Democracy Dies in Darkness
The Conversation
I am a scholar of education policy who studies the different factors that shape students’ learning.
November 8, 2026, at 12:11 a.m. EST
By David Blazar
The Conversation is an independent, nonprofit news organization bringing readers facts and analysis from researchers and scientists. This helps them understand a complex world.
In 1848, Horace Mann, an education reformer, described public schooling as “the great equalizer of the conditions of men.” More than 175 years later, education scholars continue to debate the accuracy of this claim.
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