government – IAHE Action

Definitions 101: Defining Terms to Precipitate Political Truth

Our friend, Dawn Kazmierzak, wrote a blog post that defines the many different forms of government. Since we are seeing some of these currently mentioned in the news, we thought it may be a good time to share this information as a reminder of the philosophy behind the various types of government.

“There can be no liberty for a community which lacks the means by which to detect lies.” ~ Walter Lippmann, author of Public Opinion

Ever since Man became a political creature, there have been two opposing views of the relationship between a community and its members:

a) One that puts the state above the individual and
b) One that puts the individual above the state.

Community: A body comprised of smaller units, individuals, citizens or cells united around a common creed, interest, locale, identity or purpose.

Polis: literally means “city” in Greek. Polis can also mean citizenship or a body of citizens. A polis was the typical structure of a community in the ancient Greek world i.e. City/states. A polis consisted of an urban centre, often fortified and with a sacred centre built on a natural acropolis or harbor, which controlled the surrounding territory of land.

Broadly a polis is a state or society especially when characterized by a sense of community.

Republicanism, Monarchism, Collectivism, Socialism, Fascism, Nazism, Communism, Anarchy, Tyranny and Liberty under God, exist because the mindset of the people is such that they want it.

Read more here.

Do You Want the Government to Partner with Your Family?

The Government believes that raising the next generation is a “shared” responsibility between it and a child’s family. They will even provide home visits. They are seeking your comments on their latest policy proposal.

The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) are requesting comments on a draft policy statement on the implementation of effective family engagement practices from the early years to the early grades.

Comments are requested on the draft statement to inform the final document through JANUARY 4, 2016 by emailing your comments to: ECD@acf.hhs.gov.

Background

ED and HHS have established the Early Learning Interagency Policy Board (IPB) to develop policy recommendations and improve program coordination and quality across federally funded early learning and development programs serving children from birth through age eight. Previously, ED and HHS have released policy statements on Expulsion and Suspension Polices in Early Childhood Settings and Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs based on public comments received.

It is the Departments’ position that strong family engagement* is central in promoting children’s healthy development and wellness, including:

social-emotional and behavioral development;

preparing children for school;

seamlessly transitioning them to kindergarten; and

supporting academic achievement in elementary school and beyond.

When families and the institutions where children learn partner in meaningful ways, children have more positive attitudes toward school, stay in school longer, have better attendance, and experience more school success. To further this position, the Departments will release a policy statement on the implementation of effective family engagement practices in early childhood and learning programs.

Read more here.

*family engagement: the systematic inclusion of families as partners in children’s development, learning, and wellness. Engagement is enabled by positive relationships between families and staff in the institutions where children learn. The goal of family engagement is to support family wellness and children’s learning and development.