Dr. Lewis spoke about the Scribes Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on reducing the opportunity gap for children in underserved communities through literacy and STEAM education.
He discussed the humble beginnings of his organization in 2009, starting in West Hartford on the campus of American School. He expressed concerns about public education challenges, including the current exodus to homeschooling due to disagreements with school policies. Dr. Lewis shared his personal beliefs in school choice and small government, while highlighting Hartford's struggling school district and the use of misleading data to cover up its performance issues.
Global Insights on Education Disparities
Dr. Lewis shared his experience traveling the world and writing for notable figures, including Winnie Mandela. He recalled discovering a magazine article claiming the US had the best public education in the world, which led him to attend a chaotic Harvard Public Schools board meeting where he realized educational disparities existed. He encountered challenges when trying to start a program in Hartford, facing pushback and realizing the importance of understanding local areas and their needs.
Union Opposition to Student Literacy Program
Dr. Lewis shared his experience of being unaware of unions before getting involved in a school board meeting. He realized that not all union members have the best interests of students and teachers at heart. Despite offering a program to help inner-city children improve their literacy on weekends without interfering with regular school hours, Dr. Lewis was opposed by the superintendent and unions, who falsely claimed he would take teachers' jobs. Despite this opposition, he remained determined to help children learn and continued his efforts.
Success of Deaf Education Program
Dr. Lewis went on to discuss his educational program for deaf children, which began at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford and later expanded to non-deaf student's in Hartford. He described the program's success in educating over a thousand children since 2009, focusing on second to eighth graders who are eager to learn. He emphasized the challenges of teaching older students, particularly eighth graders who are more knowledgeable, but highlighted the program's positive impact on children in underserved communities.
Government Policies and Racial Divides
Dr. Lewis expressed his belief that racial struggles and divides are largely induced by government policies, rather than innate human behavior. He shared a personal anecdote about Sheriff Benny Napoleon, who taught him that while birth conditions and zip codes cannot be changed, education can significantly impact a child's life trajectory, particularly for those born in challenging circumstances such as you find in Hartford.
Breaking Poverty Through Exposure
Dr. Lewis discussed the importance of exposure alongside education in breaking the cycle of poverty, using the example of Ana Eve, a student from a disadvantaged background who excelled thanks to exposure to new experiences through the Scribes Institute. He emphasized that exposure to different environments and people can inspire children to pursue different paths and break free from limitations imposed by their zip code or circumstances. He highlighted the Institute's efforts to provide such opportunities, collaborating with organizations like FOCUS to ensure no child has an excuse not to succeed.
