Sem: Democracy and Our Schools

This seminar is restricted to juniors and seniors only.. This course examines K-12 education policy through the lens of American politics. On the one hand, schools influence American democracy by cultivating norms of civic and political engagement among youth. Yet public schools are also agencies of government, which means that education policy is established through democratic political processes. This interplay between democracy and education raises fundamental questions about the consequences of living in a nation that relies on elected officials to govern its schools. We begin by examining contestation over the very purposes of public education. We then assess the formal institutions, groups, and ideas that shape education policymaking. Along the way we will be guided by questions such as: Does democracy compromise educational equity? How much say should the public have in determining education policy? Should schools be organized primarily by politics or by markets?