Washington, D.C.– Earlier this week, NGA Chair Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Delaware Governor Matt Meyer joined TED for an “On the Spot” Q&A program at TEDNext 2025.
Demonstrating the Disagree Better model, the governors highlighted common ground, detailed their plans for education innovation and shared their hopes for the American Dream and good governance.
Bipartisanship
“There are probably people in this room that hate me just because I’m a Republican. There are people watching this that hate Matt just because he’s a Democrat. [But] I know Matt. I know his wife, Lauren. We just went to Switzerland together to study their [education ] model and bring back ideas about workforce learning and apprenticeships. And the thing is, I know that he cares about Delaware citizens. And I know he cares passionately about education and giving people in Delaware a better life, just like I do in Oklahoma…we need to not be so driven by polarized politics…we can debate policy, and we can still like each other. That’s why we love doing these type of things together, showing that there’s a Republican and a Democrat that actually like each other. And we could disagree, but we don’t have to be disagreeable.” – Governor Stitt
“I think we need to find a way as Americans to sit on stage together, to break bread with each other, to understand that we can’t just channel all of our energies into knocking each other down. There are opportunities to be made in Oklahoma and in Delaware that people will realize if we do find a way to work together. There is an opportunity here for us as governors, sitting together, as human beings, as Americans. Go and talk to someone who disagrees with you, not to argue with them, but actually to listen to them, empathize with them, understand the position that they come from. That’s what I had to do as a teacher. That’s what many Americans do, and that’s how we ultimately have hope for the next 250 years of this great experiment in self-governance.” – Governor Meyer
Education
“We can use technology to benefit our students and be a tool for our teachers. We need to embrace it on workforce and education [and] get businesses more involved. We just got back from Switzerland [where] compulsory education ends in 9th grade. Then every single kid signs a contract, and they actually start going to work. Because [in Switzerland] they [recognize] workplace education is education. It’s permeability. They can go work [with their] accreditation, but then they could go on to college if they want to. It’s not a dead end like we think of it here in the U.S. I think we need to reinvent ourselves. It was a great model, and we’re bringing that back to Oklahoma and Delaware to get more kids, more engaged in the workforce.” – Governor Stitt
“AI presents incredible opportunities. I think we can eliminate standardized testing in our schools. If you look at the tools that AI has, we have better, more thorough assessments of students on a day-to-day basis using modern technology…One of the biggest problems I had as a 6th grade math teacher is some students walked in with 4th grade or 5th grade skills, and other students walked in with 7th grade and 8th grade skills. Using technology, we can deliver [relevant] education like never before. But there are threats. We need to make sure we control the technology, and the technology doesn’t control us.” – Governor Meyer
Hope
“The American Dream is this idea that is so unique to our country. Other countries all want to come here, because the idea is that you can be anything that you set your mind to. It doesn’t matter who your parents are. Doesn’t matter if you were rich or poor. Through an education system, through free markets, you can achieve your American dream. And there’s as many dreams as there are people. As long as the American Dream is alive, American democracy is worth fighting for, and we need to fight for that. We did not teach our children that there are equal outcomes for everyone, but we want equal opportunities to go chase those dreams. That’s why I think education is so important to giving kids opportunities and exposing them to what’s possible. Because God has uniquely created everybody differently with great skills and desires and abilities – and given everybody an individual ability that we want to help that next generation find. I think the greatness of America is we’re already different. Delaware is different than Oklahoma. It is worth fighting for, and that’s why we’re up here – demonstrating that we do get along, we do like each other. We can lead our states maybe a little differently, but it’s still American. We’re still fighting for it.” – Governor Stitt
“I think the way we restore trust in government is to deliver for people. If you go to 50 governors across this country – Democrat or Republican – the bulk of our budget is four things. It’s education, it’s medication, it’s transportation, and it’s incarceration. And I assure you, if all 50 of us can do those four things with excellence, deliver, and maybe reduce your tax bill a little bit so that it’s affordable, I think we will get support, and we will win back the American people. That’s the way we win the trust of our people.” – Governor Meyer
Last month, Governors Stitt and Meyer traveled to Switzerland to study the nation’s apprenticeship program as part of Gov. Stitt’s NGA Chair’s Initiative Reigniting the American Dream.
View the full TED video here or below.
