Jon Bacal

Youth leadership coach

[Jon Bacal @JonBacal1]

@JonahDispatch Zero

[Joshua Claybourn @JoshuaClaybourn]

British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher famously once said, “Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.” Nearly all European nations trace their beginning to a common ethnic kinship or a cultural characteristic, but America was created by exiles united in voluntary assent to shared political beliefs. That’s why British writer G. K. Chesterton visited the United States for the first time and remarked that America was “a nation with the soul of a church,” not because of its religiosity, but because of a common creed enshrined in “sacred texts” of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

In 1776, a near-miraculous stew of ideas and leaders came together to form a Declaration of Independence, and 11 years later an equally miraculous gathering formed the Constitution, both centered on a belief in universal human dignity.

Government does not grant you the right to free speech, assembly, religion, press, protest, or redress of grievances. We believe that these rights are inalienable and government’s role is simply to protect those rights and ensure human dignity. Government is just a tool, not a source. That’s really a remarkably profound idea we take for granted and fail to celebrate enough.

Of course, the sad irony is that the very Founders who argued these ideas so frequently fell short of those same principles. Some owned slaves, and nearly all opposed equal rights for women. So it naturally caused upheaval when nineteenth century Americans increasingly adopted a view held that “All men are created equal,” including black Americans, and a few generations later it came to encompass women as well.

Abraham Lincoln believed that the Declaration of Independence did not necessarily proclaim people equal in all respects. Instead, it meant that all people were created with certain equal, inalienable rights—they are ours by right of simply being human—among which are “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” A free society should always strive to achieve these equal rights, even if, as in the case of the Founders, it fell short of that goal in the past. The Declaration’s concept of equality is an aspiration, Lincoln said, “constantly looked to, constantly labored for, and even, though never perfectly attained, constantly approximated, and thereby constantly spreading and deepening its influence and augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people, of all colors, everywhere.”

That is the genius of Lincoln’s argument: that the Constitution is concrete (at least until amended), but the Declaration of Independence is aspirational, and the American project is a move toward the aspiration.

Despite its roots in American independence, the 4th of July is incomplete without understanding and celebrating Lincoln too. His unique view of the Declaration as an aspirational goal helped properly frame American independence for what it was and what it was bound to be.

[Educators for Excellence (E4E) @Ed4Excellence]

#E4EMN is celebrating! The #MNLeg Senate voted YES on an amendment that would remove harmful language that eliminates pathways to teacher licensure from its education bill!

Watch Sen @JudySeeberger share her story about why these pathways MUST remain open https://t.co/Af5YomChlv

[Joe Nathan @JoeNathan9249]

Thx Sen @JudySeeberger for convincing Mn Senators to retain the tier system that helps attract and retain educators. Thx @JRPMN04 @EdAlliesMN for helping elevate voice of BIPOC Youth @citizenstewart https://t.co/CBIWjHgyFg

[Lucky @mosaicgraffiti]

I am at the Capitol today with @EdAlliesMN empowering teachers/protecting pathways- tier licensing. & I’m in Aw in a group mtng with a black teacher & director & youth speaking their truth. This hit me #mnleg #edchat 💔

[Star Tribune Opinion @StribOpinion]

Commentary from Anthony Holloway: Don't block the path of would-be #teachers https://t.co/EoFYcyKvk2

[hthunboxed @hthunboxed]

Walter Cortina just gave a KILLER keynote at #DL2023.

You can read more about his story in this excerpt from @husslington's book, here: https://t.co/quW4OxUYiJ

@hthgse

[EdAllies @EdAlliesMN]

A letter signed by 18 different organizations opposing SF1477 (and the companion bill HF1224) can be found here: https://t.co/Ets1kZlVFr

[EdAllies @EdAlliesMN]

“What if the common denominator for why newer teachers struggle or leave isn’t their pathway to the classroom but rather the working conditions for teachers once they are in one?” – Matt Shaver (@mattmcshaver), EdAllies’ Policy Director #mnleg #licensurepathways

[EdAllies @EdAlliesMN]

Amazing testimony on the impact of Mr. Walker, an amazing Tier 1 teacher who would be impacted by SF1477, from Julian Spencer at @Youthprise #teacherlicensure #mnleg

Watch the hearing here: https://t.co/CNIrbMre9l

[Education Evolving @EdEvolving]

Snowstorm scuttle your plans today? Use the time to finish your #SCL4E session proposal! 😉 Two days left to submit: https://t.co/DBSij53JSN

[Jose R. Perez @JRPMN04]

Rest In Peace Senator David Durenberger 🙏🏼 thank you for all the work you have done on behalf of the people of MN, and thank you for all your advice, I wish I had more of your time to have had soaked in more of your wisdom.

[Beth Hawkins @beth_hawkins]

4/ Here's math, in which 52% of white students mastered grade-level content.

Black 8%; Indigenous 7%; Latino 11%; students with disabilities 13% and English learners 7%

[Beth Hawkins @beth_hawkins]

3/ In reading, 64% of white district students read at grade level, but:

Black 14%; Indigenous 16%; Latino 17%; English learners 11% and students with disabilities 17%.

This is what the aggregate hides in terms of literacy.

[Beth Hawkins @beth_hawkins]

2/ One of my peeves with Minnesota exceptionalism is that we often don't look past those aggregates, however. So here are Minneapolis Public Schools rates disaggregated by race and other demographics.

[Beth Hawkins @beth_hawkins]

Hey Minneapolis education types, you may have noticed that 2022 end-of-year assessment results were released by the state today. They're not good. Here they are in the aggregate: https://t.co/uCQVCZ86Wo

[Joe Nathan @JoeNathan9249]

Hayat Muse & Lincoln Bacal were fantastic leading Tuesday's celebration of high school youth who achieved historic victories $30+ miillion for unemployment assistance for students who had been laid off due to the pandemic - and elimination of an unjust 1939 state law @youthprise

[Joe Nathan @JoeNathan9249]

Cole Stevens @FvnkSoulBrother & Walter Cortina helped lead a historic effort to successful challenge & change Mn policy toward high school students - and now are leaders of @bridgemakersmn Great leaders @albertolcnmedia @Cmarianirosa @TorresRayMN @MarcusPope99 @citizenstewart

[Joe Nathan @JoeNathan9249]

Hayat Muse & Lincoln typically gave lots of credit to others - but were very modest about their vital roles in bringing justice to Mn high school students @bridgemakersmn https://t.co/w5ZKwvVdMG