Work done by Chicago's education faculty has been recognized as extremely influential by researchers in many disciplines, as well as policy makers. In recent decades, for example, Chicago faculty have had great influence on compensatory education, comparative understanding of the United States and other educational systems, and discerning the relationship between spending and educational change. We reject the low place of educational research in the University's new list of priorities. The consequences for the field of education are enormous. The University of Chicago will no longer produce educational scholars at a time when education is prominent on the national agenda, when the fifty states face enormous educational challenges, and when urban leaders, including those in the city of Chicago, are taking bold steps to improve their schools.
Policy makers rely on sound research to inform their decisions.
We urge the University to fulfill its obligations in preparing scholars who will produce this new knowledge. This action betrays the legacy of Chicago's towering figures in educational research. Distinguished faculties of education have played a significant role in securing the University of Chicago's esteemed reputation. We are not invoking nostalgia here. In the past, when departments at Chicago faced difficult times, problems were tackled and remedies were implemented.