Restoring Humanity to Education

Chris McNutt and Nick Covington from Human Restoration Project present their findings from traveling across the United States conducting focus groups with students and teachers. Their central argument is that educational problems are systemic rather than individual, requiring a "show, don't tell" approach to change. Drawing parallels to transportation and environmental issues, they argue that blaming individuals for participating in harmful systems misses the structural nature of these problems.

"You can't muscle your way out of a systemic problem... we put all of the responsibility on our students to thrive and exist in an oppressive system that's just almost even more oppressive."

"Argument rarely leads to any actual change... labeling breeds hostility and leads to inaction... you have to show rather than tell."

• The presentation critiques focusing on individual teacher actions while advocating for systems change, yet also encourages individual teachers to model alternative practices. How might educators resolve this apparent contradiction? When does individual action become complicit in harmful systems versus when does it serve as necessary resistance?
• The data shows remarkable consistency in what students want (more collaboration, hands-on learning, outdoor time), yet these preferences are often dismissed in educational decision-making. How should schools balance student preferences with adult expertise about learning? What are the risks and benefits of making students true partners in educational design rather than just consultees?