News Display: Teacher in Space Project, Thursday, August 27

The Everett Cafe features thematic news displays on a wide range of educational topics, in addition to daily postings of headlines from around the world. Stay tuned into current events and consider how the news may impact teaching and learning.

• Student Kneel-ins at Atlanta Churches, Friday, 8/7


On August 7, 1960 a group of black and white students staged “kneel-in” demonstrations at churches in Atlanta to protest segregation. Twenty-five students, including those from New York University, Morehouse College, Spellman College, Howard University, and Fisk University, sat in at six white churches, only two of which allowed the students to join the congregation. Their controversial experiences were described in the Atlanta Inquirer and other major newspapers, prompting reflection on religion and moral action in the fight for civil rights. On the following Sunday, August 14, the students sat in again, but this time they were accepted at five churches.

In remembrance of the kneel-ins, the Gottesman Libraries will feature front page headlines that also cover the “wade ins” at the beach and “ride-ins” on the buses.

For an overview of the history and an interpretation of kneel-ins, be sure to check out Catherine Lawson’s essay, “The Most Segregated Hour in America: Protesting Segregation in the Church.”


• Open Admissions at CUNY, Friday, August 14


On August 14, 1970, City University of New York inaugurated an open admissions policy which allowed more students to enter into higher education. An outgrowth of the Civil Rights movement, the new policy led to record numbers of entering freshmen, particularly Black and Hispanic. The only criteria for entrance was a high school diploma or a General Education Development certificate.

Remedial education began to support students that were not ready to meet the demands of a college education. While CUNY faced heated criticism, it suffered a decline in academic prestige, being dubbed the “Harvard of the Proletariat” by then Mayor Giuliani. CUNY ended its open admissions policy in 1999 and offered a number of different options for those wishing to pursue higher education, including an associated degree program within CUNY’s community colleges; immersion programs; and tutoring.

In addition to the newspapers on display, read The New York Times article of October 19, 1970, “Open Admissions: American Dream or Disaster?” for a timely analysis of the controversial policy.


• Hawaii Becomes the 50th State, Friday, August 21


Hawaii is the newest of the 50 states in our country, having officially joined on August 21st 1954. Originally inhabited by Polynesians and referred to as the “Sandwich Islands” by Captain James Cook in honor of the Earl of Sandwich, Hawaii preserved its own kingdom from 1810-1893. King Kamehameha III placed Hawaii under U.S. protection in 1875, due to pressures from Great Britain and France. With a tumultuous history, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown by a resident American and some European businessmen. For the next four years Hawaii was an independent republic. It became annexed by the United States in 1900.

The attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor drew the U.S. into World War II, establishing historical military significance, but it took another nine years for Hawaii to become a state. The only state to be completely surrounded by water, Hawaii is located on an archipelago, with hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles. It is a chief producer of sugar, coffee, and pineapple and it is the only state in the country with a unified or statewide school system.

Come and read newspaper articles about the history and development of Hawaii, as we mark the anniversary of her statehood.

For an educational web display on Hawaii at the Library of Congress see “Hawaii Becomes our 50th State.”


• Teacher in Space Project, Thursday, August 27


The Teacher in Space Project was announced by Ronald Regan on August 27, 1984; part of the NASA program, its goal was to inspire students, honor teachers, and generate interest in math, science, and space exploration. In 1985 NASA selected Christa McAuliffe to be the first science teacher in space. McAuliffe died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, while her back up, Barbara Morgan was assigned to Endeavour, the oribiter that replaced Challenger and was eventually launched on August 8, 2007.

Examples of curriculum created in connection with the Teacher in Space Project are available through ERIC, the database of the Educational Resources Information Center. In an additional Teacher in Space Project guide, students, for example, can analyze the costs and benefits of space travel, develop their own space station, and explore the decision-making processes involved in the shuttle.

The Gottesman Libraries' news display will highlight the growth of the government-funded Teacher in Space Project and conclude with more recent private initiatives, such as Teachers in Space. Ponder the role of education in space exploration, real and virtual.