Pastor Joshua Robertson uses his own life story to drive a national conversation about school choice, educational freedom, and the role churches can play in shaping the future of learning. As the founder and CEO of Black Pastors United for Education, he says churches sit on unused weekday space that can transform into innovative learning centers for students who need support the most.
A Church-Based Answer to Learning Gaps
During the pandemic, Robertson’s church opened its doors to students learning virtually. That experiment revealed how powerful a blended in-person and cyber-education model can be. He now helps pastors nationwide turn their buildings into hubs for homeschool support, tutoring, hybrid learning, and customized education programs.
He argues that churches already have teachers, principals, and administrators within their congregations. “Why not create our own spaces?” he says. “Twenty-first century education needs to be customizable, and communities must take on that mantle.”
A Personal Story That Fuels His Mission
Robertson graduated from high school, reading at a first-grade level. He failed out of college, became briefly homeless, and then met a bishop who took him in. That man enrolled in community college with him, taught him to read using Goosebumps books, and changed the trajectory of Robertson’s life. He went on to earn a Division I football scholarship at the University of Minnesota, complete his bachelor’s degree, and later graduate from seminary with the highest GPA in his class.
“I didn’t have a learning problem. I had a school problem,” Robertson says.
Rethinking the System
He argues that public schools have become too large and too burdened by non-instructional responsibilities. He believes smaller classrooms, culturally connected teachers, and more educational options can break what he calls the “public school-to-prison pipeline.”
Robertson will expand on his vision at the upcoming Pelican Institute Solutions Summit.
Learn more at bpue.org.