Tomorrow, Michael Petrilli will be conducting a live chat with Kathleen Porter-Magee and Matt Chingos of Brookings on lessons learned (or not) since No Child Left Behind was enacted twelve years ago. (Tweet your questions to #NCLBchat.)
Just how long ago was 2002? We’re due for a little perspective.
In 2002…
Education reporters couldn’t contact Mike on Twitter or Facebook, but they could e-mail him on his AOL address.
Music fans went to Tower Records to buy their favorite CDs and most likely listened to Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me,” Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” Enimem’s “Lose Yourself,” and Avril Lavigne's “Sk8er Boi.”
The tech savvy bought this new gadget called an “iPod.”
The Harry Potter trio still looked like this—and they were only on the second movie.
The Rock was still a wrestler.
Michelle Kwan was going for gold.
Teenagers played Halo. (The Wii was still years away.)
Angelina Jolie was married to Billy Bob Thornton, and Brad Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston.
The only "app" was Snake on the blue Nokia phone.
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Bill Gates worked full time at Microsoft. John Arnold started his hedge fund.
Britney Spears tried her hand at acting in Crossroads. The Ring was still freaking everyone out.
ER and Friends were some of the most popular shows on TV.
Fordham released reports on standards…oh wait, we still do that.
Lance Armstrong was a Tour de France winner.
America tearfully watched the finales of the X-Files, Felicity, and Ally McBeal, but luckily also saw the premieres of The Bachelor, Dr. Phil, and American Idol (a seventeen-year-old Kelly Clarkson won that first season).
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It's safe to say that NCLB is long overdue for a revamp. We didn't need these pop culture references to know that. To hear Mike's, Kathleen's, and Matt's take on NCLB, tune in Wednesday at 10 a.m. EST.
