Opinion
Voluntary action does public good
Much more so than our international counterparts, Americans tend not to believe that government is the only important means of addressing matters of common concern.
Opinion
Schools need (social) capital
One thing I’ve learned from my North Carolina public school education and my private college experience is to support arguments with data. And in hyperpartisan political times, it’s important to separate facts from fiction. Let’s be clear: For the most part, our schools are adequately funded. In the News & Observer’s July 26 editorial, “Public...
Opinion
Shelter shows power of community
A domestic-violence shelter in Wilson uses a model for combating social problems that draws support from across the political spectrum.
Opinion
Flashback: Give What Back to Whom?
It is entirely possible that one reason charities aren’t reaching their full potential is that they so often pitch donors with a barely disguised mixture of contempt and accusation.
Opinion
Murray’s Coming Apart Offers Explanations for Social Decline
“Our nation is coming apart at the seams — not ethnic seams, but the seams of class.” At first glance, a casual reader could mistake that sentence as originating from the pen of a class-warfare liberal. Instead, it reflects the thesis of libertarian scholar Charles Murray’s new treatise on the economic and cultural decline of whites in the United States, titled Coming Apart. ... Although the book can be “wonkish” and heavy on Census data — so much so that it’s easy to get lost in the weeds — Murray’s latest offering makes a critical point. It’s a must-read for any serious observer of contemporary American culture.
Opinion
Wake Schools Debate: Diversity for Thee, Not for Me?
If proponents of diversity can look beyond their own self-interests, then it is reasonable to assume opponents can as well.
Opinion
Give What Back To Whom?
It is entirely possible that one reason charities aren’t reaching their full potential is that they so often pitch donors with a barely disguised mixture of contempt and accusation.
Opinion
Did my vote matter?
You can make a statistical case against voting, but that's not the only factor at play on Election Day.
Opinion
Communities, schools, education reform
CAMBRIDGE, MA — This article argues that if urban school reform in the United States is to be successful, it must be linked to the revitalization of the communities around our schools. The author indentifies a growing field of collaboration between public schools and community-based organizations.
Opinion
When Arm’s Length is Best
The speaker at Thursday's JLF Headliner luncheon also happened to have a fascinating column in the New York Times about "relationship capitalism." It's worth a read.
