This Day In Education

It’s October 5, and on this day since 1994 students, parents, and educators have celebrated World Teachers’ Day. 

In today's episode, let’s take a look at the history of the event as well as how we can support teachers on a structural and individual level.

It’s October 4, and on this day in 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite. The launch ushered in a new era for technology, exploration, and education.

It’s October 3rd and on this day in 1957, Allen Ginberg’s poem “Howl” was deemed not obscene. 

Let’s get into it.

San Francisco Municipal Court Judge Clayton W. Horn ruled in Allen Ginsberg’s favor, determining his radical poem “Howl,” was not obscene and therefore not subject to censorship.

It's October 2nd, and on this day in 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first African American Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, following a distinguished career as a lawyer, activist, and founder of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

It’s October 1st and on this day in 1964, Jack Weinberg, a student at the University of California at Berkeley was arrested for distributing political leaflets on campus. The police were able to escort Weinberg to the squad car; but, they soon realized that they would not be able to transport him. Hundreds of students surrounded the car, forcing the police to remain stationary on the Berkeley Campus for more than 36 hours.

This event launched the Free Speech Movement, a student movement that would grow in size and intensity- and eventually lead the UC Berkeley Administration to change their policy concerning political activity on campus.

It’s Sept. 30 and on this day in 1962 Civil Rights icon James Meredith tried to register for classes at the University of Mississippi, only to be denied entrance by Governor Ross Barnett.

It’s September 29th and on this day in 1901 Enrico Fermi was born. Best known for developing the first nuclear reactor and subsequently winning the Nobel Prize in physics in 1938, Fermi was also a passionate and inspiring teacher, beloved by his students.

It’s September 28th, and on this day in 1928, a Scottish bacteriologist returning from summer vacation and discovered mold on a petri dish that had been accidentally left out. Being a scientist, Dr. Alexander Fleming examined the dish under a microscope (rather than just throwing the contaminated item away) and discovered the mold was preventing normal growth of the bacteria he had been studying.

It’s September 27, and on this day in 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, a book that shed light on the dangers of loosely regulated pesticide use and, in publishing the book, inspired generations of environmental educators in the United States and abroad.

It’s September 26th, and on this day in 2006 Facebook welcomed anyone 13 years or older, with a valid email address, to sign up. Hoping to compete with MySpace, which dominated the teen social media market at the time. By 2010, it was the social media platform of choice. 

A lot has changed in the 15 years since Facebook launched. Social media is no longer the innocuous connector of friends and family it once was. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is now a household name– being called to testify to Congress multiple times for privacy violations will do that.