Sacred Trust

"Sacred Trust: A Children′s Education Bill of Rights is a clarion call to action for all Americans who care deeply about children and public education. Peter Cookson cuts through the endless policy debates and presents a positive plan for building 21st century public schools for all children."—Richard W. Riley, Former U. S. Secretary of EducationSenior Partner, EducationCounsel, LLC, Washington, DC"Peter Cookson′s vision for a truly inclusive and quality public school system could not come at a better time. As many of our children are struggling, we need a national vision and a genuine sense of hope. Sacred Trust is a caring, yet uncompromising wake-up call to honor and support public education."—Ramon C. Cortines, Former SuperintendentLos Angeles Unified School District, CAAll students have the right to an excellent education Policy expert Peter W. Cookson, Jr. boldly describes a proposed education bill of rights for American students, including ideas on how to restructure the United States Department of Education for greater equity and improved academic achievement for all learners. School leaders will find a national blueprint of action that has been endorsed by major political, economic, and educational leaders. The book asserts that all children have the right to: Attend a school that is funded for 21st-century excellenceDevelop individual learning styles to the optimal extentHave their heritages honored and incorporated into studyIncluded are examples illustrate problems and solutions from a wide range of public and private schools in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Through vivid storytelling and relevant research, Cookson provides specific and innovative steps for creating a concrete action plan that will lead to just, equitable, and world-class schools.

Peter W. Cookson, Jr. is the founder of Ideas without Borders, a Washington DC-based educational consulting firm focusing on human rights and 21st century learning. A sociologist of education he has taught and held leadership positions at several leading colleges and universities including Teachers College, Columbia University. After working as a case worker in New York City, Cookson started his teaching career as a fifth grade social studies and English teacher in rural New England. He writes extensively on the topics of equality of educational opportunity, 21st century learning, and school choice. Some of his works include School Choice: The Struggle for the Soul of American Education (Yale University Press), Expect Miracles: Charter Schools and the Politics of Hope and Despair (Westview Press) and What Would Socrates Say? in Educational Leadership.He holds a doctorate in the sociology of education from New York University and a master’s degree from Yale Divinity School, where he held the Katsuso Miho Scholarship in Peacemaking.