Episode 221: Foundations: Public Education and The Economy
Paraphrasing a notable American’s thoughts on education “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people” and on this episode, L. Joy explains that we always have to recommit ourselves to the fight to provide and maintain quality public education while revisiting her interview with Dr. Lester Young. Then she revisits the impactful interview she had with Professor William Spriggs on the Farm Bill in the wake of his passing.
Homework:
How is public education faring in your municipality? Is it fully funded? Of quality? Email L. Joy and let her know the landscape on education where you live at joy@sundaycivics.org
Listen to the first #SundayCivics episode with Professor William Spriggs “Understanding the Economy” https://www.sundaycivics.org/episodes/episode-03
Our Guests:
Dr. Lester Young Lester W. Young, Jr. has made creating opportunities “where every student can be successful” the guiding principle of his more than 50 years of public service. Dr. Young currently serves as Chancellor, Board of Regents, University of the State of New York. His unanimous election on January 11, 2021, made him the first African American Chancellor in the 237-year history of the Board of Regents.
He began his career with the New York City (NYC) Department of Education, holding positions as a Teacher, Guidance Counselor, Supervisor of Special Education and Principal. During his tenure as Principal, PS 183 Brooklyn (Ocean-Hill Brownsville) was recognized as a School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
Dr. Young also served as Assistant and Associate Commissioner with the NYSED (1988- 1993) and led the department’s efforts in New York City (NYC). Dr. Young’s portfolio included state-wide leadership responsibility for the Offices of School Improvement, Community Schools, Bilingual Education, and Migrant Services and Education.
In 1993, returning to his Brooklyn roots, Dr. Young was appointed to the position of Community Superintendent, C.S.D. 13. As Superintendent, Dr. Young is credited for establishing two successful and highly sought-after schools (Benjamin Banneker Academy HS and Bedford Academy HS) as well as replicating the nationally recognized Algebra Project and Comer School Development Program. Chancellor Harold Levy appointed Dr. Young as Senior Superintendent (coordinating services in four Central Brooklyn Community School Districts). He also established and led the first NYC Office of Youth Development and School Community Services. In 2004, after 35 years of NYC public school service, Lester W. Young, Jr. retired from the NYCDOE. During 2004 – 2008, Dr. Young held the position of Visiting Professor at Long Island University, Graduate School of Education, Brooklyn Campus.
In March 2008, the New York State Legislature elected Lester W. Young, Jr. as Regent At Large, The University of the State of New York. During his four terms as Regent At Large, Dr. Young has served as Co-Chair of the P-12 Committee and Chair of the Higher Education Committee. He also Co-Chaired the Workgroup on Early Learning and Early Childhood Education and chaired the Workgroup to Improve Outcomes for Boys and Young Men of Color. His leadership in this area led to the establishment of the NYS My Brother’s Keeper initiative. Also, due to actions by the NYS Legislature, New York remains the only state in the nation to have the My Brother’s Keeper enacted into state law.
Continuing his commitment to public service, Dr. Young is a Governor appointee to the New York Commission on African American History and he is a member of the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group. Additionally, Dr. Young is a Trustee for the Adelaide L. Sanford Institute (ASI); and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Board. During his career, Dr. Young has also been a Trustee on several not-for-profit boards serving the Brooklyn community (the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp., and the Brooklyn Community Foundation).
Dr. Young volunteers as a mentor to superintendents, principals and aspiring leaders throughout New York City. He has been recognized by many local, national education, and civic education organizations for his professional contributions.
Dr. Young is profiled in Men of Courage II, documenting the lives and achievements of 27 African American Men. He is also a contributing writer to Child by Child: The Comer Process for Change in Education, 1999. Dr. Young is married to Dr. Renee Young and they are the proud parents of one son. Dr. Young received his Doctoral Degree in Education (Ed.D.) from Fordham University, specializing in Urban Education and the Master of Science Degree (MS) from Brooklyn College, CUNY.
William Spriggs is a professor in, and former chair of, the Department of Economics at Howard University and serves as chief economist to the AFL-CIO. In his role with the AFL-CIO, he chairs the Economic Policy Working Group for the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and serves on the board of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
From 2009 to 2012, Spriggs served as assistant secretary for the Office of Policy at the Department of Labor, having been appointed by President Barack Obama, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. At the time of his appointment, he also served as chairman of the Health Care Trust for UAW Retirees of the Ford Motor Co.; chairman of the UAW Retirees of the Dana Corporation Health and Welfare Trust; vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute; on the joint National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Public Administration’s Committee on the Fiscal Future for the United States; senior fellow of the Community Service Society of New York; and served on the boards of the National Employment Law Project and very briefly for the Eastern Economic Association.
Spriggs’ previous work experience includes roles leading economic policy development and research as a senior fellow and economist at the Economic Policy Institute; executive director for the Institute for Opportunity and Equality of the National Urban League; senior adviser for the Office of Government Contracting and Business Development for the U.S. Small Business Administration; senior adviser and economist for the Economics and Statistics Administration of the Department of Commerce; economist for the Democratic staff of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress; and staff director for the independent, federal National Commission for Employment Policy. He is a former president of the National Economics Association, the organization of America’s professional black economists.
He graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts and holds a doctorate in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also taught six years at Norfolk State University and for two years at North Carolina A&T State University.
He is a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance and the National Academy of Public Administration.
