"Jack was drawn to Teach for America. But he was torn. He felt the pull of a prestigious role on Capitol Hill, and the fear of falling behind peers who were headed to places such as Harvard Law School. Yet his most meaningful experiences in high school and college involved working on issues he cared about alongside the people affected by them-teaching math to inmates at a correctional facility, and advocating against the tobacco corporations that were getting his generation addicted to flavored e-cigarettes."
"A conversation with a Teach for America alumnus working in government sharpened his sense that proximity to problems matters. She lamented that many of the people around her were making policy decisions from "bubbles of power and prestige," far removed from the communities touched by them. Jack chose the classroom. Policy makers and philanthropists aren't particularly focused on first jobs. But these choices matter-and not only for the individuals beginning their careers."
Jack Waxman faced a choice between working in Senator Chuck Schumer's office and committing two years to teaching in East Harlem and chose to teach. Teach for America began in 1989 and Teach for All expanded to a network across more than 60 countries, aiming to inspire young people to work directly with low-income communities. Jack's most meaningful experiences included teaching math to inmates and advocating against flavored e-cigarettes. A Teach for America alumnus warned that many policymakers make decisions from "bubbles of power and prestige" removed from affected communities. Early-career service prepares leaders to address poverty, polarization, environmental degradation, and geopolitical conflict.
Read at The Atlantic
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