Ian Rowe (MBA ‘93) on Agency
Multiple Sources
With the May 2022 launch of FAIR Advisor and Harvard Alum (MBA ‘93) Ian Rowe’s new book, Agency, he has taken part in a number of great conversations on the ideas in his book and beyond. We’ve included a few below.
Conversations with Coleman (8/5/22)
Beyond The Lines of Color and Race with Ian Rowe: “In this episode, we discuss his new book Agency. We talk about the obstacles facing low-income Black and Hispanic kids at the schools Ian teaches in. We discuss the problems with the narratives handed to these kids by both the left and the right which Ian calls the ‘blame the system’ mindset and the ‘blame the victim’ mindset respectively. We talk about the challenges faced by charter schools in general and the political opposition they face. We also talk about the role of religion and upward mobility and much more.
Harvard Kennedy School’s Education Next (8/1/22)
When “Equity” Meant Owning the Limitless Upside Potential—The word "has shifted quite dramatically over time," observes charter school operator [FA] Ian Rowe (MBA ‘93), the man a teachers union is suing to try to stop.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali Podcast (6/16/21)
“Ayaan speaks with Ian Rowe about the power of personal agency and how to build it. Ian introduces a new framework to help develop agency in individuals: the FREE framework (family, religion, education, and entrepreneurship).”
Here’s Why all Students need Agency Rather than ‘Equity’ (Ian Rowe, New York Post, 6/7/22)
“The problem with equity — defined as equal outcomes for students from varied identity groups — is that it inevitably denies the role of individuality…What’s missing here…are the students themselves…[their] uniqueness, humanity or agency.”
FAIR Perspectives Podcast: There Are no Victims (6/14/22)
Ian Rowe “is the author of the recent book Agency, which seeks to inspire young people to overcome the victimhood narrative and discover the pathway to power. We discuss his origin story, The Success Sequence, being racialized in America, the phenomenon of acting white, and the difference between equity and equal opportunity. We also learn about his new charter school network, discuss how to help disadvantaged kids, and touch on the relationship between meta narratives and individual agency.”
Are You Kidding Me Podcast (5//11/22)
“Every child in America deserves to know that a path to a successful life exists and they have the power to follow it. But instead, kids today are besieged by two incomplete, harmful narratives. The ‘blame the system’ narrative teaches kids they are powerless against societal forces while the ‘blame the victim’ narrative tells them that any undesirable outcome in life is a product of their own shortcomings, regardless of whether they have received any meaningful support along the way. There is a third way that keeps the individual at its center while relying on mediating institutions to guide and support young people.
In this special episode, Ian discusses his new book, Agency. At each juncture of Ian’s career, he noticed that young people, in addition to absorbing a cultural narrative that devastated their chances of success, were growing up in communities with high concentrations of fragile families, lack of school choice, declines in religiosity, and significant unemployment. Rowe fully acknowledges the reality of societal barriers in disadvantaged communities. That’s why, in addition to a personal conviction in their own potential, kids need to embrace four building blocks that will lead to a life of human flourishing: Family, Religion, Education, and Entrepreneurship (F.R.E.E.). This book is for anybody who has the ability to shape the moral character of young people.”
Related:
The Power of Personal Agency (Ian Rowe, WSJ, 6/21/2020)
