal arts.
Character Formation is Central to a Liberal Education: The Example of Wake Forest University
by Jennifer Frey
The movement to reconnect knowledge and virtue is not limited to classical schools that focus on primary and secondary education (K–12). Some institutions of higher education are also taking character education seriously, such as Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
American Students Are Starving for Fiction and Poetry
by Mike St. Thomas
High school students today are learning primarily to read nonfiction texts for information. We should offer them so much more.
A More Sex-Sensitive Classical Christian Education
by Scott Yenor
The Christian and Western traditions offer a refreshing alternative to the feminist thesis.
What Is the Future of Classical Education?
by Josh Herring
In a debate between diversity and "hero-worship," both sides miss classical education's role in the current moment.
Restoration, Not Representation
by Jessica Hooten Wilson
It's not "woke" to restore worthy but neglected contributions to the great tradition.
Maintaining a Canon in Woke Times
by Scott Yenor
Jessica Hooten Wilson proposes a revolution in classical Christian education under the guise of restoration.
A Poet and Priestess from Ancient Times
by Jessica Hooten Wilson
Enheduana is the first poet in history whose name we know.
The Unmighty Aphrodite: Lessons from the Goddess-Mother
by Carrie Eben
Mothers are many things, but they are not goddesses. Aphrodite was both.
No to Conservative Accommodationism
by John Fonte
The Right concedes ground to the woke revolution and gives bipartisan legitimacy to a progressive project that aims to diminish the moral capital of historic America.
What’s Un-American About Accommodation?
by James Stoner and Paul O. Carrese
Conservatives can't simply opt out of the national debate on civics education.
Are English Departments Really Dying?
by Richard Phelps
A closer look at the numbers reveals a more subtle story.
Reading for Meaning: Tapping into the Collective Unconsciousness
by Patrick Egan
The story of Saint George and the Dragon is a classic tale of courage and faith. It tells the story of a brave knight, George, who saves a princess from being sacrificed to a dragon that has been terrorizing a small town. After slaying the dragon, George is celebrated as a hero and his bravery is rewarded with the hand of the princess in marriage. The story has been adapted into many different versions throughout history, but its core message remains the same: courage and faith can overcome any obstacle.
At This New College, Accreditation Is Beside the Point
by Peter Roff
American higher education is alive but not well. For decades, the quality of the instruction available at both private and public institutions has declined at the same time, or perhaps because of an extreme diversification of the subjects in which degrees can be awarded.
Opening Doors for School Choice
by Frederick M. Hess
Educational choice is popular right now, but it's important to use that momentum prudently.
Classical Deception: Reactionary Misappropriation of Greek Classics Fuel Culture Wars in Education
by Joel Christensen
US conservatives so misunderstand the Classics, and their role in education, that they are manipulating them to demonise liberal education, ultimately at the cost of the Greek Classics.
Larry Arnn Reveals Secret of Hillsdale College’s Success
by Tony Kinnett
Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn criticized the overcomplication of learning in K-12 schools and universities across the nation, calling for America to return to “the classics.”
Clueless Classical Ed Critics Accidentally Make A Killer Case For It
by Mark Hemingway
If you think classical education is racist, tell that to W.E.B. Du Bois.
More Garden. Less Lab
by Patrick Whalen
The role of synthesis and analysis in education
Make Way for Faith-Based Charters
by Andy Smarick
Even as federal courts seem poised to legalize these institutions, policymakers will be essential to ironing out the details.
A Reading List Against the Hidden Curriculum
by Patrick Whalen
Marshal McLuhan famously said that “the medium is the message.”1 The way something is packaged, it’s environment, architecture, clothing, schedule, etc. is unavoidably integral to its message.
Poetry Recitation Returns
by Stanley Kurtz
With gloomy education news all around, it’s time to celebrate and defend a truly encouraging development. The long-abandoned classroom practice of memorizing and reciting poetry is about to return. Both Georgia and Arkansas have included poetry-recitation requirements in their proposed new English Language Arts standards.
Florida College to be First in State to Offer Exam Rooted in Classical, Christian Values
by Samantha Kamman
A public university in Florida will allow students to submit test scores from a college entrance exam that is said to be more rooted in Western classical and Christian traditions as an alternative to the ACT and SAT.