Valerie Strauss

Washington, D.C.

Reporter covering education, foreign affairs Education: Bachelor's degree: University of Miami. Master's degree: Northwestern University Valerie Strauss covers education and runs The Washington Post's long-running Answer Sheet blog. She sees the education beat broadly and writes about the practice, politics, sociology and psychology and it. She writes her own pieces and publishes on her blog the work of students, teachers, parents, researchers and others to offer readers views other than hers. She has over the years covered and investigated education issues on the local, state and federal levels, as well as preK-12 and higher education and public and private schools. She has attempted to hold policymakers accountable during both Republican and Democratic administrations. She came to the Post as an assistant foreign editor for Asia in 1987 and worked as weekend foreign desk editor during some of the most riveting moments in modern times, including the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China and the collapse of the Soviet empire. She led award-winning projects on the Cultural Revolution and the plight of women in third-world countries. She came to the Post from Reuters, where she worked as national security editor and a military/foreign affairs reporter on Capitol Hill. Before that she was assistant foreign editor of United Press International, and worked in the Miami bureau of UPI, covering national stories such as relations with Cuba (where she traveled when the country was still closed to Americans), riots and immigration issues. At The Los Angeles Times she was an editor.

Latest from Valerie Strauss

Answer Sheet
Analysis

Trump’s ‘patriotic education’ report excuses Founding Fathers for owning slaves and likens progressives to Mussolini

It was released on the holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Jan 19, 2021

Education

After Capitol attack, social studies and civics teachers struggle with real-time history lessons

Educators responsible for teaching students how government works have an unprecedented civics lesson to present.

Jan 19, 2021

Answer Sheet
Analysis

MLK: ‘If we are not careful, our colleges will produce … close-minded, unscientific, illogical propagandists’

Martin Luther King Jr. on education in the early 1960s: “At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose.”

Jan 17, 2021

Answer Sheet
Perspective

Yes, some charter schools do pick their students. It’s not a myth.

A rebuttal to a Post column.

Jan 17, 2021

Answer Sheet
Analysis

No, viral video doesn’t show police removing barriers for Capitol rioters — and other news literacy lessons on insurrection

From the News Literacy Project

Jan 14, 2021

Education

As U.S. Capitol attack unfolded, some Hill staffers remembered their school-shooting drills

A generation of workers has come of age well-trained to “shelter in place.”

Jan 14, 2021

Answer Sheet

More than 160 law deans denounce attempted insurrection and effort to decertify election — but don’t name names

Here's the statement and the list of deans who signed.

Jan 12, 2021

Answer Sheet

Scores of nurses with Chicago Public Schools say reopening buildings is still unsafe

Schools are set to open for some students on Monday, despite opposition from teachers.

Jan 10, 2021

Answer Sheet

Thousands of law school alumni and students push for disbarment of Sens. Hawley and Cruz

The petition blasts them for what it says were their "efforts to undermine the peaceful transition of power after a free and fair election."

Jan 10, 2021

Answer Sheet
Analysis

'Potential grizzlies’ and Betsy DeVos’s other greatest hits

A review of things that Betsy DeVos said over four years that raised many eyebrows -- and revealed her controversial education views.

Jan 8, 2021

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