FULL STATEMENT :
Johnson, Victor C., Former Associate Executive Director of Public Policy

Name: Johnson, Victor C.
Title: Associate Executive Director of Public Policy
Company/Organization/University: NAFSA

 
NAFSA Comments on Education Department's Strategic Plan

"Dear Mr. Secretary:

Thank you for sharing the department's very impressive strategic plan with the public, and for offering opportunity for comment. Please be assured of the support of this association, and of our more than 8,000 members, as you seek to accomplish these ambitious goals.

I write today respectfully to suggest that there is a serious omission in the department's strategic plan. We believe that in today's world, no one can be considered educated who is not educated internationally. The events of September 11 emphasize what we have known for some time: that U.S. leadership, security, and economic competitiveness are linked to events in the world and increasingly depend on a globally literate U.S. citizenry.

This is not something separate from the strategic plan, but rather integral to it. In today's global world, which places a premium on international literacy, students who are not exposed to the world and to other cultures will be left behind.

I would commend to your attention the attached statement, "Toward an International Education Policy for the United States," which we co-authored with the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange. The Department of Education has a crucial role to play in articulating and implementing such a policy. We hope that this could be reflected in the department's strategic plan. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Victor C. Johnson
Associate Executive Director, Public Policy
NAFSA: Association of International Educators"

Johnson, Victor C. (February 12, 2002). "NAFSA Comments on Education Department's Strategic Plan," a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, NAFSA.