William J. Bennett, PhD, former U.S. Secretary of Education, has been selected as the 1997 Cushing Orator. The oration will be delivered at the AANS Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, on Tuesday, April 15, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm. His topic will be “In Defense of Western Civilization.”
For the past 33 years, the AANS has sponsored the Annual Cushing Oration, named for Harvey Cushing, MD, universally recognized as the Father of Modern Neurosurgery. Previous Cushing Orators include Wernher von Braun, PhD, President Jimmy Carter, H. Ross Perot, General Colin L. Powell, and — last year — William F. Buckley, Jr.
Dr. Bennett most recently has been a co-director (with Jack Kemp and Jeanne Kirkpatrick) of Empower America, an organization dedicated to promoting conservative principles and ideas. He also serves as the John M. Olin Distinguished Fellow in Cultural Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation, and as senior editor of National Review magazine. On August 28, 1996, Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole selected Dr. Bennett to serve as vice Chairman of his election campaign.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Bennett holds a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Williams College, a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Texas, and a law degree from Harvard. He taught at a number of leading universities before becoming president of the National Humanities Center in North Carolina in 1979. In 1981, he was selected by President Reagan to be chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, where he served until being named Secretary of Education in the Reagan Administration (1985-1988).
As Secretary of Education, Dr. Bennett declared that we must attend to the “Three C’s” of American Education: Content, Character, and Choice. He focused on the importance of mastering basics — math, history, science, and English, and instilling high standards and expectations in the classroom. He also engaged in a well-publicized debate on the failures of American higher education.
Dr. Bennett later served as Director of the Office of National Drug Policy (“Drug Czar”) in the Bush Administration (1989-1990). As “Drug Czar” he led a vigorous national debate on drugs, education, and the condition of children and culture in America. He argued for tougher law enforcement, greater user accountability, more and better treatment, education and prevention programs.
He is the author of several books on social and domestic issues including the best-seller, “The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories.” With sales topping two million copies, the book has been on the New York Times best-seller list for more than 80 weeks. His book will be made into an animated children’s series to be broadcast on PBS beginning in a few months. A companion volume, “The Moral Compass,” will be published later this year.