Newt speaking at an education forum; releases "A 21st Century Learning System."

Newt released his plans for "A 21st Century Learning System" on Newt.org today. The first two steps:

1. Learning is vital to maintain American civilization. As the Founding Fathers wrote in the Northwest Ordnance of 1787: "Religion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

Note that they saw education as vastly more than mere knowledge, and note the order they listed it in. We must restore values, discipline and American history to the classroom.

2. America is a learned civilization and every American, including immigrants, should learn American history and the principles of American self-government, productivity and prosperity. As Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1820: "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Every student must learn to read and much of what they read should reinforce American civilization.

From Politico:

Herman Cain, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are all expected to take part in a New York City-based education forum this week, at a panel moderated by former NYC schools chancellor and current News Corp. executive Joel Klein, officials said.

The presidential forum is called "Education and Election 2012." The Wall Street Journal's Paul Gigot is also moderating the event, which is being sponsored by the College Board and was first reported by CNN.

Santorum and Gingrich are expected in person, and Cain is expected, according to College Board officials, although it's unclear if he'll be there or conferenced in somehow.

Michelle Bachmann ended up participating in the event too.

I'll post some of the reaction from Twitter to the speech tomorrow.