A Look Back at the 1960s: Social Change and ASCD
- In January, the Tet Offensive, in which North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops attacked cities and towns throughout South Vietnam, destroyed the illusion that the United States would soon win the Vietnam War.
- On March 31, President Lyndon Johnson, facing mounting public criticism, made a surprise announcement on national TV: “I will not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president.”
- Four days later, on April 4, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered in Memphis, Tennessee.
- On June 5, Robert Kennedy, campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, was killed in a Los Angeles hotel after winning the California primary.
- The Democratic national convention held the following August made history not for the nomination of presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey, but for the televised scenes of thousands of young antiwar protestors being beaten by police on the streets of Chicago.
During this period of change and uncertainty, ASCD members grappled with questions about how schools could lead the way in moving beyond the divisions that threatened to unravel society. Annual Conference themes—Curriculum Decisions ↔ Social Realities (1968) and Changing Supervision for Changing Times (1969)—reflected the Association's belief that its mission demanded social awareness. In an introduction to the 1968 conference program, Frances R. Link wrote,We are crossing the threshold into even more unfamiliar patterns of human behavior and technological advancement. The conviction to humanize education must still guide our action. The ideas we explore at this Conference cannot be all “blue sky”; some must be “down-to-earth” commitments to action and change. (p. 3)
As Educational Leadership began its second quarter-century of publication, the theme of the October 1968 issue—“Impact of Social Forces in Education”—signaled ASCD members' determination to respond with positive action to this era of civil unrest. In an introductory editorial, ASCD President Muriel Crosby wrote,The problems we face are not new problems: they are the problems we have swept under the carpet for 300 years. The temper of the times has provided the stimulus for their emergence; the cauldron has overflowed, spilling its combustible and volatile lava over the nation. The schools, as the change agent for a house divided, must accept the responsibility for directing social change or be replaced as the institution which, traditionally, has been the bulwark of a free society. (p. 8)
An article by Alvin D. Loving Sr. in the same issue, titled “Will America Survive?”, predicted hopefully,By the year 2000, equality of opportunity will be a way of life. Social justice will be a reality. (p. 9)
Thirty-five years later, we are still working on that vision—and ASCD still has a vital role to play. Happy anniversary, ASCD!
<BIBLIST> <HEAD>References</HEAD> <CITATION> Crosby, M. (1968). Impacts on today's schools. Educational Leadership, 26(1), 7–8. </CITATION> <CITATION> Link, F. R. (1968). Purposes of the conference. Program, Annual ASCD Conference. Washington, DC: ASCD. </CITATION> <CITATION> Loving, A. D., Sr. (1968). Will America survive? Educational Leadership, 26(1), 9–11. </CITATION> <CITATION> U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Information Programs. (n.d.). March toward equality: Significant moments in the Civil Rights movement. [Online]. Available: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/civilrts/march.htm </CITATION> </BIBLIST>
—Information compiled by Deborah Perkins-Gough, Senior Associate Editor, Educational Leadership, David Snyder, ASCD Reference Librarian, and Ben Licciardi, ASCD Library/Publishing Assistant.
Clarification of ASCD Relationship with Sage/Corwin Press
A recent promotional brochure from Corwin Press may have led readers to believe that Corwin's publications were produced or sponsored by ASCD and were the best-selling books at the 2003 ASCD Annual Conference.
Please note that ASCD does not produce or endorse materials provided by Corwin Press and denies Corwin's claim that the books were the best-selling titles at the Conference. ASCD is not affiliated with Corwin Press or Sage Publications.
U.S. Education Secretary Visits ASCD
As part of an ongoing dialogue between the U.S. Department of Education and ASCD, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige visited ASCD headquarters on July 7. ASCD Executive Director Gene R. Carter hosted the visit, which included a luncheon meeting and a tour of the building. Secretary Paige was a longtime ASCD member when he was superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in Texas.
“We are exploring ways in which ASCD can clarify and expand communications between the Department and educators in the field,” said Carter.
Carter noted their mutual commitment to providing educators with the knowledge and training to use disaggregated data as required by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation—especially within the context of closing the achievement gap. “ASCD has resources designed to support educators in this area, and we look forward to exploring ways to extend our support in advancing this key NCLB objective,” said Carter.
An Appeal from the ASCD Nominations Committee
Unprecedented challenges face educators and the organizations that serve leaders in education. ASCD needs leaders who will provide the wisdom, vision, and energy to turn these challenges into opportunities. As the transition to ASCD's new governance structure continues, the 2003–2004 Nominations Committee appeals to the membership—affiliates and individual members—for nominations, including self-nominations, for key leadership positions. Please respond to the call today to ensure competitive races. The application deadline is Dec. 31, 2003.
The following positions are open: President-Elect, Review Council, Board of Directors (two positions), and Leadership Council (six positions). The forms are available on ASCD's Web site (www.ascd.org/pdf/candidacyform.pdf), or from Charles Patterson, Killeen Independent School District, P.O. Box 967, 200 North W. S. Young Drive, Killeen, TX 76540-0967,charles.patterson@killeenisd.org, (254) 501-0006, or Becky DeRigge at ASCD, bderigge@ascd.org, (800) 933-2723.
—Charles Patterson, Chair, Nominations Committee
