William Bennett to Speak at First President's Breakfast

Former Secretary of Education William J. Bennett will speak on “What’s Right and What’s Wrong with American Education” at Westmont’s first President’s Breakfast, 7 a.m. Feb. 11 in the Grand Ballroom at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort.

Tickets, which are $50, can be purchased by calling (805) 565-6895.

"Bennett, who served as secretary of education in the Reagan administration, is the author of the best-selling “The Book of Virtues” and “The Children’s Book of Virtues” and hosts a national radio talk show, “Bill Bennett’s Morning in America.”

In addition to serving as education secretary, Bennett served as chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 1981-85, and was national drug czar under President George H.W. Bush. After leaving public office, Bennett authored several books, co-founded the education company K-12 Inc. and co-founded Empower America, a non-profit organization dedicated to championing conservative ideals. He is a Washington Fellow at the Claremont Institute and chairman of Americans for Victory over Terrorism.

The Westmont President’s Breakfast, which will become an annual event, is sponsored by the Westmont Foundation and area businesses. The intention of the breakfast is to bring thoughtful leaders of varying ideologies to Santa Barbara to promote discussion and consideration of current issues.

“The impetus for this program is Westmont’s commitment to searching for the truth and learning to think well about what matters, what has consequence and substance, what is important and worth giving our lives for,” said Westmont President Stan D. Gaede.  “We encourage our students to embrace this search not only while they are in college, but throughout their lives. They learn to respect those with whom they disagree while pursuing those things that hold significance and value.”

This annual event and the ongoing Westmont Downtown Conversations series of lectures at the University Club are college efforts to reach out to the larger Santa Barbara and Montecito communities.

Tied to the breakfast is a Westmont Downtown Conversations panel discussion on Bennett’s speech and its implications for education in our community and state. The event, which is free and open to the public, is 5:30 p.m. Feb. 17 at the University Club.

Panelists include Peter MacDougall, former president of Santa Barbara City College; Gerri Fausett, superintendent of Hope Elementary School District; Lynne Cavazos, interim director of UCSB’s Teacher Education Program and director of the county Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program; and Westmont education Professor Andrew Mullen.

For more information about the breakfast or the panel discussion, contact the public affairs office at (805) 565-7057.