UK Election: A Lesson for the U.S.vpthomas July 25, 2024 Our guest author is Stan Litow, professor, Columbia University; vice president emeritus, IBM's Global Corporate Citizenship Program; president emeritus, IBM International Foundation and a member of the Albert Shanker Institute Board of Directors. What a month of news! While July is ending with a renewed concern about political violence and a different presidential match-up than the one it started with, before July ends, I’d like to bring us back to a lesson across the Atlantic I’d like to make sure we learn. Looking back, for many the joy of this year's July 4th celebration was muted, largely because of a continued controversy after the U.S. Presidential debate.  July 4th in the UK saw game-changing election results, where the newly elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his party achieved an unprecedented victory. In his victory speech Prime Minister Starmer sincerely sought to unite and not divide his nation, moving his party more toward the center, praising his predecessor and making it clear he intended to bring the nation together by ending divisive rhetoric and seeking agreement behind an agenda that would benefit not some, but all, and supporting the vital role public service and government action can play. Sounds like the sentiments embedded in the U.S. Constitution. Delving into the new Prime Minister's agenda, which may likely go from rhetoric to reality and be implemented due to his incredibly strong majority, one can see a firm commitment and a focus on three core elements: balanced economic growth, firm environmental action, and a clear and focused investment in education. They have already announced their commitment to enhanced teacher recruitment efforts. These three issues are largely not siloed, but very much interconnected and appear to have the support of Americans as well as the British. In the current U.S. administration, we have seen a level of strong economic growth; in fact, far stronger than the economy of any other nation. The recent jobs report reveals another 200,000 plus jobs created, based on steady job growth, low unemployment rates, and a strong stock market in the U.S. over the last two years. We have also witnessed broad bipartisan support behind legislative action, both in the CHIPS Act and the Infrastructure Act, both of which promote economic growth, but also include a specific focus on workforce development linked to investments in education. And with respect to protecting the environmental performance, we have seen unprecedented investments that move away from fossil fuels and into sound efforts to reverse the effects of climate change, something we all experience every day given the hottest summer on record. And here too, while there are a host of elements connected to industry, in virtually every area there is a focus on workforce development to grow "green jobs" and support the education reforms that are connected to that growth. Continued and needed progress must forge ahead even as the presidential election heats up. The facts and the data demonstrate that they must be front and center of a national agenda that meets the needs of the overwhelming number of Americans across the economic spectrum. I recall shortly after Tony Blair was elected as Prime Minister of the UK, attending a meeting with my former boss, IBM's then CEO Lou Gerstner, with the new Prime Minister. In the meeting that lasted over an hour, technological change and education reform linked to economic growth were the only items discussed and it was clear in the view of the Prime Minister and the business leader that they were interconnected. And while some change was made, it was not nearly enough. Now is the time for the new British Prime Minister to move from rhetoric to reality. And, of course, the same is true in the U.S. As was the case with the CHIPS Act in the U.S. which focused on the chips and semiconductor industry, we need to identify core elements of industrial and economic activities where we are at risk to taking a back seat to other nations. The government needs to invest collaboratively with industry in research, public-private partnerships, and especially in both education and workforce development. The semi-conductor industry will not grow unless the education and skills that are needed in the workforce are supported. We need more effort to prepare students for the jobs, and that means a commitment to experiential learning, degree pathways, micro-credentials, and the faculty needed to effectively teach. But we can't stop there. This effort needs a laser-like focus on not just one but all high growth opportunities in areas like cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy connected to green jobs. Education reform also needs critical investments, directly connected to economic opportunity, especially by creating a clear pathway from school to college to career. Tax cuts for the wealthy are not nearly as important or effective as focused and targeted efforts to work collaboratively to grow jobs and benefit all, not just some. The UK needs to address these issues, and likely will under their new leadership, but the U.S. needs to lead in all of them as well.  This would hardly be unique. In the past we have seen both Democrat and Republican leadership in recognition of the importance of a focused education agenda. Today some on the hard right completely disagree. The high profile right-wing Project 2025 report embraced by many, suggests that the U.S. Education Department needs to be completely dismantled and the federal role in education eliminated, with all education policies shifted to the states. Of course, history tells us why this would be catastrophic. Before a Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education many states segregated their schools, denying basic education to millions, and into the 1960's many states simply refused to provide any educational services to students with disabilities. Federal leadership to address these unequal state policies was essential and ultimately was enacted with support across party lines. And, in the face of Soviet leadership in space, the U.S. federal government led a shift toward science, math and technology education along with providing federal action to address the lack of state funding and support for districts with high percentages of low-income students and students of color. This too had strong and consistent bi-partisan support. As we look across the "pond" and support the new leadership in the UK, here in the U.S. we need to smile, and applaud, but more importantly exercise real leadership at the federal level, as well at the state and at the local levels that will continue to provide a model for economic growth. Education support and funding is a critical component of that effort. Blog Topics Democracy electoral participation Issues Areas International Democracy Strengthening Democracy by Stan Litow A democracy lesson from across the Atlantic.

View Entire Post