Our Thoughts and Prayers Are With the Families in Chattanooga

Nov 23, 2016 12:00:00 AM

by Peter Cunningham

There is no greater trust than that of parents who hand over their children to schools every day, believing, hoping and praying that their kids will be safe, nurtured, loved and educated. Every day, in millions of classrooms across America, the miracle of education unfolds and the trust of parents is affirmed. The tragic bus crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this week that has taken the lives of five children, hospitalized 12 more, and traumatized an entire community, is a horrific reminder of the infinite responsibility shared by all of the adults in our schools—from teachers and principals to janitors, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and especially to the five beautiful young children whose lives have been cut short.

Peter Cunningham

Peter Cunningham is the founder of Education Post and serves on its board. He served as Assistant Secretary for communications and outreach in the U.S. Department of Education during the Obama administration’s first term. Prior to that he worked with Arne Duncan when he was CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. Peter is affiliated with Whiteboard Advisors, a DC-based education policy, research and communications firm. He serves on several non-profit boards, including Oakland-based Great Schools, which provides school quality information to parents through a national online platform, The Montessori School of Englewood, a Chicago public charter school, Manufacturing Renaissance, a career education program that trains public high school students for jobs in manufacturing, Unbounded, an organization supporting teachers in schools that are transitioning to higher standards, and Foolproofme.com, which is focused on financial literacy for students. Peter founded Cunningham Communications, serving public, private and nonprofit clients, worked for political consultant David Axelrod, and was a senior advisor and speechwriter for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. A native New Yorker, Peter began his career as a journalist with small weekly newspapers in New York. He earned an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University and a B.A. in philosophy from Duke University. He is married to artist Jackie Kazarian, and they have two adult children who are proud graduates of the Chicago Public Schools. Peter joined the Education Post board in 2018 after stepping down as the organization's Executive Director.  Meet our board →

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