7th Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research

Kindly reposted with the permission of the American Educational Research Association

Nearly 600 individuals from federal agencies, national organizations, Capitol Hill, scientific and scholarly associations, and academe filled to near capacity the amphitheatre of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on Thursday, October 28, to hear Kenji Hakuta deliver the 7^th Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research.  Hakuta, Lee L. Jacks Professor of Education in the Stanford University School of Education, addressed the crowd on “Educating Language Minority Students and Affirming Their Equal Rights: Research and Practical Perspectives.”

Hakuta pressed for the importance of research-informed policy for addressing the needs of language-minority children. “Language‐minority students must be provided with an equal opportunity to learn the same challenging content and high‐level skills that school reform movements advocate for all students,” he said. “Proficiency in two or more languages should be promoted for all students. Bilingualism enhances cognitive and social growth, competitiveness in a global marketplace, national security, and understanding of diverse peoples and cultures.”

In welcoming remarks, AERA President Kris Gutiérrez of the University of Colorado, Boulder noted that the Lecture was inaugurated in 2004 to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the landmarkBrown v. Board of Education decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. She added, “The AERA Brown Lecture serves as an exemplar of the Association’s commitment to use education research to advance the public good and to draw attention to the contribution and importance of research issues that are at the heart of the Brown decision—educational equality and equity. The Lecture now stands as one of the Association’s signature scholarly events.”

Professor Hakuta was introduced by William H. Watkins of the University of Illinois, Chicago. Watkins, chair of the Brown Lecture Selection Committee, also chairs AERA’s Social Justice Action Committee.

Education Week, October 29, 2010: Hakuta: Fear of Bilingualism Is Part of U.S. Culture

YouTube Video – Interview with Dr. Kenji Hakuta on Equal Educational Opportunity:

Webcast of Brown Lecture (To be posted soon!)

7th Annual Brown Lecture Event Photos