The Innovators vs. The Makers

The public education system has undergone a great deal of changes over the years.  Many of these changes can be attributed to extremely dedicated and passionate people who were willing to work hard to fix inadequacies throughout the school system.  Each innovator made a vital contribution to help reshape the school experience. 

Linda Brown Thompson was an African American girl living in Topeka, Kansas in the 1950's.  She was only in the 3rd grade but managed to be put in the forefront of a major civil rights battle.   Her family was selected by the NAACP for a nationwide legal attack on the “separate but equal” Supreme Court ruling that had permitted segregation in American schools for half a century.  The Browns and 12 other families all participated by trying to enroll their children in neighborhood white schools but they were all denied admission because of their skin color.  The historical Brown vs. The Board of Education ruling desegregated schools and also shed light on the injustices that African Americans faced due to racism.  I feel that all humans should have equal access to a quality education regardless of race or socioeconomic status.  

Frederick W. Taylor was a mechanical engineer who sought to improve industrial efficiency.  He is regarded at the father of scientific management and was one of the first management consultants.  As one of the intellectual leaders of the Efficiency Movement, he sought to identify and eliminate waste in all areas of the economy and society and to develop and implement best practices.


The innovators have all shared a common interest in improving the conditions of the educational system.  They all took on different tasks in response to what they were currently seeing as holes in our system.  A young Linda Brown Thompson helped desegregate schools allowing other African Americans like myself the right to attend any school.  

Retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Winslow_Taylor