EDUCATION 2040
Keaton G.
Our Vision for Education:
Quality teachers will be just as crucial in the future Technology will become even more prominent; closing achievement gap is key to Minnesota’s economic future By Kirk Schneidawind, MSBA Executive Director
Editor’s Note: As the Minnesota School Boards Association celebrates its Centennial this year, we’ve asked people to write about their vision of education in 2040. This month, we start off with an essay from MSBA Executive Director Kirk Schneidawind. We’ll also have online-only essays by MSBA’s Paula O’Loughlin on education equity in 2040 and an essay by MSBA’s Greg Abbott on education funding in 2040. In future issues, we will have essays from school board members, superintendents, teachers, and students. If YOU have something to say about education in 2040, feel free to email YOUR essay to Greg Abbott at gabbott@mnmsba.org by March 31.
JOURNAL | MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION
Kirk Schneidawind
“The Jetsons.” Boomers and tail-end Gen Xers understand. A futuristic cartoon created in 1962 whose setting was a futuristic space-age kind of thing set in the year 2062. Orbit City was the model city for the future. George flew to work in his aero-car each day while Jane, Judy, Elroy, and the robot maid, Rosie, did what typical family members do — go to school, go to work, clean the house and take the dog for a walk. While the structure was like that of today’s families, they had the futuristic comforts of technological advantages that made daily life appear utopic and certainly easier than a daily routine of a Minnesotan on a snowy day in January. Albeit a cartoon, it made this youngster give some serious thought to what may be in my future: driving an aero-car to work, a robot completing my daily chores, and everything else done with a simple push of button. Perhaps a
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