American Identity Project
As America grapples with growing attacks on democratic values and increasing racial divides, public schools offer a crucial opportunity for a better path forward. To counter rising illiberalism, foundations, and researchers push for sensible reforms such as more civics instruction and accountability, but the more profound challenge lies in shaping a shared American identity.
What does it mean to be an American today?
To address these challenges, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) has launched the American Identity Project, led by Richard Kahlenberg, that asks: “What does it mean to be an American today?” In a highly polarized country, what precisely are the best ideas and values that bind together what author Heather McGee calls a nation of “ancestral strangers”? In addition, once those American values are identified, what are the best ways to instill them in school children? What exactly should the public schools be doing to teach a common American identity that inculcates a deep and healthy sense of reflective patriotism?
