Stem and the City: A Report on Stem Education in the Great American Urban Public School System

STEM and the City (second edition) is a book that takes the topics of the first edition and brings them into a post-Covid educational world. Urban public schools are under attack, and the American culture wars are re-emerging and finding their way back into public school curriculum. The authors remain true to their original premise: that American public schools are the greatest vehicle for democracy we have, and because of that they are struggling to re-invent themselves in an America where some are trying to shut them down. Drs. Berube and McKinney discuss STEM schooling during Covid lockdown, the effects it has had on urban science and math students, and schooling post-Covid as schools opened back up to face students traumatized by the experience.
The culture wars rage on in classrooms, governors’ mansions, school board meetings, and content ＂experts＂ who dictate which books to ban from school library shelves. There is hope, however, and the authors use their experience in the classroom, both at the middle school and college level, to reassure teachers (especially STEM teachers) that the children of America still need you.

Clair Berube is associate professor and chair of the department of education at Virginia Wesleyan University, USA.

Sueanne McKinney was a retired associate professor of education at Old Dominion University, USA, and formerly assistant professor of mathematics education at ODU.