Ian Rowe, CEO of Vertex Partnership Academies and author of 'Agency', discusses the importance of agency in education, the impact of ideology and culture on teaching, and the necessity of instilling virtues in students. Rowe emphasizes the role of family structure and cultural influences on children's success, advocating for a balanced approach to parenting and education. The conversation also touches on the future of education, the potential of AI, and the need to proactively defend classical liberal values in the face of ideological challenges. About the Guest Ian Rowe is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, focusing on education and upward mobility, family formation, and adoption. He is the co-founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, a virtues-based International Baccalaureate high school network launched in the Bronx in 2022; chairman of the board of Spence-Chapin, a nonprofit adoption services organization; and co-founder of the National Summer School Initiative. An early member of Teach for America, Rowe has been widely published in outlets such as the New York Post, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Examiner, and is a frequent guest on talk radio. Following the publication of his book Agency: The Four Point Plan (F.R.E.E.) for All Children to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative and Discover Their Pathway to Power (Templeton Press, 2022), he began leading AEI’s FREE Initiative, which explores how family, religion, education, and entrepreneurship form the moral fabric that shapes children and fosters agency. @IanVRowe
00:00 Introduction to Agency and Education
02:53 The Role of Charter Schools in Empowering Communities
05:53 Navigating Ideology and Competence in Education
08:46 The Impact of Institutional Politics on Education
11:50 Cultural Influences on Education and Success
14:56 The Importance of Family Structure in Education
18:01 Agency and the Power of Choice in Education
20:52 Personal Stories of Agency and Parental Influence
25:39 The Importance of Agency in Education
26:39 Cultural Influences on Parenting Styles
28:56 Balancing Parenting Styles for Different Children
32:25 Navigating Education: Non-Negotiables vs. Intellectual Freedom
34:39 The Role of AI in Personalized Education
39:37 School Choice and Educational Entrepreneurship
41:32 Defending Classical Liberal Values in Education